By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Stormwater Management Board has endorsed a “break-even” budget for 2008 premised on a 4-percent growth in revenues.

Members voted 3-0 at their meeting Monday night to forward that budget to the Town Council with a favorable recommendation.

The 4-percent budget projects total revenues next year for the Stormwater Utility of $456,360; total capital improvement of $60,000; total expenses of $395,619; and a total if nominal deficit of $1,259.

In fact, the 4-percent budget does not differ appreciably from the three others which Superintendent Steve Yagelski submitted to the board, based on a 0-, a 2-, and a 3-percent growth in revenues. All four budgets project exactly the same total expenses, and each earmarked a monthly earmark of $3,500 to be transferred into the Capital Improvement Fund (CFI).

But the 4-percent budget as originally submitted by Yagelski projected a surplus at the end of the year of $18,741 (versus $1,381 for the 0-percent budget and $10,061 for the 2-percent budget). Members accordingly decided to increase the monthly earmark for CFI to $5,000.

If the 4-percent budget proves overly optimistic, Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski said, the monthly transfer of $5,000 can be reduced.

In other business, Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg told the board that the Street Department has remedied two drainage problems, the first by replacing a failing culvert in the area of Dakota and Johnson streets, the other by installing a culvert and running it to a stormwater pipe at Abercrombie Woods in the area of Center and Crocker streets.

Meanwhile, Schnadenberg said, work is progressing on the proposed installation of a pump station in the alley behind Val’s Famous Pizza at 112 S. 11th St. A survey crew has staked the right-of-way, a topographical survey will soon be conducted, and conversations continue with a property owner in the neighborhood for an easement.

By consensus the board instructed Schnadenberg and Town Engineer Mark O’Dell to investigate the feasiblity of remedying a long-standing drainage problem in the 1000 block of Park Ave.

The Chesterton Stormwater Resource webpage is now on line. Visit it at

www.chestertonin.org/stormwater/index.html

In September the Stormwater Utility ran a surplus of $2,607 and in the year-to-date is running a surplus of $87,248.

Posted 10/17/2007