About 12 hours before Tuesday’s storm blew through Duneland, Chesterton Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg was urging folks to be patient, as Street Department crews worked their way through town cleaning up after the storm on July 18.

Twelve hours later—around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday—yet another storm had its way with Duneland.

So figure crews will be at work a little longer.

Schnadenberg made his comments at Monday’s meeting of the Town Council. “We’re continuing to pick up debris in town,” he reported. “I’d ask residents for continued patience. There’s quite a bit of material out there.”

And with Tuesday’s big blow there’s quite a bit more.

In other business, members voted 4-0 to take under advisement the three quotes received for a new front-end loader which the Street Department has its eye on. Member Sharon Darnell, D-4th, was not in attendance.

The quotes:

•$136,630, from Brandeis Machinery & Supply Company Inc. of Fort Wayne. Delivery time: 30 days.

•$149,770 from Roland Machinery Company of Portage. Delivery time: 45-60 days.

•$165,000 from McAllister Equipment Company Inc. of Rockford, Ill. Delivery time: 120 days.

The Utility has agreed to purchase the Street Department’s old front-end loader for $50,000, in two annual payments of $25,000, which would cover the first two years of a lease-purchase agreement on the new one.

Meanwhile, Schnadenberg reported that an inventory of the town’s traffic signage—stop signs and regulatory signs, not street-name signs—has been completed, in advance of a federal mandate requiring all such signage to meet enhanced reflective standards by 2018.

Turns out, there are 1,400 such signs in the town’s inventory.

Who knew, right?

And any of those signs not meeting the new standards must be replaced. How much will it cost? Schnadenberg was unable to estimate the mandate’s total cost to the town but did note, after the meeting, that the going price of a stop sign nowadays is $35.

Street-name signs will also eventually have to meet new standards.

Park Superintendent Bruce Mathias told the council that he has not yet had the opportunity to meet with CHS Buildng Trades teacher Jeff Larson, about the feasibility of making a new restroom facility in Thomas Centennial Park a class project.

The council has, however, formally opted against purchasing a trailer-mounted facility.

Members agreed to meet at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, to discuss the 2013 budget.

Fire Chief Mike Orlch reported that he is scheduled on Aug. 27 with a representative of the Insurance Service Organization, which provides insurance companies with data needed to set property insurance rates.

By consensus members agreed to authorize Chesterton Middle School cheerleaders to hold a tag day on Saturday, July 28, at two unspecified intersections in town.

Look for them.

Posted 7/24/2012