By KEVIN NEVERS

Chesterton Utility Superintendent Steve Yagelski wants to know why the western terminus of the ductile iron force main from the Dickinson Road lift station has corroded into unusable bits and pieces only 15 years after it was laid under Porter Ave.

Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann wants to know as well.

As Lukmann noted at the Town Council’s meeting Monday night, “We need to see if there’s a responsible party for this.”

At issue are the breaches in the force main discovered after two large sink holes—the smaller of the two fully 8’ x 6’ in dimension—opened late Saturday and early Sunday near the manhole at the southwest corner of Porter Ave. and Eighth Street. Into those breaches escaped great quantities of in-fill used to repair the street cut made to replace, earlier this month, a blocked concrete gravity main flowing into the manhole from the west.

Usually, Yagelski advised the council, “ductile iron pipe should last 50 years or longer.” In this case, however, it’s deteriorated in less than 20 years and at the moment the Utility simply does not know how far west the breaches in the pipe go. But the force main uncovered to date is “riddle with holes,” he said. “It’s just gone.”

“It could be a material defect” in the pipe, Town Engineer Mark O’Dell said, and with that possibility in mind samples of the force main, as well as of the soil around the force main, are being saved for testing by an independent laboratory.

“We need to know if it was defective when it went in,” Lukmann said, “and they’re doing exactly the right thing, sending it to an independent lab for testing.”

When the Utility does find an intact section of the force main it will replace the ductile iron with PVC. Until then the Dickinson Road lift station will remain off line to permit crews to work. A rotation of vacuum trucks—two each provided by H20 Industrial Services and Eagle Services—is working around the clock pumping the lift station to prevent backups in basements.

The force main is 16 inches in diameter and is located between 11 and 15 feet below street level on the north side of Porter Ave.

Westchester-Liberty Trail

In other business, members voted 4-0 to authorize the expenditure of $3,000 in CEDIT funds for the installation of a 50-foot sidewalk which will link the Dogwood Estates subdivision to Dogwood Park and thus to Phase I of the Westchester-Liberty Trail, currently under construction.

Member Sharon Darnell, D-4th, was not in attendance.

When complete, the Westchester-Liberty Trail will link Dogwood Park to Coffee Creek Center, via a sidewalk on the north side of 1100, an easement through the Tamarack subdivision, and then Rail Road. Phase I—partially funded by a grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources—will extend the sidewalk as far east as Rose Hill Estates.

Building Department Software

Members also voted 4-0 to authorize an expenditure of no more than $20,000 in CEDIT funds for the purchase of software and hardware which will allow the Building Department to electronically enter and track permit and recreational fees.

The council approved an earmark for that expenditure in March.

Historic Downspouts

Meanwhile, Building Commissioner Mike Orlich advised members that the recent theft of copper downspouts from the old New York Central passenger depot at 220 Broadway—currently leased by the town to the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce—is going to be more costly than it would have been were the building not listed on the National Registry of Historic Landmarks.

That listing requires the downspouts to be replaced with copper counterparts, Orlich said, for which F. R. Sheet Metal of Gary has quoted a price of $2,480, which includes special mounts.

Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski said that the town’s insurance policy carries a $1,000 deductible.

From the CPD

The Chesterton Police Department has responded to 894 calls so far in June and to 6,044 in the year-to-date, Police Chief George Nelson told the council.

From the CFD

The Chesterton Fire Department has responded to 66 calls so far in June and to 517 in the year-to-date, Fire Chief Warren “Skip” Highwood told the council.

Engine 511 is also currently out of service with a pump problem, Highwood added. Repairs have been scheduled for today.

Bake Sale

By consensus members authorized the Duneland Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County to use the bandstand in Thomas Centennial Park for a fundraising bake sale, with the understanding that the Duneland Unit will comply with any applicable Porter County Health Department regulations and carries any necessary liability insurance.

Last Thought

President Jim Ton, R-1st, urged everyone to have a safe Independence Day holiday and to “celebrate family and country dutifully.”

Posted 6/24/2008