By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Town Council has taken its first official step to file an excess levy appeal with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF).

At their meeting Monday night, members voted 5-0 to retain the services of H.J. Umbaugh & Associates, its usual financial consultant, to shepherd the town through the appeal process.

An excess levy is an amount, authorized by DLGF, above and beyond a municipality’s maximum property-tax levy under state law. The council has signaled its intention to file an appeal for an excess levy on the grounds that the town needs to raise additional revenues to fund services to recently annexed areas.

Members agreed to retain Umbaugh, with the understanding that the consultant will provide an estimate of the probable cost of its services. The contract with Umbaugh does not specify a fee. Instead, Umbaugh will charge its “standard hourly billing rates” plus related expenses like travel.

Under that contract, Umbaugh will:

•Assist with determining the town’s eligibility for an excess levy.

•Meet with municipal officials to determine the desired appeal amount based on the expenses as detailed in annexation fiscal plans.

•Prepare the appeal application and supporting documents.

•Present the appeal to the Local Government Tax Control Board.

•Monitor the completion of the required steps of the appeal process.

Last year the council annexed three significant parcels totaling 246 acres: the old Olson Farm property at the terminus of East Porter Road immediately east of 250E; a parcel immediately south of the Indiana Toll Road and east of Ind. 49; and a parcel on 1050N immediately west of Abercrombie Woods in Crocker.

According to the fiscal plans approved by the council for two of those annexations—the old Olson Farm and the parcel south of the Toll Road—the town intends to file an excess levy appeal totaling $860,583 to defray a portion of the cost of servicing those areas. Those costs include the expenses associated with hiring additional police officers, firefighters, and park employees.

Earlier in the meeting one resident got a head start on remonstrating the excess levy appeal, when from the floor Tom Beck voiced his opposition and asked how he could make it official. Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski said in response that a public notice of the appeal will be published in the Chesterton Tribune when that point in the process is reached, and that remonstrations may be sent directly to DLGF.

CEDIT Request 1: CPD

In other business, and at the request of Police Chief George Nelson, members voted 4-0 to authorize the expenditure of $14,696 in CEDIT funds, a portion of the $28,000 which they earmarked in March for the Chesterton Police Department. Member Dave Cincoski, R-3rd—a serving member of the CPD—recused himself.

•$8,000 for the acquisition of a mugshot/photo image management system, for which the council earmarked a total of $20,000. That system would update and streamline the existing technology and make it easier for investigators to access mugshots.

•$6,696 for the purchase of four Panasonic Toughbook laptops, to replace four in-squad computers now in use, for which the council earmarked a total of $8,000.

CEDIT Request 2: Utility

At the request of Utility Superintendent Steve Yagelski, members also voted 5-0 to authorize the expenditure of $815 in CEDIT funds for the purchase of a new computer for the chief operator.

The council has earmarked a total of $75,000 in CEDIT funds for computer equipment, telephone upgrades, and the town’s billing system.

Banners

Meanwhile, members voted 5-0 to authorize Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann to draft an agreement with Bob Rauscher of Rauscher Community Image Marketing under which Rauscher would provide, in conjunction with the Chesterton/ Duneland Chamber of Commerce, promotional banners to be fixed to street lights in the Downtown.

The council did indicate that it wants final review authority for all banners and that it wants Rauscher to liaise with the Chesterton Hometown Improvement Project—which has already hung banners from street lights along North Calumet Road—and with businesses in the South Calumet Business District. In addition, the council wants a “hold-harmless” indemnification clause in any agreement with Rauscher.

Rauscher has told the council that the banners would vary in size, with the largest 5’ x 2.5’; that a business could rent one with its name on it for a year beginning at $445; and that the Chamber would get 15 percent of the sponsorship fee.

Members have already advised Rauscher that he must be careful never to hang a banner sponsored by one business anywhere near a competitor of that business.

Appointments

President Jim Ton, R-1st, made two presidential appointments to the Chesterton Impact Fee Review Board, a statutory requirement of the recreational impact fee enacted last year: Town Engineer Mark O’Dell and Rick Hokanson.

Still needed is a certified public accountant. Any CPA who resides in town who wishes to serve on this board is urged to submit an application to Polakowski at the town hall at 726 Broadway.

The Old Depot

Building Commissioner Mike Orlich told the council that the tuck-pointing and brick repair on the old New York Central passenger depot at 220 Broadway—presently leased by the town to the Chesterton/ Duneland Chamber of Commerce—has been completed and that work on the windows will soon begin.

Member earmarked $30,000 in CEDIT funds for repairs.

Posted 4/15/2008