By PAULENE POPARAD

Porter Town Council President Bill Sexton suggested Tuesday that the town might want to begin sponsoring a July 4 event, possibly even the former midnight parade itself.

While there was interest among other council members to have some sort of family-oriented town observance for the holiday, council members Paul Childress and Sandi Snyder discouraged direct parade involvement by the town.

Snyder said with a new Town Council taking office Jan. 1, the parade is a decision better left up to them.

Everyone agreed, however, that a steering committee should be formed now to organize activities to mark the town of Porter's 150th birthday in 2008. Town resident and building commissioner Brenda Brueckheimer volunteered to be on the sesquicentennial committee.

Snyder said, "I can't believe we're having discussion again on the midnight parade."

When the council took office four years ago it began developing policies to rescue what began years ago as a small, patriotic tribute by veterans but evolved into a free-wheeling event attracting an estimated 3,000 people that was marred by alcohol-fueled rowdiness and numerous citizen complaints.

Ordinances banning alcohol on public property including streets and sidewalks and an assembly permit process requiring sponsorship and insurance subsequently were enacted; although two parades under the new system were held, none were the last two years because a potential sponsor didn't comply with the permit requirements.

Snyder said the permit does what's needed to protect the town and its residents, and it isn't hard to get one if a sponsor cooperates in a timely manner. The town doesn't have the money or want the responsibility of mounting a midnight parade, she added, emphasizing that her remarks did not pertain to any future sesquicentennial plans.

Childress said he didn't believe the town wants to sponsor activites that drain resources and money from departments like Police and Public Works. "If a not-for-profit group wants to come forward (and sponsor the parade), have at it."

Commented member Jennifer Granat, "This council has done a lot of work to bring some sanity to what's been going on downtown." The town is not against a midnight parade, she said, but perhaps the town could sponsor a morning or mid-day parade, or fireworks at Porter Beach, to mark Independence Day.

Sexton said he didn't intend to confine the discussion to a midnight parade only. Resident William Cantrell suggested contacting local Porter businesses to help pay for a more family-oriented celebration.

Brueckheimer said in the 1960s there were a lot of Porter community activities and she especially remembered the annual firefighter waterball contests. She encouraged the council to make holidays fun again. "It doesn't take but three fire trucks to make kids happy. As a town, if we can pull together and do something like this, I'm all for it."

Sexton and others recalled the fun they had at the town's centennial in 1958. Rita Newman of Friends of Porter said they are assisting Westchester Public Library to develop a sesquicentennial program, and the Friends will finish a walking-tour brochure. Granat encouraged anyone who wants to help organize the 150th birthday to contact the town hall.

Paving Schedule

Public Works superintendent Karl Bauer released a schedule for the 2007 paving program that tentatively will begin on Aug. 6.

Portions of the following roads would be upgraded in this order: in the Baillytown subdivision, Tremont Road, Marquette Road, Wood Street, Wagner Road and Lincoln Street.

On a 4-1 vote with Childress dissenting the council agreed to take $5,543 from the Sewer Fund to have paving contractor Reith-Riley Inc. repair a sewer collapse on Lincoln Street. The council has budgeted $200,000 for the paving project and officials said that bid alone with alternates came in at approximately $197,000.

Childress' objection was going over the $200,000 amount.

By unanimous votes the council adopted an ordinance at the recommendation of the town Police Commission making it illegal to park on the entire length of Oak Hill Road from Indiana 49 to U.S. 12. The ban affects only the portions and sides of the road within the town limits of Porter.

In other Public Works news, Bauer said work upgrading the Oak Hill lift station should begin in six weeks when the new pumps arrive. The town had to bypass and pump at the overloaded Porter Avenue and Triangle lift stations July 18 following 3.37 inches of rain. Bauer also said recent cleaning of a sanitary pipe along Woodlawn Avenue showed the sewer worked well despite the rainstorm.

Sexton asked officials to investigate a collapsed drainage pipe in Hunter's Glen subdivision that is creating a sink hole.

Voting 5-0 the council reduced to $47,000 an infrastructure bond for Mineral Springs Villas housing development at Beam Street and Mineral Springs Road. Town engineer Hesham Khalil assured the council the remaining money was enough to complete outstanding improvements including perimeter sidewalks.

Dog warning sounded

Daniel Geissler of Franklin Street asked the council about a dog that is a safety hazard in their 400 block neighborhood. He said nine citations for the dog running loose or being aggressive have been written, and why hasn't something more been done?

Geissler said after an incident, the dog is brought back home following observation and allowed to be on a leash again.

Sexton said town laws have been used before to take care of dangerous dogs and officials are in the final steps of having the dog removed. Sexton said he has had to defend himself against the animal.

Town attorney Patrick Lyp, absent Tuesday, has written a letter to the dog's owner spelling out the consequences if the dog is not maintained in a safe manner. Granat asked the Police Department to check on the status of the complaints as well.

In other business last night:

•The council set a meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the town hall to draft a 2008 budget.

•On a 5-0 vote the council authorized renewal of its employee health insurance policy that will cost the town an average 7 percent more. Granat thanked insurance consultant Steve Brady for his efforts to keep costs down.

•Fire Chief Lewis Craig said the Village Tavern will host its annual street dance that benefits the Porter Fire Department on Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight.

•Taken under advisement and to be put in ordinance form for future consideration are new policies regarding tree removal and replacement.

•The council agreed to postpone until Aug. 14 consideration of a 2007 contract with the town's Volunteer Fire Department.

Posted 7/25/2007