By KEVIN NEVERS

Chester Inc., the contractor hired by St. Patrick Catholic Church to build a classroom addition, has agreed to pay $5,000 to the Town of Chesterton to settle the latter’s claim that, over a 21-day period this spring, the firm was in violation of its Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

At its meeting Monday night, the Stormwater Management Board voted 3-0 to approve the settlement agreement.

After the meeting Associate Town Attorney Chuck Parkinson told the Chesterton Tribune that the $5,000 amount does not constitute a fine but rather Chester’s reimbursement of the town for the time spent by staffers in seeking the firm’s compliance with the SWPPP, or roughly $250 per day for each day of the claimed violation.

At its last meeting the Stormwater Management Board convened a hearing on the violation claim. But Parkinson noted that members never reached an official determination following that hearing, that the settlement agreement has rendered that hearing moot, and that the agreement resolves all claims of violations between April 26 and May 17.

St. Patrick Catholic Church is not on the hook for the $5,000, Parkinson added. Chester is, as holder of the erosion and sediment control permit issued on the strength of the firm’s SWPPP.

The original claim stems from the town’s assertion that, during the 21-day period, Chester failed to complete seeding of the work site as provided by the SWPPP.

Two Projects Completed

In other business, Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg informed members that two stormwater drainage projects have been completed: the first, the drainage of an unimproved alley right-of-way between 20th and 21st streets just south of Porter Ave.; the second, the drainage of an alley between 10th and 11th streets in the area of West Indiana Ave.

June in Review

In June the Stormwater Utility reported a surplus of $22,498 and in the year-to-date a surplus of $100,463.

Posted 7/17/2007