Ferdinand Town Council Greenlights Upgrades, Repairs, and Staff Training

From water system upgrades to sidewalk planning, the Ferdinand Town Council tackled a wide range of infrastructure issues at their latest meeting.

In his report, Wastewater and Water Department Superintendent Ben Brinkman updated the Council on staff certification progress and other departmental education opportunities. All employees of Wastewater, Water, Electric, and Street Departments will attend the Pipeline Safety training in Huntingburg on February 4. Five employees of the Wastewater and Water Department will attend the Indiana Alliance Conference in French Lick on March 17-19.

At the treatment plant, there are no backup flygt pumps in the inventory. The board approved the purchase of a new pump to replace one that is not usable at a cost of $16,342.16. They also approved the purchase of a new GPS unit at a flat fee of $10,696 with an annual surcharge of $250 for maintenance and updates.

The board granted permission Brinkman to send bid notices for the library water main and sewer project for its new building. They also gave authorization to proceed with replacement of the water line at 18 th Street Park, which has been leaking.

A public meeting regarding SS4A, the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, will be held this Thursday at 5:30 at the American Legion. Pizza will be provided. In the comprehensive plan, officials noted the multiple requests for more sidewalks and walking trails. They are currently seeking input from the public as they move forward. A preliminary engineering design was provided by UDA for a sidewalk/trail from the high school property to Old Town Lake. Officials are looking for potential grants to help fund the project.

With Mike Steffe’s departure, Rich Clark was appointed to the Park Board. For the coming year, the Council approved the 2026 Salary Ordinance Amendment, the 2026 Dubois Strong Fee for Services Agreement, and the Indiana 15 Agreement for Codification of Ordinances. A no parking ordinance will also be enacted on the south side of 6 th Street. A business at the location has been unable to access their loading dock, prompting the change. The new no parking area will be marked with a painted curb and signage.

A contract with NextEra has been accepted to be Ferdinand’s new electricity supplier. A rate study will be completed to determine what future increases will be as officials noted that electrical costs are going up.

For more information on these and other updates, visit www.ferdinandindiana.org

- Drew Hasselbring