Here’s the good news: the Porter County Substance Abuse Council has preliminarily awarded the Chesterton Police Department $5,500 to establish a K-9 program.

Here’s the other news: as generous a grant as that is, the CPD is still a long way from raising the funds necessary to add a dog to the roster.

At the Town Council’s meeting Monday night, Police Chief Dave Cincoski asked members to increase the maximum appropriation in the CPD Gift Fund from $15,000 to $45,000, in anticipation of raising additional funds to be earmarked for a K-9 program.

All grant moneys received for the program will thereby be safely appropriated with no chance of their reverting in the interim.

Members voted unanimously to set a public hearing at their next meeting, June 28, on Cincoski’s request.

Cincoski also asked the council for authorization to apply for a no-match grant from Dogs Against Drugs/Dogs Against Crime, an outfit which similarly awards grants for the establishment of K-9 programs. Members again voted unanimously to okay his request.

In other business, members unanimously authorized Cincoski as well to apply for an 80/20 match grant from the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission to fund the acquisition of two alternative-fuel squad cars.

Each squad would cost a total of $22,500, NIRPC would provide 80 percent of that—$36,000 for the pair—and the town would pay the balance of $9,000.

Member Jim Ton, R-1st, said that NIRPC is allocating 58 squads to communities throughout Northwest Indiana but there is a hitch: the squads must be used solely for patrol duty.

In addition, members unanimously made available $200 in CEDIT funds to be used to purchase 10 fluorescent yellow safety vests to be loaned to fundraisers conducting tag days at busy intersections in town.