By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Utility Service Board had endorsed a 2008 budget which assumes 4-percent growth next year in revenues and a surplus at the end of the year of $128,722.

In fact, though, no line item in the budget depends on 4-percent growth, three other budgets prepared by Superintendent Steve Yagelski projecting 0-, 2-, and 3-percent growth earmark exactly the same amounts per line item, and the Service Board opted to endorse the 4-percent budget merely as a way of making larger monthly transfers of moneys from the projected surplus to the Capital Improvement and the Collections Maintenance funds.

As President Larry Brandt noted, “You have a tendency to spend surpluses. (Endorsing the 4-percent budget is) just a bookkeeping thing.”

“This way,” Member Jim Raffin agreed, “(the surplus) is earmarked.”

Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski told the Service Board that, should the 4-percent growth prove optimistic, it can accordingly reduce the monthly transfer amounts next year at any time.

Members voted 5-0 to forward the budget to the Town Council with a favorable recommendation.

Highlights from the budget:

•Total revenues of $3.234 million (versus $3.11 million with 0-percent growth and $3.172 with 2-percent growth).

•Total capital improvements and debt service of $592,000.

•Total expenses of $2,513,678.

•Total surplus of $128,722 (versus $4,322 with 0-percent growth and $66,522 with 2-percent growth).

No Raises in 2008

Member Scot McCord did ask Polakowski to explain, again, why the Town Council decided not to approve raises for municipal employees in 2008.

Because, Polakowski said, the Town Council wants to continue paying the full health insurance of its employees, and given the fiscal squeeze at the moment they felt that a raise of any kind might jeopardize some portion of those benefits.

All full-time employees will receive a longevity bonus of $100 per full year of service to the town, however.

“I feel bad employees won’t be getting raises,” McCord said, “but I’m glad they won’t have to struggle to make health insurance payments.”

Awards

In other business, Yagelski informed members that the lab staff has once again been recognized for its excellence in completing the annual Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance study.

The lab staff will also be receiving an award for excellence from the Indiana Water Environment Association (IWEA).

Meanwhile, members congratulated Yagelski for being chosen to chair the IWEA’s Government Affairs Committee.

September in Review

In September Chesterton used 50.05 percent of its 3,794,000 gallons per day (gpd) allotment at the wastewater treatment plant; Porter, 57.53 percent of its 725,000 gpd allotment; the Indian Boundary Conservancy District, 63.62 percent of its 81,000 gpd allotment; and the plant as a whole, 51.8 percent of its capacity. No bypasses were recorded last month. In September the Utility ran a surplus of $81,301 and in the year-to-date is running a deficit of $52,845.

Posted 10/16/2007