By KEVIN NEVERS

It’s been advertised. The public has had its chance to comment. Now it’s official.

At its meeting Monday night, the Chesterton Town Council voted 3-0 to approve the 2007 budget on its first reading, then 3-0 to approve the budget on its final reading. The budget was introduced at the council’s last meeting, so there was no need to suspend the rules. President Sharon Darnell, D-4th, was not in attendance.

No one spoke in favor of the budget at a public hearing on Sept. 11 and no one spoke in opposition to it.

That budget totals $10,028,909, an increase of $2,163,728 or nearly 28 percent over this year’s advertised budget of $7,865,181. In fact that increase is deceptive, because the 2007 advertised budget includes $1.4 million in Major Moves funding, $603,072 in CEDIT funding, and $200,000 in TIF funding, for a total of $2,203,072 of line items which do not count against residents’ property-tax bill.

The estimated maximum property-tax levy limitation totals $3,619,119, an increase of $226,430 or 6.67 percent over this year’s estimated maximum levy limitation of $3,392,689.

Polakowski estimated next year’s tax rate at $0.8711 per $100 of assessed valuation, an increase of $0.2978—29.78 cents—or nearly 52 percent over this year’s tax rate of $0.5733 per $100 of assessed valuation. Polakowski attributed that provisional hike to the 20-percent decrease in the town’s assessed valuation (AV) which the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) instructed her to advertise, from $717,514,229 payable 2006 to $574,0215,000 payable 2007. Brass tacks: the higher the AV, the lesser the tax rate, and the lower the AV, the greater the tax rate.

Polakowski emphasized, however, that she expects DLGF—as it typically does—to recalculate the town’s AV upwards with the effect of recalculating the tax rate downwards. But Polakowski said that she does not expect to receive a final 2007 budget from DLGF until February.

The Chesterton property-tax rate represents only a portion of the total tax rate paid by Chesterton property owners. The total rate also includes a State rate, a Porter County rate, a Porter County Airport rate, a Westchester Township rate, a Westchester Township Library rate, and a Duneland School Corporation rate.

2007 Salary Ordinance

In other business, members voted 3-0 to adopt the proposed salary ordinance.

Under the proposed salary ordinance, the following elected and appointed officials would earn the following stipends or base salaries in 2007:

•Clerk-Treasurer, $46,945.

•Police Chief, $53,787.

•Fire Chief, $46,241. Fire Chief Warren “Skip” Highwood would also earn approximately $7,000 in volunteer pay.

•Street Commissioner, $49,536. Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg would also earn $16,830 as MS4 Commissioner.

•Park Superintendent, $51,000.

•Utility Superintendent, $56,568. Superintendent Steve Yagelski would also earn $11,091 as Utility Planner, $10,769 as Economic Development Planner, $5,869 as Town Planning Director, and $5,253 as MS4 Superintendent, for a total of $89,550.

•Deputy Fire Chief/Chief Fire Inspector/Building Commissioner, $45,558. Deputy Fire Chief Mike Orlich would also earn approximately $6,000 in volunteer pay.

•Town Attorney, an hourly rate of $150 for all counsel above and beyond that provided by his retainer of $12,657. The Utility would also pay the Town Attorney a retainer of $11,000.

•Town Council Member, $4,835.

•Plan Commission Member, $1,320, plus $50 per special meeting requested by a petitioner.

•Board of Zoning Appeals Member, $1,320, plus $50 per special meeting requested by a petitioner.

•Park Board Member, $500.

•Utility Service Board Member, $3,033.

•Town Engineer, $5,100. Town Engineer Mark O’Dell would also earn $10,769 as Economic Development Engineer, $63,535 as Utility Engineer, and $16,547 as MS4 Coordinator, for a total of $95,951.

•Economic development coordinator: $40,921.

•MS4 Operator: $40,800

•MS4 Technician: $31,620.

The 2007 Salary Ordinance provides for a 2-percent raise for all full-time town employees plus a longevity bonus of $100 per year of service. It does not, however, provide for raises for members either of the council or of any other municipal board nor for the Town Attorney. The council has not voted itself a raise since 2001.

Posted 9/26/2006