A couple of days ago, a man at Dogwood Park watched helplessly as a dog, running at large, jumped up on an elderly woman and knocked her down.

The dog wasn’t aggressive and didn’t bite the woman but it was off the leash, in violation of Town Code.

So the man called the Chesterton Police Department to report the incident. He did so, however, apologetically, as though possibly the CPD has better things to do than protect old ladies from excitable canines.

In fact, the CPD doesn’t have better things to do, Town Manager Bernie Doyle announced at Monday’s meeting of the Town Council. That’s what the CPD does, among many other things.

Doyle accordingly encouraged all users of the town’s parks to call the CPD when they see dogs off the leash. Or—for that matter—when they see a dog’s owner neglect to clean up after the mutt when it does its business.

Pet owners should therefore consider themselves on notice: the CPD will hold them responsible for their dogs’ bad behavior. Or their own.

In other business, Police Chief Dave Cincoski asked for the council’s authorization to apply to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to become a certified prescription medication drop-off site.

The CPD is virtually the only law enforcement agency in Porter County right now which does not have a drop-off box where residents may leave expired or unwanted prescription medications, Cincoski told members.

The secured box would be located in the lobby of the CPD, it would be monitored by video surveillance camera, and would be available around-the-clock for residents who want prescriptions out of their homes, Cincoski said.

Members voted 5-0 to authorize Cincoski to proceed.

Members also voted 5-0 to authorize Cincoski to apply for two no-match grants from the Porter County Substance Abuse Council.

The first, in the amount of $3,038, would fund the purchase of portable breath test units.

The second, in the amount of $349, would fund the purchase of drug testing kits.

By consensus members gave their colleague, Jim Ton, R-1st—who sits on the Executive Board of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission—their blessing to pursue a NIRPC grant which would fund the acquisition of electric carts, like golf carts modified for police use, which the CPD could put into service along the Prairie Duneland Trail, in the Downtown, and at various festivals.

While he was at it, Ton reported to the council that NIRPC’s Transportation Policy Committee has recommended three town projects to be included on a list for potential funding: the Dickinson Road extension, the reconstruction of South Calumet Road between the Pope O’Connor Ditch and Porter Ave., and the upgrade of traffic signal along Indian Boundary Road.

The full Executive Board was scheduled to vote on those recommendations today.

At the request of Fire Chief Mike Orlich, members voted 5-0 to authorize the CFD to put into use the newly empty Building Commissioner’s Office at the town hall, now that the Building Department has moved to the 15th Street municipal facility.

That vote also authorized the CFD to wall off a connecting hallway to use as storage space.

Posted 5/11/2011

Posted 5/11/2011

Posted 5/11/2011