Chesterton resident Everett Pokorny made some suggestions to the Town Council at its meeting Monday night about improving the town.

From the floor Pokorny urged members to enact an ordinance, along the lines of one passed by the Valparaiso City Council, banning smoking in all public areas.

He urged the council as well to build sidewalks along side streets or at least promote a “share-the-road policy.”

Pokorny also asked members to enforce the curfew ordinance, already on the books.

And he suggested that the town prevail on the railroads to stop blowing their horns as they pass through town.

The council took Pokorny’s comments under advisement, although Police Chief Dave Cincoski did say that he has talked to the railroads about their horns and learned this: the town could install, at its own expense, a special alarm at each grade-crossing which sounds only in the immediate area of that crossing.

But it would cost $250,000 per crossing, every crossing in town would have to be outfitted with the alarm, and the Town of Porter would have to be on board too.

New Utility Superintendent Bob Lovell—whose first day was Aug. 1—took a moment on Monday to reassure members that, unlike the previous two holders of his position, he intends to stay on the job “for a long, long time.”

“Hopefully I’ll be able to meet all your expectations and exceed them,” Lovell said.

Meanwhile, Town Engineer Mark O’Dell announced that long-time Chief Operator Dick Condon retired in July.

Fire Chief Mike Orlich thanked everyone who tripped the light fantastic at Saturday’s annual Street Dance: all 1,100 of them, “the biggest attendance yet,” he said.

“A good time was had by all,” agreed Member Emerson DeLaney, R-5th.

Next year’s Street Dance will be the 10th edition, Orlich added. “Look for it being bigger and better.”

Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg had a shout-out for Street Department Foreman Keith Parker, who just hit his 28th anniversary with the town.

“That’s six months ahead of me,” Schnadenberg said.

A week from Thursday—Aug. 19—will mark the first anniversary of the F-2 tornado which blew through town last year, DeLaney remarked at the end of the meeting. “I’m still reeling,” he said.

“It demolished a lot of our residents,” DeLaney noted. “But it brought our community together. It showed what we can do when we stand up at the plate.”

Posted 8/11/2010