Salt Creek Trail and Bridges – For The Record

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Last updated: Aug 23, 2022

“The principle that the end justifies the means is in individualist ethics regarded as the denial of all morals.”
– F.A. Hayek

At the beginning of this project, the County Commissioners at the time reportedly expressed support for the Salt Creek Trail project that included the stipulation that eminent domain would not be used to acquire the land.  However, once the State (and federal money) got involved, the commissioners relinquished their power to prevent this option.  The capability of  the State to evoke eminent domain resulted in negotiations that led to higher land prices for property owners.

Under Commissioner Biddle’s initiative,  the commissioners voted to accept the Two-span truss bridge over Eel River on IN 46  for use on the Salt Creek Trail.  The bridges are to be dismantled, repaired, and moved to Brown County at no cost to county taxpayers.  The county will be responsible for maintenance.

May 4, 2022.  Brown County Board of Commissioners  – a lawsuit over the contract award by John Simpon, dba Monrol LLC.

Sep 28, 2021.  Taking the next step: Commissioners award bid for Eagle Park portion of Salt Creek Trail By Suzannah Couch –

Sept 2, 2021. Salt Creek Trail paving bids being examined By   Suzannah Couch

    • Phase 1 ends at the YMCA, and Phase 2 is the section being worked on now, beginning at the state park pool area and ending at the RedBarn Jamboree, going around the back of the Eagle Park property.
    • Phase 3 will be the middle section, between the RedBarn Jamboree and the YMCA. The route and timetable for that section are not yet known.

Apr 30 , 2020. BCD. Looking Up: Long-awaited Phase 2 of Salt Creek Trail to be finished this year, by Suzannah Couch. Facebook posts of the article:

Sep 2, 2020. Commissioners Meeting. Mike Magnor stated that the funding and project management responsibilities related to the installation of the Clay County (highway) bridges is the responsibility of DNR. The county has no financial liability.  County will have the responsibility for maintenance.

Aug 11, 2020.  BCD. Progress underway on Salt Creek Trail extensions By Suzannah Couch

  • The bridge trusses are going up for the second phase of the Salt Creek Trail, and some movement is now happening on the third phase to connect it to the Brown County YMCA.
  • At the moment, there are no definite plans for other trail sections, but there could be in the future, Magner said. Earlier plans showed a spur from the YMCA to the Brown County Schools campus in Nashville and an extension to the county-owned Deer Run Park.

Legal Notices of Planned Improvements

May 28, 2020. BCD. County News. Bridge going up on Salt Creek Trail, bids rejected

May 5, 2020, Democrat, Pieces of Salt Creek Trail bridge delivered By

Mar 17, 2020. Democrat. Salt Creek Trail extension and maintenance: New bridge deliveries, mud problems discussed at board meetings By Suzannah Couch

Oct 16, 2019. BCD. Bridge up for work: Temporary Salt Creek Trail bridge visible from State Road 46… By Suzannah Couch. Drivers on their way to and from Nashville on State Road 46 East may have noticed some Salt Creek Trail construction happening near the RedBarn Jamboree.

Apr 9, 2019.  Trail project on the move: Bridges not here, but some work done on park phase.  Earth-movers have arrived at Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park to prepare to build another segment of the Salt Creek Trail.

  • Since 2013, planned expansions of the trail to connect downtown Nashville with Brown County State Park have been on hold while the Indiana Department of Transportation worked to secure easements from property owners in the path.
  • The necessary agreements have now been made with owners in the section that will run from the state park to Parkview Road, in the area of the former RedBarn Jamboree and Hesitation Point bicycle shop.

Mar 5, 2019.  BCD, … SCHOOL NEWS: ,,,  land sale for Salt Creek Trail approved

  • On Feb. 7, the Brown County Schools Board of Trustees approved the sale of real estate interests at Eagle Park to the Indiana Department of Transportation so that a bridge can be built for the Salt Creek Trail.
  •  The board voted to accept $161,000 for all real estate interests that INDOT needed for bridge construction, including land and easements.  INDOT had originally offered the school district $13,700 for easements and right-of-way on a little less than 3 acres on the northwest corner of Eagle Park spanning over to the Parkview area.

