Growing pains were felt at Wednesday’s Burns Harbor Town Council meeting.

Developers and petitioners are required by town code to pay certain fees related to review of their projects by the town attorney and town engineer. The town may receive those bills, but whether they’re the town’s responsibility is another matter.

After a lengthy discussion the Town Council asked that any 2009 invoices for legal/engineering work be submitted to Clerk-treasurer Jane Jordan by Dec. 31. Once they’re in hand, said Councilman Mike Perrine, “That doesn’t mean she’ll pay for it.”

Who owes what and how much money has to be encumbered from the 2009 town budget can be sorted out later, said council members.

Jordan said she’s sent the affected petitioners letters saying to address this matter or a stop-work order can be issued; pending petitions before town zoning boards also could be delayed if money owed isn’t paid.

Jordan estimated a few thousand dollars is involved.

Council member Toni Biancardi questioned if a recent petitioner before the town Plat Committee should have been billed so much.

Council member Cliff Fleming, developer of The Village in Burns Harbor subdivision, said he’s hoping to work out an agreement with the Advisory Plan Commission in January on how much he should pay trying to reconstruct documentation from previous town engineers.

“You’ll be very amazed what’s going on here and you’ll be very perplexed,” said Fleming.

In other business, Jordan said she’s received no distribution for 2008 property taxes payable 2009. The money was due to the Porter County Treasurer Dec. 4. “If we don’t get that money, it will be a tight, tight couple of months.” She said the January sewer bond payment and fire truck lease will be paid, but beyond that operating cash will be drained.

The council voted 5-0 to approve a $100,000 loan from the Rainy Day Fund to General Fund and extended repayment of previous internal loans due Dec. 31 to June 30, 2010.

Town attorney Bob Welsh said if the council was of a mind to borrow money for January through a bank tax anticipation warrant, which Burns Harbor has avoided doing, it’s already too late. Perrine suggested possibly approaching ArcelorMittal, the town’s largest taxpayer, about making a temporary loan if it becomes necessary.

Welsh said he wasn’t familiar with that option but it could be researched. “You’re a little in unchartered waters here.”

Also Wednesday an extended discussion centered on how police officers who work holidays may be compensated. It was agreed to have a special meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. following a 5:45 p.m. meeting to address additional appropriations and the 6 p.m. Sanitary Board.

The council did vote unanimously to declare Christmas Eve a town holiday with pay but not Dec. 31. The 2010 salary and wage ordinance was adopted, as was a 2010-11 CEDIT spending plan specifying the money will be used to make payments on the Fire Department ladder truck. CEDIT is revenue from the Porter County income tax.

Fire chief Bill Arney reported in November 28 firefighters spent 56 training hours and 27 duty hours. Fifteen total calls were for one each structure fire, hazmat incident and open burn as well as one mutual aid each to Chesterton, Portage and South Haven.

There were two vehicle accident calls, two mutual aid to Liberty and five assists to EMS. Total on-scene time spent at emergency calls was nine hours and 25 minutes and vehicles traveled 896 miles.

Arney said the Fire Department is assisting the Burns Harbor Lions Club in a holiday food drive. Because economic times are hard, he said so far donations haven’t been sought door-to-door as in years past.

Donations of canned goods may be dropped off at either the Street Department, the Fire Department or the town hall. Residents also may call 787-8591 to arrange pick-up.

As Sanitation superintendent, Arney said November for the most part was quiet and a lift-station repair was made. He added that a recent power outage in town was due to a burning NIPSCO pole.

Town marshal Jerry Price said police activity for November showed five accidents --- four property damage and one personal injury --- and two arrests for felony and 13 misdemeanor arrests. Ninety tickets were issued, 63 warning tickets and 38 verbal warnings given. Six police vehicles traveled 8,351 miles.

General Maintenance/Street superintendent Randy Skalku said repair, upkeep and servicing of town vehicles is ongoing and department equipment is now in snow mode.

The council voted 5-0 to recommend that the Porter County Council reappoint Jim McGee to the Burns Harbor Economic Development Commission.

Acknowledged was receipt of a grant check from the Lake Michigan Marina Development Commission to fund installation of an aeration system fountain spray in Harbor Lake at Lakeland Park.

Posted 12/11/2009