The Chesterton Fire
Department has been awarded a $12,500 no-match grant from the Northern
Indiana Public Service Company.
At the Town
Council’s meeting Monday night NIPSCO Public Affairs Manager Rick Calinski
presented the CFD with a suitably large check, which will be used to replace
the 20-year-old pump on the department’s brush truck.
“We’ve developed a
nice working relationship with the Town of Chesterton,” Calinski noted, with
excellent lines of communication. “We’re proud to be able to support the
town and its fire department.”
Calinski added
that, in the nature of things--at fire and crash scenes--NIPSCO’s
“front-line workers often work side-by-side with first-responders.”
Deputy Fire Chief
Nate Williams applied for the grant, Fire Chief John Jarka said, just as he
also applied successfully for one from insurer FM Global. The latter--a
no-match grant in the amount of $1,950--will be used to purchase fire-safety
kits to distribute to Chesterton Middle School seventh-graders.
“Please pass on our
appreciation to Deputy Chief Williams,” said President Jim Ton, R-1st.
Sidewalk Waivers
In other business,
members voted unanimously to approve two waivers from the Town Standard
requiring the installation of sidewalks in front of all new construction.
Developer Brian
Lewandoski requested the waivers for houses being built at 717 S. 16th St.
and 1523 Park Ave.
Town Engineer Mark
O’Dell told the council that staff reviewed the petition and is recommending
the waiver.
“Those are older
sections of town,” Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg said. “There aren’t
any sidewalks in those areas.”
Public Hearing
Scheduled
Meanwhile, members
voted unanimously to hold a public hearing at its next meeting, Dec. 11, on
several additional appropriations.
Among them include
up to $230,000 from the Casino/Riverboat account and up to $160,000 from
Cumulative Capital Improvement (Cigarette Tax), to be transferred into
General Fund. Those two tranfers--plus approximately $500,000--will be used
to cover a shortfall in the General Fund, the result of the Indiana
Department of Local Government Finance’s slashing it earlier this year,
following a miscalculation by the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office.
A further
appropriation of $17,300 from Cumulative Capital Improvement (Street/Sewer)
will be used for stormwater repairs; and one of $13,701 from Cumulative
Capital Development to pay for a portion of an SUV purchased this year for
the Fire Department.