Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Town to enter into acquisition negotiations for old Lipinski site

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By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Town Council has authorized Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann to enter into acquisition negotiations with the owner of the old Lipinski Automotive property at 1300 Broadway.

Members voted unanimously to do so at their meeting Monday night.

That property, which owner Tom Lipinski has put on the market, is contiguous to the rear of the landlocked municipal complex at 1490 Broadway and would provide not only about an acre and a half for future expansion of the Street Department but additional ingress and egress.

Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg said on Monday that the property is sufficiently large to allow other municipal departments to store their vehicles and equipment there as well.

Under Indiana Code, two different appraisals are required for the municipal purchase of private property. Those appraisals have been completed, and Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann noted that they are “slightly less” than the price which Lipinski is asking.

Queried by Member Jim Ton, R-1st, Lukmann added that sitting down with Lipinski in no way commits the town to the purchase of the property. “Nothing will be final until I bring something to you,” he said.

Flooding

In other business, Schnadenberg didn’t have a lot to say about the flooding last week, but he did offer that “it’s been a pretty busy month,” what with “back-to-back snowstorms, potholes, and flooding.”

Schnadenberg also remarked that whatever funds might have been saved in salt and overtime in 2017--during last year’s relatively light winter--are being spent now.

Utility Superintendent Dave Ryan, for his part, thanked his crews for their tireless dedication last week. “Hats off to the team for working around the clock and preventing flooding into people’s homes and businesses,” he said. “They did a great job.”

Squad Car Equipment Quotes.

Meanwhile, members voted unanimously to take under advisement the three quotes received for equipping this year’s Chesterton Police Department fleet purchase: three Ford Explorers.

The quotes:

* $46,059.65, from Emergency Vehicle Technologies of Mokena, Ill.

* $46,098.11, from Bartronics Inc. of Chesterton.

* $55,581.58, from Custom FITZ LED of Porter.

Public Hearing

Members also voted unanimously to hold a public hearing at its next meeting, March 12, on an ordinance which would re-establish for another year Cumulative Capital Development (CCD), funded by a dedicated property-tax rate of $0.04 per $100 of assessed valuation, moneys from which are used exclusively for the purchase of emergency vehicles.

Under Indiana Code, CCD must be re-upped on an annual basis.

Street Tree Grant

Schnadenberg announced that the town has received a no-match grant from the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission sufficient to plant 16 new public street trees.

Schnadenberg has said that, if the town were awarded the grant, the trees will mostly be sited in Morgan Park, whose trees are nearing the end of their lives and many of which have already been removed.

StoryPoint Update

Building Commissioner Mark O’Dell announced that the Building Department has issued temporary occupancy permits for four model units at the StoryPoint nursing home on Dickinson Road.

The facility should be fully open for business in October, he said.

Annual Fundraisers

By consensus members authorized the Knights of Columbus to hold its annual Tootsie Roll fundraiser June 8-10; and the American Legion Auxiliary to hold its annual Poppy Days fundraiser May 18-19.

Both groups were asked to consult with Police Chief Dave Cincoski as to location.

 

Posted 2/28/2018

 
 
 
 

 

 

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