By KEVIN NEVERS
The Chesterton Town
Council has earmarked $10,000 in CEDIT moneys for the purpose of promoting
local businesses impacted by Gov. Eric Holcomb’s
COVID-19 executive orders.
At their meeting
Monday night, members voted unanimously to approve a promotional plan
intended to give businesses a helping hand and a leg up as the State of
Indiana undertakes a gradual re-opening of the economy.
As Member Jennifer
Fisher, I-5th, noted, “The stay-at-home restrictions required sacrifices
from everyone but business owners have made a great sacrifice.”
The first use of
the earmarked funds: the placement of four “Chesterton Strong” banners at
strategic locations in town: at East Porter Ave. near Chesterton Cemetery;
at the intersection of 1100N and 100E; at the intersection of Indian
Boundary Road and North Calumet Road; and at a place to be determined along
Ind. 49.
The banner
initiative is the result of “very productive discussions” which Fisher and
Member Lloyd Kittredge, R-2nd, have had with business leaders. But it won’t
be the only one. The Chesterton Branding Leadership Team will be
brainstorming other campaigns and submitting promotional ideas to Town
Manager Bernie Doyle, who along with Fisher and Kittredge will review and
approve them for funding.
In addition, the
council gave a shout-out to Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg and Mark
Hopkins, owner of Hopkins Ace Hardware, for the placement of the flashing
electronic sign on South Calumet Road, reading “Keep
Us Strong. Shop. Dine. Stay.”
Look for the
promotional plan to be posted to the Town of Chesterton’s Facebook page and
its municipal website at
www.chestertonin.org
Sidewalks
In other business,
members voted unanimously to approve Schnadenberg’s recommendation for this
season’s sidewalk replacement projects:
-- The south side
of Broadway between 18th and 19th streets.
-- The north side
of East Indiana Ave. between Jeffrey and Roosevelt streets.
-- And the east
side of South Calumet Road between Porter Ave. and Jefferson Ave.
Schnadenberg
expects the sidewalk work to be done later this season. “There’s a lot of
paving to do this summer so let’s stick with three blocks for now,” he said.
Tree Committee
Appointee
Members voted
unanimously to appoint urban forester Gina Darnell to the Tree Committee, to
replace long-serving member Pat Carlisle, who has resigned her seat.
CEDIT Meeting
Members also voted
unanimously to hold an in-person CEDIT workshop at 6 p.m. Monday, June 1, in
the town hall.
Members discussed
the possibility of Zooming that meeting, but decided in the end that CEDIT
discussions are complex things, with “so much give-and-take,” as Member Jim
Ton, R-1st, put it, that an in-person meeting--assuming nothing changes with
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s re-opening schedule--would be far more productive than a
remote meeting.
Next Meeting
Re-scheduled
In addition,
members voted unanimously to re-schedule their next meeting--set to fall on
Memorial Day--to the day after, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.
Last Thoughts
Member Bob Allison,
D-3rd, took a moment at the end of the meeting to express his gratitude to
the Chesterton Police Department during National Police Week.
“We appreciate what Chief (Dave) Cincoski and all of his
officers do for the community,” he said. “But for us National Police Week is
every week.”
Member Jim Ton,
R-1st, had praise “for all our town employees because the mess we’re in
right now has put stress on all workers.” But not to the detriment of the
town: “A big atta-boy because things continue to work well in Chesterton.”
And Fisher
congratulated Shane Griffin on his official appointment by the Park Board at
its meeting last week to the position of Park Superintendent.
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