Business owners, MainStreet discuss communication over 231 project

There are a lot of businesses, especially today, that were not expecting to be without water that were without water.

Cool Hand Luke, a 1967 movie, featured the famous quote, "What we have here is failure to communicate." 

While the phrase uttered by Strother Martin, who played Captain, may have been witty in the movie, it was anything but to a group of business owners and Main Street Greencastle's director Thursday night, as they approached Greencastle City Council over a lack of communication with the US 231 project and subsequent water issues. 

Over the last two days, Greencastle Mayor Lynda Dunbar had reached out to businesses and residents, notifying them of potential disruptions in water service through the remainder of the week. However, notifications faced issues Thursday morning, according to both Dunbar and business owners. 

Mainstreet Executive Director Russell Harvey said he understands water main breaks happen, but it is the communication or lack of that he has an issue with.

"There are a lot of businesses, especially today, that were not expecting to be without water that were without water. If we know that ahead of time, how can we can connect with those businesses and let them know and get it out to the public," Harvey said. 

Harvey said there are gaps in communication and admitted he did not have answers, but asked the council to communicate "more effectively."

Dunbar said that by the end of the weekend, water construction should be done on the US 231 project and broke down what transpired leading up to the council meeting on Thursday.

"What happened was they gave us the list of streets they were going to work on. Our utilities department went through all the mains and brought me a list of about 70 people. We tagged their doors or I contacted them by physically calling them if I could get through. If not, I sent communication any way I could. Today, was the first day to work on the three areas. They went to turn off the valves, and what everyone doesn't realize is, they are over 100 years old. Some did not turn off and they had to keep working their way down to find one that would turn off," Dunbar said. 

Dunbar said she did not there was a problem until Dave Neely, owner of Starbucks, came to city hall to ask about his water being shut off.

"At that point, I went out to track down some construction workers and my staff to start finding out what was going on. We got Facebook posts out there. The texts and emails are only good if we have the information," said Dunbar, who said the phones at City Hall started ringing with people asking what was open and closed throughout town. 

Dunbar said as soon as Saturday comes all the water lines will be done and the next step will be paving, sidewalks and curbs being put back in and work on the stoplights. 

Neely told council it has been "one disaster after another" when it comes to the US 231 project. 

Neely said hearing excuse after excuse is "frustrating" for downtown businesses and he asked for "honest and open transparency" with downtown business owners. 

"There are mixed signals being sent out. When it came to the construction project, we were all told July and then we were told we needed to shut both sides down and it would be November. Then we see on Facebook it's back to July and everyone with eyes can see this isn't going to be done in a few weeks," Neely said. 

Questions arise over whose job it is to communicate with public

Dunbar said she meets with INDOT and the project manager and not construction workers and will ask why the construction workers have a different plan compared to what she has been told. 

"Maybe the people you talk to don't know," Neely said, prompting a back and forth to ensue between councilman Darrel Thomas and Harvey, who had served on council previously. 

Thomas said it was not the council's job to know, but rather it was the job of those doing the work to communicate the issues. Harvey immediately responded by saying, "it is 100 percent your job to know that." 

"It becomes the job of the city to relay that information to the businesses. To say that's not my job, that's what you were elected for and relaying that information is vital," Neely said. 

Councilman David Masten said the first he heard about no water in town was during the council meeting. 

"This is the first I've heard of it. I didn't know the water was off," Masten said. 

Neely said the fact that Masten did not know "emphasizes" the lack of communication issue, which Harvey agreed with. 

Harvey said that was unacceptable and that if anyone should know the water was off it should be the councilman who represents the First Ward, where the majority of the work is being done. 

Dunbar said the city will try to do better moving forward when it comes to communication.