Indiana town councilman sells bridge out from under town
Posted by AWB in City & County Government
Photo courtesy of HistoricBridges.org
This is interesting, and an example of how open government is sometimes ignored.
The city of Corunna’s had an historic warren truss bridge, which was erected in 1918 on County Road 327 over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. Last year the state of Indiana replaced it with a shiny new bridge. According to one of the council members, the city paid $4,000 for the bridge in hopes of restoring it as a monument. An additional $5800 in cash and labor was donated towards the restoration project.
Enter city council member Phil Arnett. He thought it was an eyesore, so he sold it for scrap to Mike Smith of Corunna. Arnett claims that he and city council president Steve Faulkner made the decision, didn’t ask anyone else it, just sold it, for $1,000.
The bridge weighed 26 tons. At current scrap prices, (from what I could find) it’s about $200 a ton, or $5200 worth of scrap. Someone got one hell of a bargain. I wonder if he knows anyone at Tom Henry’s brother’s place, C. Henry Steel here in Fort Wayne?
Town councilman Jay Christian has been working to raise more funds to finish the restoration and display the bridge next to the firehouse. I guess that won’t be happening now.
The town council never held a vote, never put out a bid and don’t even have a signed bill of sale.
It looks like a case for Andrew Kossack, Indiana Public Access Counselor.
Click here to see additional pictures of the brige.
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I heard they ‘sold’ it for $1000…I bet they didn’t get any other ‘bids’ either..but saw some value for ‘someone’ to make a good bit of money.
This is the kind of thing that will tear that town apart for a very long time.
I just hope they remember come election time…
DOH! Somehow I missed adding that. Fixed
nice….
good to see people that are voted for keep the tradition going!
Gee, ‘ya think when Mr. Smith saw this red, white and blue STEEL BRIDGE come rolling into his scrap yard, he MIGHT want to step back and wonder WTF?
I guess HE doesn’t follow news in HIS town, or he would have RECOGNIZED that BRIDGE when he SAW it….or maybe he can’t see past his billfold.
Either way…or perhaps BOTH.
When I heard that the bridge had been cut up for scrap it just made my heart sick. Mr.(?) Arnett did this as an act of vengeance because the town manager wouldnt’t consider his stepson for the town maintenance job. Aside from being mentally handicapped, the stepson in question has a felony record. Mr. Arnett has done nothing for the town since moving to it, he has just tried to do what is in the interest of Mr. Arnett. As for the buyer of the bridge, the article doesn’t state that Mr. Smith is related to Mr. Arnett’s wife. Talk about your political favors!!!! Mr. Arnett doesn’t belong on the town council, and he certainly doesn’t belong in Corunna, Indiana. I feel that both Mr. Arnett and Mr. Faulkner should be tarred and feathered and rode out on a rail like they used to do to corrupt politicians. The town of Corunna has lost more than an old bridge, they have lost the one landmark that made the town unique.
Shawn….
I totally agree with you. Corunna is a unique town. I live with in 7 miles and the people there are really upset with this. Arnett and Faulkner both think they own Corunna!!!