By PAULENE POPARAD

If you want the Porter Town Council to take your comments seriously, sign your name.

That was the message from council members Tuesday after criticizing an anonymous letter they received regarding a revision of the town’s outdated taxi-cab ordinance; the new language was adopted 4-0 on final approval. First reading took place Feb. 27.

“When I get something without a name I don’t give it a lot of credence,” said member Sandi Snyder. “I appreciate it when you put your name to your writing.”

Member Jennifer Granat, too, said the lack of a signature “really irked me,” especially because of the tone of the letter implying the council didn’t know what it was doing. She said it’s important to license, regulate and control the operation of taxi-cabs.

President Bill Sexton said the town can’t make less restrictive laws than the state of Indiana, and that under the new town code a taxi operator must have all applicable licenses as well as show proof of appropriate insurance.

In other business the council, with member Lorri Wickberg absent, was asked to waive the individual $10.27 late fees for six residents living on 3rd Street who apparently did not receive a sewer billing prior to the town having Indiana American Water Co. take over billing responsibilities.

Resident Carl Robinson said during public comment that while he did not object to paying the sewer bill, he didn’t believe he and his neighbors should be penalized unfairly or receive threatening letters regarding a possible lien. Sexton said the fee should be excused if no bills were received.

Also Tuesday:

• Public Works director Karl Bauer said the second week of April has been designated town spring clean-up week; the lift station at Mineral Springs Road and Beam Street is being repaired and should be back online next week; a 2007 road-paving list will be presented April 10; and a drain in Hawthorne Park will be repaired soon.

• Police Chief James Spanier thanked Porter hospital for its donation of surplus computers to his department.

• It was announced the town’s new Risk Management Committee is getting organized with building commissioner Brenda Brueckheimer being chosen president. She reminded all contractors, including tree trimmers, chimney sweeps and lawn services, that they need to have a 2007 town license to do business. So far 211 contractors have been licensed.

• With Bauer advising that Center Street dead ends at Interstate 94 and no property will be landlocked, the council unanimously ratified a 1995 vacation of a portion of it that was approved but never recorded by the property owner. The ratification is needed in the event the property is sold.

• It was announced that the Porter Park Department will host its annual Easter egg hunt March 31 at 10 a.m. at Hawthorne Park. Prizes in three age groups to age 9 will be given.

• Town attorney Patrick Lyp said he and town planner Jim Mandon are working on proposed technical changes to the zoning ordinance, the outgrowth of a lawsuit brought last year. Although the town won in court, it demonstrated a need to clarify the language, said Lyp. The Porter Beach case involved the definition of a corner lot.

• After the meeting Lyp confirmed Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford recently ruled against the town by not dismissing a pending lawsuit against its Board of Zoning Appeals brought by Chicago Public Radio; last fall the BZA rejected CPR’s request to locate a 499-foot FM transmission tower for station WBEZ on the south side of U.S. 20 west of State Road 49. The town was directed to provide copies of its records regarding the petition for Bradford’s review.

• Resident Gary Cutter presented the council with a picture of youngsters in Porter firefighter t-shirts who participated in a police/fireman’s challenge. “They did a good job,” said Cutter.

Posted 3/14/2007