By MARGARET L. WILLIS

A disgruntled driver took the law into their own hands in Dune Acres, removing temporary speed bumps the town council had approved last month.

Excessive speed, fear for the safety of children playing and walkers using the only paved surfaces in town, prompted the town council last month to order temporary speed bumps installed along East Rd. between the Town Hall and Pine Lane.

The strips were intended to stay in place one month as a trial to see how effective they would be for increasing safety.

“They lasted five days,” roads commissioner Irving Call told the council Tuesday.

Whoever removed the strips meant to slow traffic, and tore out the speed limit signs as well, could face arrest.

Frustrated Police Commissioner Cecelia Call invited Porter County Sheriff’s Police Chief Deputy David Lain to the council meeting to ask his advice on enforcement.

Lain, after noting the good turnout at the meeting and complimenting the town told those present that the town could indeed hire an off duty officer with police arrest powers. That person would need an official town vehicle for use in law enforcement. The officer could be paid on an hourly basis; something many police officers do on their off-duty hours from their main employer.

Call suggested the town hire an off-duty police officer to come in and issue some citations, which if the fines go unpaid, could land the violator in County Court.

Lain and town attorney Dan Whitten concurred that no new town ordinances are necessary for stricter law enforcement. Speed limits are a matter of town code already and theft, conversion, destruction of town property and other acts of mischief and vandalism are covered under state statutes.

“State statute will cover it,” assured Whitten.

Lain said “Our streets are our sidewalks,” signs are excellent notification to drivers, and he said, most people when seeing such signs will comply.

“Sometimes people just need a gentle reminder,” he said, recommending a door-to-door, face-to-face flyer campaign.

Residents have had their reminders, town council and audience members told him; noting notices posted on the town bulletin board and sent out in the town newsletter.

Speeders include residents, contractors, delivery trucks, “Everybody,” said council member John Wilhelm.

“The speed bumps were supposed to be a last ditch effort,” said Mary Ann Crayton. “Is this town the wild west with no consequences?”

When Lain learned that there are at least four witnesses to someone removing one of the speed bumps, he assured the council that a report to the sheriff’s department will get some action. Often crimes such as this have no witnesses, he said, and are difficult to pursue. “That’s a reportable crime,” he said.

Besides the tampering with town property and removal of the speed limit signs, one of the strips was stolen, which is theft or conversion.

He urged the witnesses to call the sheriff’s department and make a report. Police Commissioner Call said she would pursue the issue.

Lain offered free gun locks to residents as part of Project Child Safe, as well as high pitched whistles they can carry on their person.

Town Hall, Clubhouse

Repairs to the Town Hall may proceed within the next month. The council agreed unanimously to allow president Louis Roberts to make the final decision on a contractor to begin repairs to the storm damaged building.

Attorney Whitten had urged a meeting with the insurance company representative, himself and a town council member to review the repair bids. The bids differed enough that he felt some items were overlooked in one of the bids.

Council members are to meet with Lesley Gilmore, of Gilmore Franzen Architects, Inc., of Oak Park, Illinois, today to go over recommendations on the renovation of the historic clubhouse.

Also, the council adopted the 2006 salary ordinance and a Holiday Bonus ordinance.

The salary ordinance includes $10.65 per hour for the security night shift; $10.40 per hour for all other shifts and $9.40 per hour for trainees.

Maintenance manager employees will be paid $12.30 per hour; maintenance laborers $8.85-$11.90 and botanist employees $16.00 per hour.

Annual salary of the clerk-treasurer is set at $6,000, with the deputy clerk-treasurer hourly wage set at $10.50 per hour.

In other business, environmental commissioner Sue Smith announced a native flowering dogwood tree has been planted near the gatehouse, along with other flowering native species, to replace the towering pine that was removed.

Posted 11/16/2005