Oct 23-Nov 2018 Brown County Matters – Facebook Posts on the Topic

Oct 25, 2018. BCD Facebook Posts – Partial Salt Creek Trail Access

Recently, a landowner who was originally offered $7,500 for .259 acres by the State, settled for $175, 920.52.  The money for land acquisitions is provided by federal and state taxpayers via “grants.”  Commissioner Biddle’s decision to accept “free” and massive Highway Bridges for use as a pedestrian trail contributed to the high acquisition costs of the affected properties.

Salt Creek Trail – History

Oct 23, 2018.  Partial Salt Creek Trail access acquired for $481K By Sara Sara Clifford, BCD

  • Olivers. The Olivers agreed to a sum of $175,920.52, with $35,793.02 of that for land and improvements and $139,127.50 for damages. They signed a warranty deed, which makes INDOT the new owner of 0.259 acres of their property.
  • RedBarn Jamboree.  Watson, owner of the RedBarn Jamboree property along State Road 46 East near Parkview Road, received $2,950 for a temporary easement across 0.143 acres of her land. …. She also received $297,050 for a perpetual easement, with $158,025 for the value of the land and $139,025 for “damages,” according to documents filed with the recorder’s office. That was for a total of 0.461 acres.
  • Brown County Democrat – Facebook Post and Comments

Oct 19, 2018. Salt Creek Trail negotiations continue By Sara Clifford –The Indiana Department of Transportation has offered Brown County Schools $13,700 for an easement that would allow the placement of two bridges on either end of Eagle Park as part of the Salt Creek Trail.

2017

Dec  24, 2017.  COUNTY NEWS: More trail funding; IT threats; highway work update Sara Clifford – More funding offered for phase of Salt Creek Trail The Brown County Commissioners voted to accept additional funding for a phase of the Salt Creek…

Nov 24, 2017. Democrat. COUNTY NEWS: Salt Creek Trail reorganization; scenic byway plans By Sara Clifford

  • Residents at that meeting questioned the actions that the volunteer committee members had taken over the 10-plus years they’ve been working on building the Salt Creek Trail between the state park and downtown Nashville, and on whose authority.
  • It started as a fundraising committee, Biddle said. Through various changes among elected officials, information wasn’t always communicated about what the committee was doing. … “Whether we knew it or not, or whether our predecessors knew it or not, the commissioners were the ones on the hook (for the committee’s actions), but nobody seemed to know that,” Biddle said.

Oct 31, 2017. Letter: Salt Creek Trail president stepping down by Bob Kirlin.

  • To date, we have received federal grants of $2,784,912 (money is from federal gas tax) and $900,000 from the DNR, plus the two bridges from INDOT. … The most important point is that (thanks to Tom Tuley and others) we have raised over $400,000 in match money from this great community. This should tell us there is a lot of support for the Salt Creek Trail.
  • My point is to please listen to the 25 to 30 percent of the people who are having problems with this project, but more important, please also listen to the other 70 percent that support the trail.
 

Oct 31, 2017. Salt Creek Trail project’s future still in limbo By Sara Clifford.   No firm decisions were made after three hours of discussion about the future of the Salt Creek Trail project Thursday night.  But a couple of themes emerged:

  1. People like the trail — even those who spoke against the process to build it. They use the three-quarter-mile, paved section between the Brown County YMCA and the Nashville CVS, and they’d like to see more of it.
  2. People want opportunities to be involved in decisions that are made about the trail.

Oct 24, 2017. BCD Salt Creek Trail to house historic 2-span bridge By Sara Clifford

Oct 24, 2017 Letter: Keep promises related to trail, eminent domain by Ken Birkemeier

  • Over 13 years ago a group of citizens loosely formed the self-named Salt Creek Trail Committee. The president, Kevin Allen, spoke at a Brown County Commissioners meeting in 2004 and stated that eminent domain would never be used for the proposed trail.

Oct 24, 2017. Meeting planned on Salt Creek Trail On Oct. 4, multiple key players in the development of the Salt Creek Trail will get together to discuss trail and bridge placement.

The Brown County Commissioners, Nashville Town Manager Scott Rudd, Brown County Parks and Recreation Director Mark Shields, the Brown County Schools Board of Trustees, Superintendent Laura Hammack, the engineering firm of Butler, Fairman & Seufert, and Gary and Sheila Oliver have been invited to attend a meeting at 6 p.m. in the Goldberg Room at Brown County High School. … The route of the Salt Creek Trail has been discussed since the early 2000s.

