Resident raises concerns about drainage near new trail; city says test results pending

Roberta Hinesman, a resident at 904 Mill Street, urged the council to update the public about drainage and water-quality concerns near the new trail adjacent to a daycare center.

Hinesman said she had seen reporting and heard neighborhood "scuttlebutt" about elevated levels of a contaminant (transcript used the placeholder "***** matter") and asked what was being done about drainage that empties under the trail. She said tests had read "well above" normal for the substance of concern and asked for a community update.

Council and staff responded that testing and retest results are still pending. A staff speaker noted that Danny (city staff) had provided the information he had at a commissioners'meeting earlier that day but that additional retest results were still coming in.

Officials clarified the property and jurisdictional relationships: the creek and the immediate drainage at issue are not wholly city property; parts fall on county property and involve county and other entities. Staff also said Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was involved and that the initial assessment did not prompt a recommendation to close the trail. City staff cautioned residents not to enter or play in standing water in the area until testing concludes.

Kellen, a city staff member mentioned in the discussion, was identified as working on related drainage checks and trail amenities such as trash bins and bike racks.

The council emphasized that while the trail is within Tipton city limits, control of the creek and some affected land lies with other jurisdictions, which limits the city's unilateral authority to remediate the source. Staff said they would share results when retesting is complete.