By PAULENE POPARAD

Porter Town Council president Bill Sexton reported Tuesday that five septic systems within town limits and 30 outside town limits are malfunctioning, all adding significant effluent to the Dunes Creek Watershed.

A coalition of town, state, Porter County Health Department and Save the Dunes representatives have organized to address what can be done about the septic problem. Some of the sites are leaseback homes in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which is represented in the talks.

Sexton said the state and county are taking the more active role, but it needs to be determined if there’s additional failing septic systems in the area, “Let us know. It’s vital to our community.”

Town sanitary sewers are not in the area of the five in-town septics, he added, and discussion needs to take place under what circumstances, if any, the 30 septic systems outside town limits could be served. Cost, routes and input from the town of Chesterton, which processes Porter’s sewage, would be involved, said Sexton.

He noted that it’s up to the town whether it wants a property owner within 300 feet of a municipal sanitary sewer to connect; a sewer connection is not mandatory.

Resident Jennifer Klug asked about the septic systems on National Park Service property. Sexton said the leasebacks still fall under the County Health Department jurisdiction.

In other business, Porter Police Chief James Spanier urged residents to secure their vehicles both in driveways and on the street after at least a dozen break-ins in Porter Cove subdivision. “The vast majority were unlocked.” He estimated additional break-ins occurred but haven’t been reported. Items were stolen, leather seats cut and convertible tops ripped.

Spanier said police will have extra patrols out and he urged the public to report suspicious behavior as it happens, not the next morning.

Also Tuesday:

• The council set Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. as children’s Halloween trick-or-treat. Chesterton is observing the same hours. President Zathoe Sexton said the Porter Park Board is hosting a Halloween party Oct.19 for children ages 1 - 10 at Hawthorne Park from 6 to 8 p.m.

•Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the first fundraiser for Porter’s 2008 sesquicentennial celebration will be a town-wide garage sale at the Public Works building on Beam Street. Donations for sale items are being sought.

•Public Works director Brenda Brueckheimer said work on upgrading the Oak Hill lift station is progressing despite the contractor striking a mismarked NIPSCO line. The project is to be completed by month’s end.

•Brueckheimer urged political candidates to observe the restrictions when placing campaign signs; they should not be located on a town easement, on state-owned property or on private property without permission.

•By a 4-0 vote with member Paul Childress absent the council approved a contract for 2007 and 2008 with the Porter Volunteer Fire Department. Town attorney Patrick Lyp said payment to the volunteers is to be made by year’s end pending receipt of Porter’s property tax collections; despite the current uncertainty when tax bills will go out, it’s anticipated the 2007 money can be paid to firefighters this year.

•Clerk-treasurer Carol Pomeroy said Porter received a $132,709 advance on its 2007 tax distribution.

•The council unanimously amended its salary ordinance establishing a range of $32,000 to $35,000 to pay a new building commissioner annually. The post became vacant when Brueckheimer was tapped for Public Works in August. Sexton said a $32,000 offer has been made to the recommended candidate, whose response is pending, but the higher amount would allow for future raises.

•Lyp announced that a public hearing on a petition by Ray Cahnman to vacate a portion of a public alley at Porter Beach west of 311 Duneland Dr. will take place Nov. 13. The matter had been continued at Cahnman’s request.

•A presentation by a representative of the Northwest Indiana Forum regarding extension of the South Shore passenger service from Hammond to Valparaiso was postponed due to illness.

Posted 10/10/2007