Permanent public restroom facilities in Thomas Centennial Park or a sidewalk along Fifth Street south of 1100N?

That’s the decision the Chesterton Town Council has before it, and at the moment there appears to be a difference of opinion among members.

At the council’s last meeting Town Manager Bernie Doyle recommended postponing until next year the planned construction of a restroom facility--sort of as an annex to the old New York Central passenger depot at 220 Broadway, current home of the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce--and instead to use the $75,000 in CEDIT funds earmarked for that project to construct a sidewalk along Fifth Street south of 1100N.

At Monday’s meeting, however, Member Dave Cincoski, R-3rd, expressed his belief that the restrooms should take priority. “I feel the town would be better served by moving forward with the restrooms,” he said. “With the festivals in town and all the visitors, I just feel we’d be better served with restrooms.”

Member Jeff Trout, R-2nd, agreed. Back-burnering the sidewalk, he said, would give the town “time to look for other money” for the project.

Member Jim Ton, R-3rd, on the other hand, pushed for the sidewalk. “I just think it’s safer for the kids in the neighborhood,” he said.

The issue will be discussed further at the council’s next meeting, Aug. 24.

In other business, Stormwater Utility Superintendent Mark O’Dell told the council that the town passed with flying colors an MS4 audit conducted on July 30 by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The IDEM auditor “was very complimentary to all departments and all departments did an outstanding job,” he said. “There were no violations.”

O’Dell attributed the success entirely to MS4 Operator Jennifer Gadzala. “She deserves all the credit,” he said. “She spent two months preparing for the audit and her dialogue with the departments was excellent. She did a great job.”

“Hats off to everybody,” DeLaney said.

“It’s an outstanding achievement,” Trout added.

For his part Ton said that he’s been enjoying the “excellent” public information series on stormwater pollution prevention penned by Gadzala and published by the Chesterton Tribune over the course of the summer.

DeLaney announced that Hopkins Ace Hardware will be donating all materials for a new paint job in the town hall’s meeting room. Color scheme: light gray over dark gray.

In addition, DeLaney said, an anonymous donor has contributed the funds to hire a licensed contractor--Smith Construction of Chesterton--to do the job right.

Chesterton firefighters will be collecting at select locations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15.

The CFD regularly participates in the MDA fundraising drive, Orlich said.

Members voted 4-0 to reject the request of the CHS gymnastics team to hold a tag day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the European Market.

Members made it clear that they support the team and would be happy to authorize a tag day on a later date, but they have misgivings about the precedent of permitting not-for-profit solicitations at the European Market. Although Heather Ennis, executive director of the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce, has green-lighted the team’s request to collect at the European Market, Trout expressed the view that to allow one not-for-profit to do it would be to open the flood gates to every other not-for-profit.

The council asked Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski to obtain from the Chamber a copy of its solicitation policy.

New playground equipment is now in place at Coffee Creek Park and the Golfview Estates park, Superintendent Bruce Mathias told the council.

The Chesterton Police Department has responded to 257 calls so far in the month of August and to 7,154 calls in the year-to-date, Lt. Dave Lohse told the council.

Posted 8/11/2009