The Porter County
Commissioners considered a number of proposed ordinances at their meeting
Tuesday morning.
The Commissioners
revisited two ordinances that they approved on first reading at their
December meeting. First up was a county-wide responsible bidding ordinance (RBO)
that drew several supportive public comments last month. The RBO, which will
require contractors hired by county government to provide evidence of a
clean business record, was approved.
Next was the mobile
home processing fee ordinance, which ordinance requires a $10 fee for moving
or transferring ownership of a mobile home. It was also approved.
Park Department
Grant
In other business,
Park Board attorney David Hollenbeck and Park Superintendent Walter Lenckos
came before the Commissioners to propose an ordinance establishing a fund
for incoming grant money. The Park Board plans to use a $200,000 grant from
the Land and Water Conservation Fund to build new restrooms at Sunset Hill
Farm Park. The ordinance was approved on first reading, with no members of
the public speaking for or against it. Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South,
congratulated Lenckos on securing the grant.
Bulk Copies
Ordinances
Porter County
Recorder Jon Miller also came before the Commissioners to propose two
ordinances that are now required due to a change in the law. According to
Senate Bill 505, an ordinance is now needed in order to sell bulk copies of
watermarked government forms to bulk users. The copies can be sold for
between 10 and 20 cents each.
Miller reported
that a cost analysis shows that Porter County can charge the maximum of 20
cents. He also said that the money from sales of bulk copies will be
allocated to the Recorder’s Perpetuation Fund, and is likely to be applied
to the purchase of computer software and hardware and supplies. Miller also
proposed an ordinance requiring that bulk copies be watermarked.
No one spoke for or
against either ordinance. Both were approved on first reading.