The Burns Harbor Town Council created a Department of Storm Water Management on Wednesday and named three of its members to sit on the department’s board of directors.

The move creates a special storm water taxing district including all territory within the town’s corporate boundaries. Issuance of bonds or other methods of making capital improvements also must be approved by the Town Council.

Votes to adopt the ordinance in one night were unanimous with member Louis Bain absent.

Unlike Chesterton and Porter, Burns Harbor does not yet come under the costly federal MS4 storm water protection mandates. But as the town grows Burns Harbor officials want to position themselves for the day when MS4 regulations will take effect.

Named to the Storm Water Board were council members Mike Perrine, Jim McGee and Toni Biancardi; they will receive no additional compensation. Their terms initially are staggered and thereafter will be for three years each. It was agreed the board will meet following the 6 p.m. town Sanitary Board on the third Tuesday of each month.

The brief ordinance repeatedly referred to state law that outlines detailed powers and duties for a Storm Water Department and board. In other towns regulations were adopted to include stringent monitoring and reporting of what goes into roadside ditches and watersheds, and how contractors handle excavations to avoid contaminating run-off.

Both Chesterton and Porter charge property owners a monthly storm water fee: $4 per residential unit in Porter with commercial/industrial assessments based on the size of and drainage conditions on the land; Chesterton charges residences $6.10 a month. Non-residential parcels and multiple residential units of three or more pay a base $4.15 plus a multiplyer of $1.95 for each equivalent residential unit.

Burns Harbor officials were asked when they might start charging a storm water fee. The town currently doesn’t even have a refuse/recycling fee passed along to residents. Perrine said this summer a storm water budget has to be prepared and that would be the time to address the fee. Commented Biancardi, “We finally recognized we need a Storm Water Board. Now we need to do the things that go with it.”

In other business Wednesday:

*It was reported only reconstruction of Old Porter Road from Indiana 149 east was submitted as a shovel-ready federal stimulus project. Additional projects and equipment needs are being developed for grant applications due April and May.

*The town Redevelopment Commission’s meeting date was changed to the second Wednesday at 6 p.m. after it was pointed out the current first Monday conflicts with the Duneland School Board. John Marshall is a member of both the School Board and the RDC but cannot attend the latter. The RDC discussed the conflict previously but took no action. However, Perrine said by law a School Board member must sit on the RDC and “right now we’re stopping them from having meaningful input.”

*Building commissioner Bill Arney explained a proposal to purchase a computer program used by Chesterton to keep track of permits, licenses, bonds, code enforcement, inspections and other activities. Perrine balked at the $1,100 annual maintenance fee and he was asked to investigate and report at the March 11 meeting.

*As fire chief Arney said his firefighters spent 46 training hours in February, 121 man-hours, had 19 calls and spent 13 hours 23 minutes on emergency scenes. Fire vehicles traveled 857 miles including loaning the Police Department a fire 4WD to patrol in a blizzard. McGee said it caused a doubletake when police got out of a fire truck to write tickets. Police chief Jerry Price thanked Arney for the loan.

*Price said in February his department has 168 calls to service and responded to 14 accidents, all property damage. Twenty-one misdemeanor arrests and three for felonies were made. Tickets numbered 107; 56 warning tickets were given out and 42 verbal warnings made. Police made 64 assists and handled 57 complaints. Fourteen courtesy checks were made, one residence check and there were four juvenile cases. Squad cars traveled 7,898 miles last month.

*Interim General Maintenance supervisor Randy Skalku said as the snow melts his men have stepped up cleaning ditches and roadsides, and maintaining town vehicles.

*Biancardi was named the point person for the town to the Duneland Economic Development Co., which is going to establish a blue-ribbon committee. She is the town’s representative on the DEDC.

*Clerk-treasurer Jane Jordan announced she will be out of the office next week attending a conference in Muncie.

Posted 3/5/2009