Oct 24, 2017.   Letter: Trail debate: ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ To the editor: Recent meetings I’ve attended on the Salt Creek Trail have left me confused, bewildered and definitely frustrated. A project which has been discussed…
  • Note: The Olivers stated that were not notified that their property was needed for the Salt Creek Trail. Further, they were not contacted regarding the placement and size of the Highway Bridge. The State concluded the Bridge damaged their property values – thus the higher settlement amount.   

Oct 24, 2017.  BCD Commissioners vote against eminent domain use for trail , Staff Reports

  • “County Attorney Jake German said that doesn’t exclude INDOT from taking action.”
  • This was a symbolic vote – the State makes the decision.

Oct 24, 2017. BCD, Letter: Keep promises related to trail, eminent domain By Ken Birkemeier.

Oct 24, 2017 BCD,  Public trail, private land: Owners question rights, Staff Reports

  •  “If you do not accept this offer, and we cannot come to an agreement on the acquisition of your property, the Indiana Department of Transportation has the right to file suit to condemn, and acquire the property in the county in which the real estate is located,” the letter said.

No solution yet on Salt Creek Trail Suzannah Couch – Progress on the Salt Creek Trail is at a standstill, as key players plan another community meeting about its future.  On Oct. 4, the Goldberg Room at Brown County High School was filled with concerned taxpayers, school staff, government officials and trail committee members to discuss the phase of the trail that will go through Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park.The trail, a project in the making for more than 10 years, is planned to connect the state park and downtown Nashville. Between the state park and the existing trailhead at the Brown County YMCA are Eagle Park and several pieces of private property.

Sep 20, 2017. Channel 13, WTHR Brown County couple fights eminent domain.    Let’s say you bought a 2.5-acre property in Brown County and restored the home only to find out the state and the county are exploring the use of eminent domain to take part of it. You wouldn’t be happy …  Gary and Sheila Oliver have decided to fight it.

The Olivers story was picked up by the Associated Press and shared throughout the county:  

  • Sep 18, 2017. The Seattle Times  Indiana man, wife fight land seizure for bridge, trail The state Transportation Department offered the couple $7,800 for their land three months ago. The Olivers said they aren’t interested in selling and are fighting the proposed use of eminent domain to acquire their land.
 Commissioners urged to stop bridge placement Suzannah Couch –  Supporters of Gary and Sheila Oliver packed the Aug. 16 commissioners meeting to discuss a topic that wasn’t on the agenda:  placement of the Salt Creek Trail on the Olivers’ property.  Supporters lined up to ask the commissioners to consider changing the route of the trail or to stop the threat of eminent domain. This was the fourth time Gary Oliver had approached the commissioners about preventing a historic bridge from being placed within view of his dining room window.

School district: No easement on file for Eagle Park land Suzannah Couch – Groups working on the Salt Creek Trail to link Brown County State Park with downtown Nashville now have another hurdle to cross. There is no land-use easement on file for the “DNR Phase” of the trail, which goes through Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park, the district’s lawyer says.

  • County commissioners Bill Austin, Blake Wolpert and Stephanie Yager had signed the document in 2008, but the school board had not.
Aug 3, 2017.  Public trail, private land: Owners question rights Gary and Sheila Oliver sculpted a private retreat out of a property that used to be the party place.
  • The Olivers aren’t against the concept of the Salt Creek Trail. They just didn’t envision it being in their backyard.
  • They weren’t even sure where it might go until about a month ago, when the stakes appeared in the lawn.
  • Planning for the Salt Creek Trail began in 2002 with a committee of volunteers, a mix of public officials and private individuals.

Apr 9, 2019.  Trail project on the move: Bridges not here, but some work done on park phase.  Earth-movers have arrived at Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park to prepare to build another segment of the Salt Creek Trail.

  • Since 2013, planned expansions of the trail to connect downtown Nashville with Brown County State Park have been on hold while the Indiana Department of Transportation worked to secure easements from property owners in the path.
  • The necessary agreements have now been made with owners in the section that will run from the state park to Parkview Road, in the area of the former RedBarn Jamboree and Hesitation Point bicycle shop.

