Drainage board holds off repairing a growing sinkhole on the R.K. Miller property until it dries out

What happened

County Surveyor Bruce Allen told the drainage board that a sinkhole on the R.K. Miller property — first thought to be a small gopher hole during an earlier, smaller occurrence at the same spot — grew substantially after heavy rain in June, and crews have ringed it with barrels while the ground dries out ([t=37], [t=71]). Allen said there likely isn't room to bring in a truck-mounted camera, so once it's dry enough the board plans to send in a mini excavator, reached through an existing drainage easement and possibly borrowed from the county highway department, to dig up and inspect a hole board members estimated at about five feet deep — with some speculating it may turn out to be a simple pipe-joint repair ([t=71], [t=97], [t=109], [t=123]). No repair budget was approved; asked directly about funding, the board said it would first investigate using its own county crews rather than hire outside contractors, and no date was set for when the dig will happen ([t=148], [t=155]).

The outcome

No vote taken; the board will investigate with its own county crews once the site dries out, no repair budget was approved, and no timeline was set for the dig.

Sources

• Surveyor's report on the R.K. Miller sinkhole, 0:37
• Access plan and camera-truck limits, 1:11
• Sinkhole about five feet deep; must dry first, 1:37
• Board discusses the mini excavator, 1:49
• Easement confirmed; excavator via the county highway department, 2:03
• Board asks about a repair budget, 2:28
• Investigation to use county crews; no budget approved, 2:35

Also known as: R.K. Miller sinkhole · Vigo County Drainage Board sinkhole · county surveyor sinkhole report · drainage board August 2026