By PAULENE POPARAD

Porter Town Council president Bill Sexton said he wants to make it clear there now will be an immediate, automatic response from other fire departments called to service with Porter’s.

Porter Fire Chief Lewis Craig confirmed, “We have automatic response for structure fires from any department that’s toned with us.”

The distinction is the reversal of a previous stand-by policy of Craig’s and comes in the wake of a Oct. 31 house fire at 301 S. 23rd St. in Porter that took the life of Laurence Hanna. Later ruled as incendiary in nature, investigators said Hanna himself set multiple fires inside the house and became overcome and could not escape leading to death by asphyxiation from smoke inhalation.

After Tuesday’s council meeting Craig said when Porter originally signed its agreement with the Chesterton Fire Department, the latter was to be dispatched automatically and enroute simultaneously with Porter. Craig said he subsequently asked automatic aid not be immediately implemented to give Porter fire officials time to assess the scene and the opportunity to request the specific type of assistance and equipment each incident required.

In the case of the Hanna fire, the day after it Craig said he requested Chesterton’s assistance two minutes after his arriving on the fire scene at 4:02 a.m. after both departments were toned out at 3:58 a.m. The first Porter engine arrived on scene at 4:07 a.m., according to Craig.

Nevertheless, Porter’s stand-by policy prompted questions including whether it was designed to assure Porter firefighters arrive at their own fire calls first.

Asked Tuesday if the automatic-aid decision was a direct result of the Hanna fire, Craig said, “Rather than go back and forth in the (news)paper, I thought we’d go back to the old way.” Also asked if anyone put pressure on Craig to drop the stand-by policy, he declined comment. He also declined to say whether auto-aid will create renewed problems regarding which equipment the second-responding fire department should bring.

Porter’s is primarily a volunteer fire department; Chesterton has a full-time fire department supplemented by volunteers.

Tap-on request stalled

Mark Zaranski, who’s approached the Porter Town Council at least three times seeking permission to connect his 60 E. Oak Hill Rd. home to a municipal sanitary sewer, was told Tuesday he should ask the Chesterton Utility Service Board first.

Councilwoman Sandi Snyder said Porter’s sewage is processed at Chesterton’s treatment plant and the towns have a contract that requires Chesterton permission for Porter to allow a tap-on for users outside its town limits. That was confirmed by Porter town attorney Patrick Lyp.

Zaranski said he would have appreciated being told this sooner; Sexton apologized for any inconvenience. Zaranski said the Porter County Health Department is encouraging him to abandon his septic system and connect to a sanitary sewer. “I’m trying to do the right thing environmentally.”

Porter’s sewer is across the street, said Zaranski. Snyder said Chesterton might have sewer lines in close proximity as well so that avenue should be investigated.

In a related matter, Porter Public Works director Brenda Brueckheimer said the Beam Street sanitary sewer relining is going well with the work anticipated to take seven more days. Porter is bound by an agreed order with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to make extensive upgrades to its sewer collection system.

Merit reviews set

The council agreed that members who serve as liaisons to town departments will meet with those department heads to evaluate their performance as part of a 2008 merit-pay review. Liaison recommendations are to be submitted by Nov. 23 so all council members can consider them at the Nov. 27 meeting.

Maximum 3 percent raises are budgeted for employees. The Park Board sets its own pay scale and is not included in the merit reviews.

Sexton read a letter from the council to Porter resident Andrew Bailey who built 12 picnic tables for the Park Department this summer as part of attaining his Eagle Scout rank with Troop 928. He was commended and thanked for his achievement.

Gary Cutter said help is needed in planning the town’s 150th birthday next year. He invited residents to a Sesquicentennial Committee meeting Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. at the town hall. Cutter said the committee has a lot of things on the table and more volunteers are required; he especially invited the incoming Town Council members to attend.

Councilman Paul Childress was absent Tuesday; present were newly elected first-term council members David Babcock, Michele Bollinger, Micheal Genger and Jon Granat. Sexton was re-elected as well. All are Republicans. They take office Jan. 1 and will be joined by returning GOP Clerk-treasurer Carol Pomeroy.

Posted 11/14/2007