Published: June 09, 2009 11:34 pm      

County may put pressure on contractor

Commissioners hoping to put locals to work

Tough talk between contractors filled a 90-minute Howard County commissioners meeting Wednesday, as the issue of hiring local workers on the Kitty Run drainage project heated up.

Representatives from ABC Trucking LLC, Noblesville, and Kokomo Sand & Gravel, a Miami County-based business, argued different sides of a central issue — whether contractors are honoring a county agreement to use “local” contractors on the Kitty Run project.

Commissioners President Dave Trine said of the 16 trucks now hauling dirt from the rapidly forming basin behind Bible Baptist Church, nine are being driven by local drivers.

But the fact the majority of drivers are from Howard County may have been due to timely intervention from Trine and deputy county surveyor Greg Lake, who noticed several trucks from Noblesville at the site.

ABC Trucking president Chad Knight, who has a long family history in Howard County, had several of his subcontractors at the meeting, including representatives from the Russiaville-based C&D Express and Ike & Moses firms.

However Mark Boyer, president of Kokomo Sand & Gravel, said the general contractor on the project, Lee & Ryan, Greenfield, violated the county agreement by hiring ABC.

Further confusing the issue was Boyer’s admission he’d turned down Lee & Ryan when the firm offered the trucking job to Kokomo Sand & Gravel.

Finally, Commissioner Bill Thompson said the wording of the county’s agreement “failed to establish what ‘local’ means, definitively.”

“Our intent was noble,” Thompson said. “I can say this much ... we have learned much from this situation.”

Glenn Stephens, Russiaville, said he was worried he’d lose his work as a subcontractor on the project if too much was made of the issue.

“My trucks are running on the project right now, and all I keep hearing is how they’re not using local contractors,” said Stephens, owner of C&D Express.

Representatives from Lee & Ryan did not attend the special commissioners meeting, which ended with the commissioners making a recommendation to the Howard County Drainage Board.

That recommendation was simply to make Lee & Ryan aware they might be in violation of the county agreement. The commissioners also agreed to follow up on the issue, and to work on strengthening the language in any future agreements.

When complete, the project will provide stormwater retention for the 1,700-acre Kitty Run watershed, an area roughly bordered by Markland Avenue, Malfalfa Road, Alto Road and Park Road.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management awarded the contract to Lee & Ryan, with the understanding the dirt from the Kitty Run basin excavation will be trucked to fill the Markland Avenue Quarry on the Continental Steel property.

Since excavation work began, county officials have been hearing from local contractors looking for jobs.

The dilemma for the county, however, is the fact the county is receiving drainage work worth more than $1 million, all paid for by the state.

• Scott Smith is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He may be reached at (765) 454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com