The Chesterton Town Council has split-vote to approve a contribution of $300 in municipal funds to the Duneland Business Initiative Group’s Fourth of July festival, sponsored by the Town of Porter.

At their meeting Monday night, members voted 3-2 to approve the contribution, made from the Promotional Funds account—totaling $1,000 before the contribution—in the General Fund.

Members Sharon Darnell, D-4th, and Jeff Trout, R-2nd, voted against the motion.

The council did not approve any in-kind police services, as had been suggested. “We’re not in a position to offer in-kind services because of the Police Department’s vacation schedule,” said Member Emerson DeLaney, R-2nd.

Members did unanimously approve a second motion, this one urging Dunelanders to donate their own funds to DBIG’s festival and making the Town of Chesterton’s Gift Fund available for those donations.

Polakowski said that folks should make their checks payable to the Town of Chesterton but earmark them in the memo line for DBIG Fourth of July and she will release those funds as they’re donated to DBIG.

Darnell and Trout did not discuss their nay votes but Member Jim Ton, R-1st, noted that lots of Chesterton residents will cross the tracks to enjoy the Fourth of July festival in Porter. “The Town of Porter’s sponsoring it, just like we sponsor Oz,” he said.

DeLaney agreed. “DBIG brings to the Town of Chesterton its largest festival,” he said. “For them to ask for $300 for the Fourth of July festival isn’t too terribly much.”

Ton—who pledged to make his own contribution to DBIG for the festival—did acknowledge that the town’s coffers are not exactly overflowing. “These are tough times,” he said. “We have to be very careful with the taxpayers’ money. We know this is a minimum contribution. But we’ve just got very tight money.”

In other business, members voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution which declares the week of April 23-28 Urban Forestry Days in the Town of Chesterton and Friday, April 28, Arbor Day.

From the floor Heather Ennis, executive director of the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce, asked the council to amend its annual contract for the European Market.

In past years, the contract has been between the Town of Chesterton and the Duneland Economic Development Company, the Chamber’s not-for-profit arm. Now, Ennis said, the Chamber itself is assuming responsibility for the European Market and the contract—up for renewal anyway—should reflect that fact, she said. Members voted 5-0 to approve the amendment, pending legal review.

Posted 4/10/2012