Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Schnadenberg Much less snow so far this year

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By KEVIN NEVERS

The first full week of January was, one might say, weather-rich.

There were the multiple snow events, a few inches here, a few there, not a lot but enough to force folks to shovel driveways and sidewalks.

Then there were the frigid temperatures and sub-zero wind-chills, which prompted Duneland Schools to cancel classes two days running.

“But here’s the good news,” Chesterton Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg told the Town Council at its meeting Monday night: so far this season, Duneland’s wracked up 13.5 inches of snow, more than one might think but not even close to the 35 inches which had already fallen by this time last year, when we were up to our midriffs in drifts.

The bad news, for Schnadenberg at least: there’s not a huge difference between a two-inch snowfall and a ten-inch. In either case, the plow drivers have to travel the same route and spend about the same amount of time--or overtime--doing it.

To date this season, the Street Department’s plows have traveled a total of 5,200 miles, spreading 635 tons of road salt and 1,675 gallons of salt brine, Schnadenberg said.

Schnadenberg did take a moment to address one question which more than one person has asked him: why, when plows are being driven across town, do they travel with their blades up? why not clear snow from engine-on to engine-off?

For two reasons, Schnadenberg said: first, each plow driver has a designated, carefully calculated, time-tested route; second, one driver plowing another driver’s route would in all likelihood scrape up and scrape off a previously applied layer of road salt.

Extra Signage Okayed

In other business, members voted 4-0 to approve on final reading an amendment to a Coffee Creek Center planned unit development ordinance.

The amendment in question permits the installation of additional signage at 3100 Village Point Drive, the Duneland Dialysis building on whose second floor Lakeside Wealth Management and its 40 employees are now doing business.

The amendment specifically allows Lakeside Wealth Management to install two extra single-sided signs, each 62.4 square feet in area, on the building’s northeast and southeast corners.

The Advisory Plan Commission unanimously endorsed the amendment at its December meeting.

The council previously approved the amendment on first reading at its final meeting of 2014. Member Nick Walding, R-3rd, an employee of Lakeside Wealth Management, abstained both from that vote and from Monday’s.

Unused Vacation Time

Meanwhile, members voted 5-0 to pay five department heads for vacation time not used in 2014: Police Chief Dave Cincoski, 80 hours; Town Engineer Mark O’Dell, 80 hours; Schnadenberg, 80 hours; Park Superintendent Bruce Mathias, 32 hours; Clerk-Treasurer Stephanie Kuziela, 26 hours.

Under the Personnel Policy, department heads may paid for up to 80 hours of vacation time not used in the previous year.

Knights of Columbus

Members agreed by consensus to authorize the Knights of Columbus to hold its annual Tootsie Roll fundraiser on June 5-6.

 

 

 

 

Posted 1/13/2015

 
 

 

 

 

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