Commissioners hear update on Crossvine Solar project and more
Commissioners received an update on the Crossvine Solar Project from County Engineer Levi Leffert, who met with officials involved in the AES-owned project to obtain an update on the planned solar installation near the county airport.
Leffert told commissioners the company plans to begin construction in early 2026 and will host community engagement sessions in November to discuss the project.
“They were very clear that they want to be transparent to the public,” Leffert told the commissioners. “Public relations seem to be important to them.”
Commissioner Chad Blessinger shared that anyone with questions about the project can email the company at crossvine@AES.com. He emphasized the county is not directly involved with the project. “Our job is to make sure to protect county assets such as the roads, the ditches, the safety of the area,” he said.
According to a news release about the project, the facility’s capacity is equivalent to the electricity needed to power approximately 14,500 homes.
Main construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026, though some preliminary work may occur later this fall.
“You may see them doing a little bit of work later this fall which will be the pre-seeding,” Leffert explained. The pre-seeding process involves cultivating fields and applying seeds so vegetation can begin growing before major construction begins.
The project also includes clearing approximately one acre of trees. However, outside of the pre-seeding and tree clearing, construction will not commence until next year.
Commissioners also heard from a representative from Westwood Professional Services regarding the division of a parcel for a substation to support the Duff Solar Park.
EDP Solar purchased the property from a landowner and is subdividing it to build the substation.
After a discussion regarding the necessary easements that would need to be obtained for the subdivision, which included the size of the lot and road access, the commissioners directed them to make the necessary changes to the request and resubmit the plans for consideration.
In other county business, commissioners addressed several infrastructure and administrative matters during their meeting.
Feedback/potential closure of Ireland road
Leffert spoke to the commissioners about Indiana Department of Transportation’s request to consider the closure of a small section of County Road 250 North in Ireland.
This potential closure is being evaluated by INDOT due to the safety concerns and operational challenges associated with the skewed angle at which County Road 250 North intersects State Road 56, along with its proximity to the signaled intersection of State Road 56/County Road 500 West.
Leffert thanked the public for all the feedback he had received through calls, comments on social media and emails.
He told the commissioners that he is taking all that feedback into consideration and will come to them with a recommendation by the next meeting.
He explained the request is being considered because INDOT is working on a sidewalk project in the area. “If we wouldn’t close this, it has to be incorporated into INDOT’s design,” Leffert said.
He said he had heard comments for and against closing it.
Commissioner Nick Hostetter affirmed that the project is not being initiated by the county but is an INDOT request.
Roundabout meeting
Leffert told the council that he has a meeting with INDOT about the planned roundabout at Bretzville Junction to discuss the design and ways to minimize traffic impacts on county roads during construction.
Construction on the roundabout is set to begin in 2026.
Addressing mowing concerns
Commissioners approved the highway department’s request to purchase used mowing equipment to address public complaints about roadside maintenance. The department plans to buy an older tractor and brush hog for approximately $30,000 to test a new approach to roadside mowing.
“We’ve been getting several complaints as far as not getting their roads mowed quick enough,” Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken explained.
The new equipment would allow for faster coverage of roadside areas, complementing existing boom mowers that handle brush cutting and overhead tree trimming.
“They are trying their best,” Lueken said about mowing. “But with all the rain we had and everything else, it’s just been a hard year this year.”
Updated road projects
Leffert provided updates on several road projects, including the reopening of the Hickory Grove Road bridge on August 22, after crews replaced beams and installed a new concrete deck. Work continues on the County Road 850 West concrete stream crossing, which is expected to reopen to traffic within two to three weeks.
Commissioners discussed a $30,000 repair project for a short section of County Road 1025 South stream crossing between Holland Road East and 600 West.
The road runs through the stream and the concrete crossing has deteriorated with the water running underneath, creating large voids. The commissioner agreed with the recommendation to replace the existing crossing rather than creating an alternate route, which would be more expensive and complex.
Leffert recommended building a new concrete crossing as the least costly alternative. He said they could save some money by using existing concrete as backfill.
The road is used mainly by farmers in the area.
HELP program
The county opened bids for two electrical upgrade projects through the program, receiving proposals from Huntingburg Mechanical for $17,500 and $16,500, respectively.
However, Jenny Matheis, program facilitator with Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission, noted challenges in finding contractors for the program, which must be completed by the end of the year.
“We are getting to the end of this program,” she explained, adding they have scheduled one final bid opening for Sept. 15 to try to complete additional projects before the deadline.
The HELP Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program was created through a partnership between Dubois County and the City of Jasper, with matching funding provided through the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Plan. They applied a portion of the American Rescue Act funding they received in 2021 to create grants for this program. Through the program, $700,000 has been made available for housing repairs.
Matheis is still seeking contractors to bid on work on local homes.
Any interested contractor is asked to contact Matheis at 812-367-8455 or by email at JMatheis@Ind15rpc.org.
Dubois Code Enforcement
The commissioners heard an update on the building located at 5398 East Main Street, Dubois, owned by Rober Slotten.
According to the health department, Slotten is still not in compliance, though work is being done on the building.
Commissioners assessed a $100 fine due to Slotten’s slow progress and the county resources and time spent in attempting to bring the property into compliance.
Given Slotten’s history with the property, the commissioners felt the fine was necessary to encourage him to complete the work. The county has been meeting with Slotten since April to address the unsafe condition of the property, and he missed several deadlines to complete repairs before commissioners began assessing fines against him.
