At the end of the Pierceton Town Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 14, at the Pierceton Community Building are from left: Town Council President Mandy Espinoza, Vice President Matt Brubaker and Member Tom Barker. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — Pierceton has selected Niblock Excavating of Bristol to complete street work around town.

The Pierceton Town Council selected the company over Phend and Brown of Milford and Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne after opening the bids at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 14, at the Pierceton Community Building.

The town is paying for the project with an Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings Matching Grant it received last year. Niblock’s bid was $209,185 – the exact amount that Pierceton has available for the project through the grant.

Phend and Brown’s bid was $255,604.55; Brooks’ was $267,642.

Streets to be worked on include:

Market Street from First Street to the railroad approach;
Elm/Maple streets from First Street to Church Street;
Second Street from the south alley to Catholic Street;
East Tulip Street from First Street to Grant Street;
North Grant Street from Tulip Street to Wayne Street;
East Wayne Street from First Street to Oak Street;
North Oak Street from Wayne Street to Keith Street;
North Second Street from Columbia Street to Tulip Street;
West Market Street from First Street to Seventh Street.

No set start date for the project was given at Monday’s meeting.

In other business, the council:

• Was introduced to Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe. Roe was recently hired by the county to work with communities in how best to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. Her position was created via the county receiving an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) grant. Pierceton is one of several towns in the county that have sought to participate.
• Heard from Pierceton Police Chief Tim Sammons that the department is applying for a grant to get new body cameras for officers.
• Thanked town employees for their hard work during the snowstorm earlier this month.
• Agreed to set Saturday, June 4, as the town’s spring clean-up day.

The council’s next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 14, at the community building.