Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Porter County readies animal control service contracts for municipalities

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

The Porter County Commissioners gave initial approval Tuesday to set up a fund holding fees generated through contracts with towns and cities accepting County Animal Control services.

The Commissioners voted 3-0 in favor of the new fund on first reading. County Attorney Betty Knight said she will be sending out drafts of the proposed contract to the municipalities.

But, Knight said, the County is not obligated to provide the service to the incorporated areas and they can make the choice to carry out animal control on their own terms. That’s how the City of Portage has operated for years, through a partnership with the Humane Society of Hobart.

The rates charged will be different for each town. Rates were determined through a study done by the Porter County Sheriff’s Department on the usage of the service in the past.

“Some of the fees will increase, some will stay the same and a few others will decrease,” Knight said.

According to information from Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jeff Biggs, Chesterton is the only municipality that will see a fee decrease. The town had been paying $6,076 per year and would be charged $3,120 in the proposed contract.

Burns Harbor will see its fee increased from $682 to $1,600. The Town of Porter’s former rate was not mentioned, but will now be $11,520 if it accepts the new contract.

Valparaiso’s contract saw the greatest increase, going from $20,150 to $63,200.

Biggs said the fees were based on the average percentage of the total number of animal control calls since 2010. Valparaiso had an average of 16 percent, Chesterton had 8 percent, Porter had 3 percent, Burns Harbor had less than 1 percent while 84 percent of the calls came from unincorporated Porter County.

The last time contracts were negotiated was in 2010, Knight said, and fees have actually been paid only a few times since then. Most municipalities are not paying currently because there is not contract in place, she said. However, Chesterton has been paying $6,076 the last three years, the only municipality to do so.

Commissioner President John Evans, R-North, said that half of the fees collected will now be evenly split between the Sheriff’s Department and the County Animal Shelter as opposed to the previous set up where the Shelter would take in all the fees. The fees will bring in over $90,000.

Knight said the fees would not be sufficient to cover all costs of the Animal Shelter but it will aid in paying the Animal Control related expenses.

Biggs said the total Animal Control budget is about $200,000, which is made up mostly of officer salaries and overtime, since the Sheriff’s Department took over in 2011. A smaller amount is paid for maintenance on three trucks.

The contracts would start Aug. 1 of this year and would be yearly. The municipalities have until then to accept the contracts.

The Commissioners also voted on second reading 3-0, to repeal the former ordinance setting the fee structure for the Animal Shelter’s adoptions and impounds. A new fee structure has been set forth in the recently imposed Animal Control ordinance.

Insurance agreement

Also Tuesday, the Commissioners voted 3-0 to accept an agreement with Franciscan Alliance relating to the County’s adjusted employee health plan which now utilizes reference-based pricing through the healthcare cost containment service company INETICO.

Mike Anton, principal with Anton Insurance which works as the County’s servicing agent, said the agreement will allow INETICO to adjudicate the claims from Franciscan Alliance.

Evans said he was happy to see that local health networks are willing to adapt to the County’s new approach to its insurance.

“It’s going online and it’s good to know we are trying to save on our insurance,” he said.

Anton said he will have an agreement letter soon from Porter Regional Hospital.

Bids

The board took bids received on heating and air ventilation replacement projects at the County administration building, courthouse and jail.

Three companies submitted bids -- Mechanical Concepts of Gary with a base bid of $358,000; Circle R Mechanical of Portage with a base bid of $417,900; and Stevens Engineering and Constructors of Portage with a base bid of $372,000.

Consultant Mike Jabo of DLZ Indiana said DLZ will review the proposals and make a recommendation at the Commissioners’ next meeting.

Marathon at Dunes State Park

Lastly, the Commissioners said yes to closing portions of U.S. 12 for a short time on Sunday, Sept. 27, for the Hero Half Marathon through Dunes State Park, the National Lakeshore and the Calumet Trail.

This will be the third year for the race, sponsored by Light House and Events Marketing, which starts and finishes at the Dunes State Park Pavilion. Assisting to protect the runners will be the County Sheriff’s Department, the Town of Porter and the National Lakeshore.

 

 

Posted 6/4/2015

 
 
 
 

 

 

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