BY KEVIN NEVERS

The First National Bank of Valparaiso has allowed the Town of Chesterton to extend its tax anticipation loan, which had been due to be re-paid on Dec. 31, until the end of June 2008.

“It was very community-minded of them,” Lukmann said, then added that the interest rate of 3.55 percent—by far the lowest rate bid at the time—will remain the same.

Members accordingly voted 5-0 to approve on first reading an ordinance extending the tax anticipation loan, 5-0 to suspend the rules, then 5-0 to approve that ordinance on final reading.

“I would extend our gracious appreciation to the bank,” Cincoski said.

The council originally obtained the tax anticipation loan to keep things running until the county could actually issue property-tax bills. But with the expected date for mailing them sometime in December, and no way of knowing when Chesterton would actually receive its share of property-tax revenues, it became necessary for the town to make some sort of arrangement with First National Bank.

“It’s pretty sad that we have to continue to spend taxpayers’ money on interest,” Member Mike Bannon, R-5th, observed for his part, then said how a move this summer to issue provisional tax bills, just to generate some revenues, came to nothing with Porter County Treasurer James Murphy objecting to the expense.

Property owners should be “disgusted,” Bannon remarked.

Off the Agenda

Members then voted 5-0 to remove from the agenda the Town Manager item. Member Jim Ton, R-1st, who late last year compiled a document on the ways and means of hiring a town manager, suggested the removal of the item given the present fiscal uncertainty.

At such a time as Chesterton’s finances are clarified, Ton added, the council can always re-visit the issue.

Turn Signal Moved

Ton took a moment at the end of the meeting to thank Police Chief George Nelson and the Chesterton Tribune for prompting the Indiana Department of Transportation to re-locate the left-turn signal at the intersection of Gateway Blvd. for motorists southbound on Ind. 49. That signal had been placed over the left-turn lanes for northbound Ind. 49, well to the east of the median and widely separated from the three other signals for southbound Ind. 49.

INDOT re-located that left-turn signal approximately 20 feet to the west, after a fatal accident at that intersection in October, when a motorist southbound on Ind. 49 attempted to turn left onto Gateway Blvd. against a red light. Police officers expressed their fear at the time that motorists southbound on Ind. 49 might mistake a green through light for a left-turn light with disastrous consequences.

Frank Sessa Remembers

Retiring Member Frank Sessa, D-2nd, also took a moment to thank voters for supporting him through the years. “I hope I’ve done an acceptable job,” he said. “It’s been quite an honor to serve.”

Sessa recalled how for 30 years he owned the only cobbler’s shop in Chesterton and that, despite the lack of competition, he always tried to keep his prices reasonable and never gouge. “I hope I was a positive part of the community,” he said.

Posted 11/27/2007