Dubois County Seeks New Holland Dumpster Site, Reports Bridge Repair Closures

The Dubois County Highway Department confirmed Monday that the property housing the Holland community dumpster site has been sold, leaving the county with a six-month window to secure a new location before it must vacate the current site.

Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken, who presented the highway projects report to the Dubois County Commissioners, said the department is actively searching for replacement land in the Holland area. County meeting minutes note that drawings related to dumpster site planning are still in progress, with completion anticipated later this fall after settlement, though the specific design status and responsible engineering firm were not fully documented in available records.

Staffing at the Holland site has also shifted. A full-time attendant quit and has been replaced by a substitute. Larry Betz, who had driven a trash truck for the county, stepped down from that role several months ago and is transitioning to another position, though county records do not specify what that new role entails.

Beyond the dumpster site, Lueken's report covered several active and planned infrastructure projects affecting travel in and around the Holland area. Club Road was closed June 30 to begin replacing a metal culvert with a 12-foot by 8-foot concrete box culvert. That closure was projected to last four to five weeks depending on weather and unforeseen conditions, with crews hoping to reopen the road before the start of the school year.

Lady Bridge #78 is also moving toward reconstruction. Lueken's report noted a scheduled meeting with engineering firm American Structurepoint to review preliminary plans and establish cost estimates, with design work targeted for completion this fall and construction planned for the following spring or summer.

A stream crossing at 1025 S near Holland Road East has been under evaluation as well. Engineers previously considered both an aluminum plate box culvert and a full bridge replacement for that location, though county records do not specify which option has been selected or what timeline has been established.

Lueken also addressed right-of-way maintenance during the meeting, explaining that clear road edges are necessary to prevent residents from parking vehicles, erecting fences or buildings, placing mailboxes, or planting crops such as corn adjacent to county roads. He cited prior projects in which individual property owners covered costs and coordinated right-of-way acquisition directly. Commissioner Blessinger agreed to follow up with an unnamed requestor on the matter.

The highway update was presented at the Dubois County Commissioners regular meeting. The commissioners also accepted the Clerk's and Treasurer's monthly reports for June 2025, with departmental income that month recorded at $29,305.09 for the Clerk's office, $25,533.69 for the Health Department, $20,401.02 for the Recorder, and $20.00 for the Auditor. A thank-you note from Bliss McKnight to the Sheriff Department and Community Corrections staff was also acknowledged, recognizing their participation in risk management training covering jail liability and driver safety.

The six-month deadline to vacate the Holland dumpster site makes finding a suitable replacement the most time-sensitive item on the highway department's current agenda.