Jasper Stormwater Board Discusses Projects, Partnerships, and Public Education

The Jasper Stormwater Management Board reviewed progress on scheduled sewer repairs, partnerships enhancing conservation efforts, and the upcoming contractor’s workshop. 

City Engineer Chad Hurm provided an update on the Lions Club Storm Sewer Repair project. Bids were opened last month, and were over the anticipated budget. After review, some items were included in the repair that explained the higher cost, and the low bid of $118,500 was accepted from National Gunite. River conditions and weather will determine the actual dates for repairs, which are estimated to take approximately 2 weeks. 

Representatives from the Soil and Water Conservation District gave a presentation on the Land Stewardship Initiative. The LSI is a joint partnership between Dubois County Soil and Water and the VUJC property, where they study best practices to promote sustainable farming. The compiled data is analyzed and then provided to farmers for their use. LSI says education on cover crops, no-till farming, and soil health not only benefits agricultural productivity, but also reduces sediment and nutrient runoff into municipal waterways. 

In the October building permits, there were 5 new ERUs approved by the board, as well as some modifications made to existing ERUs. The annual IDEM report is in progress, and will be completed after final December numbers are available. The department is nearing the end of the permit cycle and will need to file a new notice of intent (NOI) with the state. The state permit cycle is five years. 

The contractor workshop agenda will be adjusted to incorporate the Street Department. It will be held on January 28. The first set of invitations will be sent on November 26, with the final invitation letter sent on January 5. Information on the workshop were also included in the next mailing for the Builders’ Association and will be addressed in the organization’s upcoming meeting. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit jasperindiana.gov or JasperGov-Indiana on Facebook.


 - By Drew Hasselbring