The Porter Town
Council voted to donate a municipal property and to consider at its next
meeting a resolution regarding the sale of another at its meeting Tuesday
night.
The first property,
at Lot 61 of Woodlake Springs subdivision, was originally given to the Town
instead of being developed into a park, Building Commissioner Michael Barry
said. He recommended that the property be donated to environmental group
Shirley Heinze Land Trust because it is entirely in a floodplain and part of
a wetland bordering the East Branch of the Little Calumet River. The Council
approved the donation unanimously.
Barry then reported
on the status of one acre of vacant property at the old lift station at the
end of Porter Avenue. The abutting property owners are Roger Hess and
Shirley Heinze Land Trust, and Hess has expressed interested in buying the
property.
The Council will
consider at its next meeting, April 24, a resolution presenting the required
findings for the sale.
Barry also received
approval to commission a study of the sanitary sewer systems from the
Cardinal Court lift station to the treatment plant. Barry reported that
there is property along that route that the Town is interested in selling,
and the study will help determine what kind of updates are required to make
the property useful for a high capacity user. The contract, with Haas &
Associates, LLC, was approved to be paid for with $23,400 from the sewer
fund.
Reminders
Parks Director
Brian Bugajski reminded those in attendance that the long-range plan for
Porter parks is out for public comment until April 27. Comments will be
taken by phone, by email, in person, or by mail. Some highlights of the plan
are a look at increasing overflow parking at Hawthorne Park, upgrading
signage in all parks, and increasing access to water features at Spring
Lakes Park and the East Branch of the Little Calumet River. “The plan also
establishes a dog park and increases accessibility and safety for all of our
parks,” Bugajski said.
Public Works
Supervisor Brenda Brueckheimer said her department will still host the
roadway clean-up from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 14, weather
permitting. If there is more than an 80 percent chance of rain, the clean-up
will be rescheduled for next Saturday, April 21. Anyone wishing to volunteer
can call Public Works at (219) 926-4212.
Other Business
The Council voted
unanimously to amend the 2018 salary ordinance on first reading. Council
President Erik Wagner moved to suspend the rule of doing a second reading at
a separate meeting so there would be no delay in compensation for Town
employees and officers. The Council conducted the second reading as well and
approved the ordinance.
Brueckheimer
received permission to solicit quotes for a new Ford F-350 crane truck to
replace the current sewer crane truck that is at the end of its life. The
Council approved her request.