Published: August 19, 2008 10:44 am         

Goshen's wastewater plant has digestive problem

The Goshen wastewater plant has a digestion problem and experts will be called in to try and find a cure.

The Goshen Board of Public Works and Safety Monday approved the payment of not more than $33,740 to Donohue & Associates to diagnosis the problem and offer four solutions.

Doug Perrry, utilities superintendent, said the anaerobic digestion system at the plant is having difficulty maintaining the right temperature for the bacteria that eats the city’s human wastes.

He said the problem has existed for the past four to five years and the plant’s staff has tried a variety of techniques to solve the problem.

What the city will get from Donohue & Associates is four suggestions for cures and estimates on what each will cost.

Other business the board conducted wasn’t as expensive.

The board approved closing Washington Street from Main Street to Third Street from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so the members of the Porsche Club of America can display their cars during a First Friday event.

First Fridays is a downtown promotion that features a different special event on the first Friday of each month.

More city streets will be closed in the coming months.

The board approved the closure of Bashor Road (C.R. 30) east of C.R. 17 for a month beginning Aug. 28. The Elkhart County Highway Department will be replacing a culvert at Leedy Ditch.

And on Sept. 7 police officers and firefighters who have been killed in the line of duty will be honored by motorcycle riders.

The board approved the closing of Fifth Street from Madison Street to Washington Street and Jefferson Street from Fifth Street to Main Street. The closings will occur around 3 p.m. so 300 or more motorcyclists taking part in the memorial ride can gather on the streets.

Three other intersections in the city won’t be closed but they are scheduled to have signal upgrades. The board approved the advertisement for bids for signal upgrades for the intersections at Indiana Avenue and Lincoln Avenue, College Avenue and 15th Street, and College Avenue and Greencroft Boulevard.

Signals at those intersections will be equipped with better timing controls if the bids are accepted.

And in an annual financial task, the board approved the payment of $28,800 to the Economic Development Corp. of Elkhart County to provide economic development services for the city.

Mayor Allan Kauffman said the funds have already been allocated by the City Council. The amount is the same as paid in the past year.