At its Dec. 13 meeting the Porter Town Council will consider a resolution to purchase property needed to build a new Porter Avenue lift station, the main feeder into the Chesterton sewage treatment plant.

The project is part of Porter’s ongoing $5.1 million in sewage upgrades under an agreed order with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

In April of this year the Porter Avenue lift station was estimated to cost $1.8 million.

Town attorney Greg Sobkowski said appraisals have been conducted and a resolution can be adopted making an offer to purchase land; additional easements also are needed.

The upgraded Six Box Lane lift station is done and operational, added Keiser. According to Porter Public Works superintendent Brenda Brueckheimer, “It’s been a huge asset and a nightmare taken away from our part.”

She said Porter recorded no sewage overflows or sanitary issues so far in November. Brueckheimer also announced the week of Dec. 5 is the last date for leaf pick-up in town.

Dec. 13 the Town Council will act on bids for town refuse and recycling collection opened Tuesday. Received were quotes from Waste Management and Republic Services, the current provider. The bids, which had multi-year pricing and options, were turned over to Sobkowski for review.

Residents were asked to submit letters of interest no later than Dec. 30 to fill upcoming vacancies on town boards and commissions.

The letters should include general biographical and educational background, which boards are of interest to the applicant, and an indication whether the person is a Republican, Democrat or Independent. Some boards must be balanced by party affiliation.

At Keiser’s request, council president Trevin Fowler agreed the town will contact the governmental affairs office of Indiana American Water Co. on behalf of a resident attempting to obtain IAWC service at Porter Beach. Keiser said the resident asked for help after allegedly getting the runaround from IAWC over the past year, and Keiser himself sent the company 17 emails since August with no response.

It’s time to enter the 2012 Porter outdoor holiday decorating contest and vie for a $75, $50 or $25 prize. Residents may nominate their own or their neighbor’s decorated yard. Judging will take place the week of Dec. 12.

Park Board president Rondi Wightman offered an invitation to Porter seniors to attend a second luncheon Nov. 30 at the Hawthorne Park community building seeking suggestions for renewed senior programming there. She also said an ice skating rink will be located north of the building for winter family fun.

Park superintendent Jim Miller said soon eight insect-damaged ash trees will be removed at Hawthorne and replaced with 27 new trees.

Police chief James Spanier invited the public to attend a demonstration after the 6 p.m. Dec. 20 Police Commission meeting to learn how the department’s new license plate recognition system works to spot wanted, suspected or stolen vehicles.

By unanimous vote the council extended a letter of credit guaranteeing infrastructure will be completed for Lake Erie Land’s platted but mostly unbuilt Munson Place commercial/light industrial subdivision at Indiana 49 and U.S. 20. The area is included in Porter’s proposed Gateway to the Indiana Dunes initiative, which a LEL representative said the company supports.

Posted 11/23/2011