The quotes are in for a proposed trailer-mounted restroom for Thomas Centennial Park.

At its meeting Monday night, the Chesterton Town Council voted 4-0 to take the two quotes under advisement. Member Sharon Darnell, D-4th, was not in attendance.

The quotes:

•A base price of $48,945 from Ameri-Can of Argos, Ind.

•A base price of $49,300 from Black Tie Products of Hazelcrest, Ill.

Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann did say that the Black Tie Products quote may not be “responsive” to the specifications and that he will have to review it in more detail.

Members are considering the purchase of a trailer-mounted restroom in lieu of—at least for the moment—the construction of a permanent brick-and-mortar facility in the park, after cost estimates for the latter began to climb into the $150,000 neighborhood.

The specs for the proposed trailer-mounted restroom include hot water service, fresh-water capability, a baby-changing station, ADA compliance, a wrap-around skirt to conceal the trailer’s wheels; and fold-up steps mounted to the trailer.

The virtue of the trailer would be its mobility. While it could be connected directly to sanitary-sewer and water lines, it could also be moved to other sites as the need arose, thanks to an equipped 850-gallon waste tank—which could be emptied at the wastewater treatment plant—and a 300-gallon freshwater tank.

Member Jim Ton, R-1st, took a moment at the end of the meeting to say that, this past weekend, he had a chance to look at similar trailer-mounted restroom facilities while attending the Talbot Street Art Fest in Indianapolis. His conclusion: they were highly functional, if not so attractive.

“The facility is outstanding in functionality,” Ton said. “I would give it an A in functionality. But a C+ in aesthetics.”

Ton noted, though, that at $150,000 the cost of a brick-and-mortar job is pretty salty. “I don’t want to spend $100,000 just for aesthetics,” he said. “If we could build one for around what we would spend on a trailer, I would.”

In other business, by votes of 4-0 the council authorized Police Chief Dave Cincoski to make two expenditures of previously earmarked CEDIT funds: $6,710 for new shotguns for patrol officers; and $6,007 for five new squad-car laptops.

Of the latter Cincoski said that, right now, he can get five new laptops for the price of four.

Meanwhile, Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg reported that Plaza Drive, Council Drive, and East Porter Ave. from the water tower to 250E have all been paved.

On tap: Fifth Street north of 1050N.

Schnadenberg added that at the council’s next meeting, June 25, he will have a complete report on this season’s sidewalk replacement project.

Members voted 4-0 on first reading to approve an ordinance governing conflict of interest and nepotism in municipal government, 4-0 to suspend the rules, then 4-0 to approve the ordinance on final reading.

Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann remarked that the town is required under Indiana Code to pass the ordinance by July 5, if it wants it 2013 budget approved by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

The new ordinance mirrors state law already on the books governing conflict-of-interest and nepotism issues.

Posted 6/12/2012