By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Town Council has taken its first formal step in a proposed general-obligation bond issue to finance park improvements.

At their meeting Monday night, members voted 4-0 to enter an agreement—pending a review of the document by Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann—with H.J. Umbaugh & Associates of Plymouth, a financial consultant retained by the town in the past.

Under that agreement, Umbaugh would be paid $17,000—“after financing is obtained, or at termination of the project”—for providing the following services:

•Financial feasibility and analysis, “to consider what type of financing is most suitable to meet the needs” of the town.

•Discussion of the funding options, including the maturity schedule of the proposed financing, the total interest of the life of the bond issue, and the effect on the town’s debt service tax rate.

•Accounting services, including the establishment of a budget of project costs, the suggestion of interest rates, probable debt service, and estimated tax levies, and the collection of financial data needed in the preparation of publications, bond resolution, notice of sale, and other documents.

•Attending meetings, including a public hearing on the bond issue and a hearing before the Department of Local Government Finance Control Board.

•The marketing of the bond issue, including the preparation of a Preliminary Official Statement disclosing information of interest to underwriters, rating services, and bond insurance companies, and the collection of general demographic, economic, and financial information for inclusion in the Official Statement.

•Providing information to rating agencies and bond insurance companies.

•Providing information to potential bidders.

•Attending the bond sale itself, computing the bid with lowest net interest cost, and recommending that bid.

Meanwhile, Park Superintendent Bruce Mathias informed members that the Park Board should complete its prioritization of proposed improvements by the council’s next meeting, June 27.

The improvements on the table include major renovations of Dogwood Park and Chesterton Park.

Salary Ordinance Amendment

In other business, members voted 4-0 to approve on its first reading an amendment to the 2005 Salary Ordinance, 4-0 to suspend the rules, then 4-0 to approve that amendment on its final reading.

That amendment does two things. It creates the part-time position of EMS Coordinator at 15 cents per hour and the part-time position of CPR Instructor at 10 cents per hour and adds this provision: “Failure to qualify on five apparatus within two years from Jan. 1, 2006, will result in a reduction of pay in the amount of $500. Of the five apparatus, one must be an engine and one as a tower operator.”

And the amendment clarifies and modifies the compensation formula for volunteer firefighters: “In order to receive full pay for any of the volunteer designations, a firefighters must obtain 40 percent of the total points possible. This 40 percent is based on the total number of calls and total number of all meetings. A volunteer firefighter must also attend 50 percent of all meetings as a minimum. . . . A firefighter who fails to get 40 percent will be compensated at the same percentage the firefighter obtained. Volunteer pay will be based on the Dec. 1 through Nov. 30 year.”

Under the original 2005 Salary Ordinance, volunteer firefighters were not required to attend 50 percent of all meetings as a minimum.

The amendment also tweaks the point system itself:

•Calls: still one point each.

•Meetings: 10 points per meeting after attending 50 percent of all meetings. Had been a flat five points per meeting.

•Fire prevention: still five points per program.

•Ride-along: still five points per six hours.

•Fill-In ride along: a new category, 15 points per 12-hour shift.

•Outside training: still one point per hour of class, with no call credit while attending class.

•Fundraisers: still three points per hour.

•Work details: still three points per hour.

•Truck check: 10 points, with failure to perform resulting in the loss of 15 points. Had been three points.

•The amendment eliminates the following category: coverage for other department non-call.

Full compensation for a volunteer Fire Officer 1 or Master Firefighter in 2005 is $3,433.75; for a volunteer Firefighter 2 or First Class Firefighter, $3,126.25.

Other Votes

•Members voted 4-0 to appoint colleague Darnell to the Redevelopment Commission, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation in May of former council president Bob Crone, R-3rd. One other person applied for the position: Plan Commission Member George Stone.

•Members voted 3-0 to authorize Steve Yagelski, wearing his hat as Town Planning Director, to consult with Lukmann on a short list of four website designers selected from the 10 which responded to a request for proposals for the development of a municipal website. The four: Griffin Marketing Services of Chesterton, The Grossbauer Group of Chesterton, CMS Design Studio of Valparaiso, and Catalyst Marketing of Michigan City. Yagelski told the council that the original 10 respondents quoted prices ranging from $2,500 to $16,500; the four on the short list, $3,770 to $9,600. President Mike Bannon, R-5th, who is employed by Griffin Marketing Services, recused himself from the vote.

Posted 6/14/2005