Mar 5, 2019.  BCD, … SCHOOL NEWS: ,,,  land sale for Salt Creek Trail approved

  • On Feb. 7, the Brown County Schools Board of Trustees approved the sale of real estate interests at Eagle Park to the Indiana Department of Transportation so that a bridge can be built for the Salt Creek Trail.
  •  The board voted to accept $161,000 for all real estate interests that INDOT needed for bridge construction, including land and easements.  INDOT had originally offered the school district $13,700 for easements and right-of-way on a little less than 3 acres on the northwest corner of Eagle Park spanning over to the Parkview area.

Oct 23-Nov 2018 Brown County Matters – Facebook Posts on the Topic

Oct 25, 2018. BCD Facebook Posts – Partial Salt Creek Trail Access

Recently, a landowner who was originally offered $7,500 for .259 acres by the State, settled for $175, 920.52.  The money for land acquisitions is provided by federal and state taxpayers via “grants.”  Commissioner Biddle’s decision to accept “free” and massive Highway Bridges for use as a pedestrian trail contributed to the high acquisition costs of the affected properties.

Salt Creek Trail – History

Oct 23, 2018.  Partial Salt Creek Trail access acquired for $481K By Sara Sara Clifford, BCD

  • Olivers. The Olivers agreed to a sum of $175,920.52, with $35,793.02 of that for land and improvements and $139,127.50 for damages. They signed a warranty deed, which makes INDOT the new owner of 0.259 acres of their property.
  • RedBarn Jamboree.  Watson, owner of the RedBarn Jamboree property along State Road 46 East near Parkview Road, received $2,950 for a temporary easement across 0.143 acres of her land. …. She also received $297,050 for a perpetual easement, with $158,025 for the value of the land and $139,025 for “damages,” according to documents filed with the recorder’s office. That was for a total of 0.461 acres.
  • Brown County Democrat – Facebook Post and Comments

Oct 19, 2018. Salt Creek Trail negotiations continue By Sara Clifford –The Indiana Department of Transportation has offered Brown County Schools $13,700 for an easement that would allow the placement of two bridges on either end of Eagle Park as part of the Salt Creek Trail.

2017

Dec  24, 2017.  COUNTY NEWS: More trail funding; IT threats; highway work update Sara Clifford – More funding offered for phase of Salt Creek Trail The Brown County Commissioners voted to accept additional funding for a phase of the Salt Creek…

Oct 31, 2017. Salt Creek Trail project’s future still in limbo By Sara Clifford.   No firm decisions were made after three hours of discussion about the future of the Salt Creek Trail project Thursday night.  But a couple of themes emerged:

  1. People like the trail — even those who spoke against the process to build it. They use the three-quarter-mile, paved section between the Brown County YMCA and the Nashville CVS, and they’d like to see more of it.
  2. People want opportunities to be involved in decisions that are made about the trail.

Oct 24, 2017.  INDOT to use bridge for Salt Creek Trail By

  • NOTICE OF PROJECT ADVANCEMENT. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) held a public information meeting in January 2015 and a public hearing in August 2015 at the Bowling Green Community Center and Center Point United Methodist Church respectively, … The proposed project included a preferred alternative involving bridge replacement in addition to relocating the existing bridge to a location in Brown County as part of the Salt Creek Trail network.
Oct 24, 2017. Meeting planned on Salt Creek Trail On Oct. 4, multiple key players in the development of the Salt Creek Trail will get together to discuss trail and bridge placement.

The Brown County Commissioners, Nashville Town Manager Scott Rudd, Brown County Parks and Recreation Director Mark Shields, the Brown County Schools Board of Trustees, Superintendent Laura Hammack, the engineering firm of Butler, Fairman & Seufert, and Gary and Sheila Oliver have been invited to attend a meeting at 6 p.m. in the Goldberg Room at Brown County High School. … The route of the Salt Creek Trail has been discussed since the early 2000s.

Oct 24, 2017. Democrat, Salt Creek Trail extension ‘getting closer’ By Sara Clifford

  • About $3 million from the state has been spent or promised.
  • About $400,000 has been donated.

Oct 24, 2017.   Letter: Trail debate: ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ To the editor: Recent meetings I’ve attended on the Salt Creek Trail have left me confused, bewildered and definitely frustrated. A project which has been discussed…

  • Note: The Olivers stated that were not notified that their property was needed for the Salt Creek Trail. Further, they were not contacted regarding the placement and size of the Highway Bridge. The State concluded the Bridge damaged their property values – thus the higher settlement amount.   

