The Porter County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve cooperative efforts between the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and the Porter County Surveyor’s Office to enact measures of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, also known as MS4. The program will work to protect drinking water resources from storm water contamination.

At Tuesday’s commissioner meeting, County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke outlined his suggestion of working with NIRPC on cost-efficient ways to educate members of the community on improving water quality. The cost of this current contract agreement is $4,596, Breitzke said. The plan also aims to meet standard items given by the Environmental Protection Agency.

NIRPC Environmental Management Director Kathy Luther said two important measures of this contract are regional public education and public participation and involvement. Breitzke also mentioned that he plans to talk with the new director of the Porter County Parks Department to talk in schools about preventing water contamination as part of the program’s outreach.

NIRPC is working with 23 communities and municipalities including Chesterton, Portage, Valparaiso and Porter to protect drinking water supplies and natural features from contamination. MS4 is a federally mandated program to improve water quality and requires communities to comply.

Other measures of the program include controlling construction site runoff by ensuring developers and builders establish plans that will prevent sediments and pollutants from eroding the sites. MS4 also requires developers to plan long-term management practices that will reduce amounts of polluted stormwater runoff from new construction sites or developed areas and also to make sure the measure can be maintained over time. Another measure requires the community to reduce stormwater pollution from local government facilities and maintenance such as road salting and pesticides.

The program is funded primarily through local taxes from assessments or user fees. It is not funded federally or by the state.

NIRPC says the primary cause of water pollution throughout the United States is contaminated stormwater runoff.

Porter County Commissioner President Robert Harper announced at the beginning of the meeting there would be no further discussion about the lawsuit over the Tower Meadows subdivision in Center Township. Harper said the suit is currently being litigated in court and the commissioners could not give a further report.

The county has, however, agreed to plow snow in Tower Meadows until the lawsuit has been resolved. Porter County filed a suit against SW Developers two weeks ago for failure to provide adequate infrastructure within the subdivision in hope of finding funds needed to perform repairs.

Harper also announced the commissioners would not be hearing from Chesterton developer Cliff Fleming for it was not placed on the meeting’s agenda. Fleming mentioned at the Chesterton Town Council meeting on Nov. 23 he planned to talk to the county commissioners about forming a committee to oversee changes on the land in Liberty Township that will be affected by the new Porter Hospital to be built near the Ind. 49 and U.S. Hwy 6 intersection.

DLZ Indiana Representative Mike Jabo presented to the commissioners two agreements with the Indiana Department of Transpor-tation to use stimulus money for road repairs and repavement work on two areas in Liberty Township and one in unincorporated Portage Township.

North Porter County Commis-sioner John Evans made a motion to approve the agreement for Meridian Road from U.S. 6 to County Road 1050 North and County Road 700 North from Swanson Road to Willowcreek Road. Evans then motioned to approve another agreement for North Calumet Road from U.S. 6 to the Chesterton town limits.

The commissioners passed both agreements unanimously. Work is expected to commence around April or May, Jabo said.

Jabo also gave an update on the intent to purchase new boilers for the Porter County Jail. If the commissioners were to declare the boilers in emergency state, they could quickly decide on purchasing a new boiler. County Attorney Gwen Rinkenberger advised to carefully consider which boiler would be the most efficient.

The commissioners asked Jabo to provide details to approve at the following meeting on Dec. 15.

Enhanced 911 Director Dave Sheibels presented the 2010 budget for the commissioners’ approval with the total cost at about $2.8 million. The number does not include the proposed phone system upgrade which will feature VoIP technologies, he said.

Sheibels reported there were surcharge costs due to the Portage consolidation that would need supplemental funding from either the county commissioners or the county council by 2011. The fund may not have enough money to complete the 2010 operating year without additional assistance due to unknown surcharges, he said.

The surcharge includes covering salaries and medical for eight additional dispatchers hired during the Portage consolidation.

Sheibels estimated the surcharge income to be $1,665,000 for 2010 and also reported reserve funds estimated at $1,700,000 at the start of next year.

He said the budget and phone upgrade will outweigh the estimated funds bringing a negative balance of $433,303.

Harper said the additional expenses may be supplemented by appropriations from the County Council and suggested that Sheibels discuss it with the council at their meeting in January.

The council may decide to slightly increase the $1.50 surcharge fee on land lines countywide to cover the expenses. The health insurance costs for the dispatchers will be paid for by the Portage City Council until the county is able to assist.

Harper commended Sheibels for his work over the past two years including getting coordinated with LaPorte County’s Enhanced 911 System, which already includes the VoIP upgrade.

“You’ve done a great job at expanding your operation and we appreciate all the work,” Harper said.