Federal stimulus money intended to create jobs and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure prompted extended discussion at Tuesday’s Porter Town Council.

By a 5-0 vote members agreed to partner with the Northwest Indiana Forum and several other regional communities in hiring a consultant to go after additional stimulus funds.

Porter capped its commitment at $1,500 at this time with the money coming out of the town’s CEDIT revenue from Porter County’s income tax.

Porter council president Michele Bollinger said regional projects like the proposed Dunes Kankakee hike/bike trail that would pass through Porter likely stand a better chance of funding; a joint sewer project with the town of Chesterton also could be looked on favorably, she added.

Chesterton so far hasn’t authorized joining the Forum initiative, which would hire a Washington DC-based consultant for six months to seek out stimulus funding opportunities for the participating government units. Additional money would be needed if the initial $60,000 contract is extended.

Porter director of engineering Matt Keiser said the Forum and its partners still have much to agree on, including how the projects would be selected for funding if money becomes available; Porter department heads will provide their council with potential projects to submit.

Bollinger said an advantage with the Forum program is that engineering for those projects can be funded with stimulus money itself.

It cost Porter $26,000 in engineering to submit a pending $575,000 stimulus application to upgrade Oak Hill Road from Indiana 49 to U.S. 20 and Waverly Road from U.S. 12 to Interstate 94. Last night, Keiser said additional environmental information has been requested because shoulder work will be done in both rights-of-way.

Bollinger said if the town’s already spent $26,000 for the Oak Hill/Waverly application, then $1,500 isn’t out of line for a new one.

Councilman Dave Babcock agreed that despite unanswered questions about the Forum’s program, its $1,500 pricetag is worth a gamble for more stimulus money. “I’m all for going ahead and if a red flag comes up, we’ll know.”

Bollinger supported the Forum’s regional approach. “If a community next to us can get money and we played a part in that, we’ll benefit as well,” she said.

Keiser said he is working with town fire chief Lewis Craig on readying an application seeking federal stimulus money to build a new Porter fire station. Chesterton plans to ask for the same funding for construction of a second fire station, the new one to be located off Dickinson Road.

Possible locations for Porter’s station are being identified and evaluated.

After the meeting Keiser said the current 550 Beam St. fire station shares space with the town Public Works Department, which is cramped now and will be even more so as Public Works is required to perform additional activities under the federal MS4 stormwater program.

Both the Fire and Public Works departments moved into the Beam Street site 15 years ago. Keiser said the goal now is looking 20 years down the line to accommodate future growth.

Voting 5-0 the council authorized Clerk-treasurer Carol Pomeroy to obtain a pension buyback amount for Porter police Lt. John Lane, who has requested the town restore eight years of pension benefits he lost when the town switched programs in 1995.

He also requested benefits be restored for one year each or less for officers Todd Allen and Joseph Torok as well.

Lane, a 21-year Porter police officer and a former police chief there, said previous Town Councils bought back nearly $300,000 in lost pension benefits for former officers Len Smith, Jim Menn and Ed Surgener.

While he’s not out to cripple the town financially, said Lane, he asked that Allen, Torok and himself get the same consideration as Smith, Menn and Surgener.

Bollinger said agreeing to determine the pension buyback amount carries no strings. “Obviously that is no commitment,” she told Lane, who indicated as such.

In other business Tuesday:

* Keiser said the Porter Beach Overlay Committee is closer to a final draft recommendation to guide future development there. Zoning regulations unique to the beach area will be proposed, while structures and infrastructure illegally built in public rights-of-way will be handled by the council on a case-by-case basis.

* The council tentatively set June 22 at 6 p.m. as a 2010 budget workshop due to accelerated state filing deadlines. Councilman Jon Granat suggested town financial consultant Karl Cender attend.

* Assembly permits were approved for the Aug. 1 and 2 Chesterton Art Fair in Porter’s Hawthorne Park, and for the July 25 Porter Fire Department street dance fundraiser sponsored by The Village, the latter conditioned on insurance being provided.

* Pomeroy reminded residents their water service will be shut off or property liens filed for late payment of sewer bills; to use a new drive-through payment drop-box at the town hall, motorists should enter from Franklin Street.

* Public Works superintendent Brenda Brueckheimer informed downtown residents that sanitary lines are being video-inspected and jetted so toilet lids should remain closed and even covered. Also, grass should not be pushed into streets or onto sidewalks.

* Keiser said it’s being considered whether Porter wants to purchase additional sewage capacity at Chesterton’s treatment plant, that opportunity available contractually in September at a cost of $197,000.

* Councilman Micheal Genger encouraged residents to log onto www.indianadunes.com/survey

 to complete a short survey tied to Porter County’s branding efforts to develop individual marketing identities for local communities.

Posted 6/10/2009