Oct 24, 2017.  BCD, Letter: Concerns brought up over possible trail route.  To the editor: We would like to thank county commissioner Diana Biddle for taking a few minutes out of her busy schedule to personally answer…

No solution yet on Salt Creek Trail Suzannah Couch – Progress on the Salt Creek Trail is at a standstill, as key players plan another community meeting about its future.  On Oct. 4, the Goldberg Room at Brown County High School was filled with concerned taxpayers, school staff, government officials and trail committee members to discuss the phase of the trail that will go through Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park.The trail, a project in the making for more than 10 years, is planned to connect the state park and downtown Nashville. Between the state park and the existing trailhead at the Brown County YMCA are Eagle Park and several pieces of private property.

Sep 20, 2017. Channel 13, WTHR Brown County couple fights eminent domain.    Let’s say you bought a 2.5-acre property in Brown County and restored the home only to find out the state and the county are exploring the use of eminent domain to take part of it. You wouldn’t be happy …  Gary and Sheila Oliver have decided to fight it.

The Olivers story was picked up by the Associated Press and shared throughout the county:  

  • Sep 18, 2017. The Seattle Times  Indiana man, wife fight land seizure for bridge, trail The state Transportation Department offered the couple $7,800 for their land three months ago. The Olivers said they aren’t interested in selling and are fighting the proposed use of eminent domain to acquire their land.
 Commissioners urged to stop bridge placement Suzannah Couch –  Supporters of Gary and Sheila Oliver packed the Aug. 16 commissioners meeting to discuss a topic that wasn’t on the agenda:  placement of the Salt Creek Trail on the Olivers’ property.  Supporters lined up to ask the commissioners to consider changing the route of the trail or to stop the threat of eminent domain. This was the fourth time Gary Oliver had approached the commissioners about preventing a historic bridge from being placed within view of his dining room window.

School district: No easement on file for Eagle Park land Suzannah Couch – Groups working on the Salt Creek Trail to link Brown County State Park with downtown Nashville now have another hurdle to cross. There is no land-use easement on file for the “DNR Phase” of the trail, which goes through Brown County Schools’ Eagle Park, the district’s lawyer says.

  • County commissioners Bill Austin, Blake Wolpert and Stephanie Yager had signed the document in 2008, but the school board had not.
Aug 3, 2017.  Public trail, private land: Owners question rights Gary and Sheila Oliver sculpted a private retreat out of a property that used to be the party place.
  • The Olivers aren’t against the concept of the Salt Creek Trail. They just didn’t envision it being in their backyard.
  • They weren’t even sure where it might go until about a month ago, when the stakes appeared in the lawn.
  • Planning for the Salt Creek Trail began in 2002 with a committee of volunteers, a mix of public officials and private individuals.

Apr 5, 2017.  BCD Salt Creek Trail extension ‘getting closer’ By Sara Clifford   About $3 million from the state has been spent or promised. About $400,000 has been donated. Two historic bridges are on their way, eventually.

Jan 26, 2017. Salt Creek Trail – Agreement – Span B.

2016

Jan 26, 2016. Historic bridge yanked away from Brown County after tug-of-war By Laura Lane, Bloomington Herald Times.
  • It looks as if supporters of Brown County’s Salt Creek Trail are back in the market for a bridge after a state historic preservation board’s decision to ax plans that would have relocated an 80-year-old double-span steel truss bridge from Clay County’s Eel River to the pedestrian trail being …
  • Salt Creek Trail backers were thrilled at the prospect of saving $1 million to construct bridges over the creek. 

2015

Dec 16, 2015.  Democrat. Salt Creek Trail to house historic 2-span bridge By Sara Clifford –Brown County will be getting bridges for the Salt Creek Trail after all, bringing it one step closer to expanding the pedestrian path toward the state park.

  • Earlier this fall, Salt Creek Trail Committee members were starting to get discouraged that INDOT might decide keeping it in Clay County was the best course. That would have meant raising hundreds of thousands more dollars to build bridges on the trail from the ground up.

Dec 25, 2015, Brown Co. wins tug-of-war over bridge  By Laura Lane Bloomington Herald-Times

2013

  • “The first, three-quarter-mile length of the paved trail opened in November 2013 between the Brown County YMCA and Nashville CVS. ” Ref: Democrat

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