The Duneland School Corporation (DSC) is asking the Chesterton Town Council to waive the fee for two building permits to repair tornado damage at Chesterton Middle School.

The council, however, appears loathe to do so, at least until a DSC representative personally appears to make the case for the waiver.

No school rep was at Monday night’s meeting.

Building Commissioner Dave Novak told the Chesterton Tribune after the meeting that one permit is for the replacement of glass in the gymnasium, the other for the re-roofing of the gym. The cost of each permit, Novak said: $1,000.

In a letter to the council, the DSC noted that a waiver of the permit fees would mean that the $2,000 cost would not have to be passed on to the corporation’s property taxpayers.

The council’s response to that argument: then the town’s property taxpayers will be on the hook for the cost of inspections.

In particular the council wants to know whether other jurisdictions have waived building permit fees for the DSC and whether insurance isn’t actually covering the cost of those fees. The council also found the tone of the DSC letter “threatening” and the absence of a rep at Monday’s meeting “disappointing.”

Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski will reply to the DSC with a letter of her own requesting a rep be on hand to discuss the issue at the council’s next meeting, Dec. 14.

In other business, a 20-page agreement was approved with the Indiana Department of Transportation as part of the federal stimulus funding of three paving projects:

•West Porter Ave. from 15th Street to 23rd Street.

•11th Street from West Porter Ave. to 1100N.

•Wabash Ave. from Fourth Street to Waverly Road.

Total estimated cost: $345,891.

“If you want free money, you have to sign the agreement,” Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann said. “If it were not a substantial amount of free money, I would probably advise you not to sign it.”

INDOT is scheduled to let the three paving projects on Dec. 9.

Town Engineer Mark O’Dell also received authorization to assemble a request for proposals for a consulting engineer on the projects whose job would be to liaise with INDOT and monitor progress.

Great news for Fraternal Order of Police Westchester Lodge No. 152: the chili supper last Friday night at Chesterton First United Methodist Church raised nearly $1,000 for this year’s edition of Shop with a Cop.

Participating kids will go on a shopping spree at the Kmart with officers from the Chesterton, Porter, and Burns Harbor police departments, who will help them pick out some warm winter clothing and toys for Christmas.

There’s still plenty of time for the rest of Duneland to contribute: make your check payable to FOP Westchester Lodge No. 152, mark it “Shop with a Cop,” and send it to any of the Tri-Town police departments:

•CPD: 790 Broadway.

•PPD: 50 Francis St.

•BHPD: 1240 Boo Road.