Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Walsh and Kelly to replace West Indiana Avenue sidewalk

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By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Town Council has awarded the contract for the West Indiana Ave. sidewalk replacement project to Walsh & Kelly Inc. of Griffith.

Members voted unanimously at their meeting Monday night to go with Walsh & Kelly’s low quote: $113,995.

Two other quotes were submitted: $196,875, Gariup Construction Company of Gary; and $249,705.25, Rieth Riley Construction Company of Gary.

“That’s a pretty good price compared to the other quotes,” Street Commission John Schnadenberg observed.

Being replaced: the sidewalk along the north side of West Indiana Ave. between Sixth Street and South Fifth Street. Funds for the project will come from the $1.8-million general obligation bond issued in 2018 for paving and infrastructure work.

Battery Backups

In other business, and at Schnadenberg’s request, members voted unanimously to approve an expenditure of $6,336 in CEDIT funds to replace the battery backups in the traffic signals at the six controlled intersections in town.

The backups--which have a lifespan of five to six years--keep the traffic signals operating for six to 10 hours during power outages, Schnadenberg said.

“In the past it’s really paid off,” he added.

CPD Fleet Order

Members also voted unanimously to approve the purchase from Lakeshore Ford of three new squad cars for the Chesterton Police Department, at an approximate cost of $110,000; plus their outfitting by Bartronics Inc. of Chesterton for around $50,000.

Moneys for the squad cars come from the Cumulative Capital Development fund, which has a dedicated property-tax rate and is used exclusively for the acquisition of emergency vehicles.

Lakeshore Ford will acquire the squad cars through a state Quantity Purchase Agreement.

Salary Ordinance Amendment

At Police Chief Dave Cincoski’s request, members voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the 2020 Salary Ordinance, under which retired Assistant Police Chief Dave Lohse--now employed by the Building Department--will continue to act as the CPD’s grant coordinator, at a time-and-a-half wage of $52.50 per hour.

As grant coordinator, Lohse administers the federal funds provided by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to pay for the overtime of Porter County Traffic Safety Partnership officers tasked to blitz duties. Those funds will be used as well to reimburse the town for Lohse’s wage as grant coordinator.

Cincoski said that the Lohse will only be working a few hours per month as grant coordinator.

Tax Abatement

Meanwhile, members voted unanimously to renew the tax abatement for the Addison Pointe Health & Rehabilitation Center, after Associate Town Attorney Julie Paulson reported that Addison Pointe has been found in “substantial compliance” with its employment commitments.

This will be the tenth and final year of the abatement.

Engine Commissioning

Fire Chief John Jarka took a moment to invite members, staff, and the public to attend the formal commissioning of Engine 515 in a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at the CFD fire house.

Engine 515, a 2019 Spartan/Smeal Custom Pumper, replaced Engine 512, a 2000 Pierce Saber and the CFD’s primary backup engine, after the latter threw a differential in July 2018 during routine driver training.

Engine 515 has a 750-gallon water tank, room for 2,200 feet of different sized hoses, and carries three ladders, a full complement of extrication equipment, a chainsaw, a rotary saw, large ventilation fans, and a wide variety of handtools.

 

Posted 3/11/2020

 
 
 
 

 

 

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