The lobby of the Chesterton town hall at 726 Broadway is getting a facelift.

At its meeting Monday night, the Town Council voted 4-0 to approve a contract with Smith Construction Services of Chesterton, in the amount of $7,895 in CEDIT funds, for the re-modeling of the lobby. President Jeff Trout, R-2nd, was not in attendance.

Among other things, Smith Construction will be replacing the current tile floor with a non-skid surface; replace ceiling tiles as needed; install oak trim and ledges around the windows and oak casing around the municipal map; install a new Utility payment drop slot; create a chair rail; and re-paint the lobby to mach the color scheme of the meeting room.

Member Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, said that he consulted with Clerk-Treasurer Polakowski and Police Chief George Nelson about the improvements, then solicited quotes.

At that same time, members voted 4-0 to approve a contract with Esco Communications of Fort Wayne, in the amount of $7,713 in CEDIT funds, for the installation of a new wireless and digital sound system in the meeting room.

As part of the package, a voice-activated recorder will be installed as well as wireless microphones on the dais, the side tables, and the podium.

In other business, members voted 4-0 to renew the town’s contract with Porter County Animal Control, for the same amount—$6,076—as in the previous one.

“Nothing’s really changed” in the contract, Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann told the council.

Previous councils have objected to the contract, on the ground that the county should provide animal control services to municipalities on a non-contractual basis, as a matter of course, inasmuch as residents pay a county property-tax rate. In effect, those councils have maintained, residents are double-paying for the service.

But the same councils, after exchanges of letters with Animal Control, have concluded that there’s nothing much to be done about the arrangement, as the Chesterton Police Department is not equipped nor are its officers trained to deal with animals running loose.

Members also voted 4-0 to release $15,000 in emergency CEDIT funds to pay some outstanding street-salt invoices, after Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg said that the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund has no moneys left for salt bills.

On the recommendation of the Tax Abatement Advisory Committee, members voted 4-0 as well to renew the tax abatement granted to Starin Marketing.

Lukmann said that Starin is in compliance with the statement of benefits which it filed to receive the abatement and in fact has “exceeded” the number of jobs which the company said it would create through the abatement.

The abatement will expire after this year.

Posted 3/9/2010