Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Cash strapped Porter not able to help residents living on 'alleys'

Back To Front Page

By JEFF SCHULTZ

Porter resident Tony Bieda has a house on Truman Street, which isn’t really a street at all but a gravel alleyway.

Bieda asked the Porter Town Council at its meeting Tuesday if there was anything the Town could do to make it a paved street and give him better access.

“It’s just kind of a bad way to get to my residence,” Bieda said. “In the winter, when it snows, you can’t even get out of there. I don’t think it’s fair.”

Bieda brought with him maps he obtained from the Porter County Administration Building showing that Truman Street, off of Mineral Springs Rd. is a platted road on County maps, which baffles him even further as to why the street was “never put in.”

Council member Elka Nelson shed some light on the matter, saying that alleys such as these were platted by the Town many years ago, including the beach areas, but to this day are unimproved, or in other words have never been paved.

And, it doesn’t look like the situation will change anytime soon, according to Nelson and Council President Greg Stinson. Even though the Council held a public hearing and ended up approving an additional appropriation of $200,000 towards roadwork for the rest of the year, none of that will go to new improvements.

“It’s not in our budget and it’s not in our plans,” Nelson told Beida.

“It’s unfortunate but we just don’t have the money,” Stinson said, who told the Tribune after the meeting he does not expect the town will have funds for improvements next year, or anytime soon.

The $200,000 in CEDIT will only be used for paving on Town roads, Stinson said.

From the audience, former Town Council member William Sexton said those streets were platted on the maps from “even before his time.”

“It’s on every platted map I’ve looked at,” he said.

No comments were made during the public hearing for the $200,000 appropriation. The Council had approved 5-0 at its April 28 meeting to use $27,500 of the CEDIT funds for paving.

U.S. 20 projects

In other road news, Police Chief James Spanier reported that INDOT is currently working on U.S. 20 between Interstate 94 and CR 300E to correct slippage on the asphalt that was installed last fall. Residents are advised that U.S. 20 will be restricted to one lane in areas for the next few weeks as crews work.

INDOT, which is paying for the work, is also doing bridgework at the I-94 intersection and putting in new guardrails.

Trash removal recommended

Continuing on the topic of alleyways, Public Works Director Brenda Brueckheimer asked if residents could keep the alleys clear of trash, debris and compost so vehicles can easily move through.

Brueckheimer asked if any group, business, club, organization, or Town officials even, interested in participating in the Town’s Adopt-a-Roadway program to please contact her to schedule clean up days. She said roads like Old Porter Roads are cluttered with beer cans, fast food wrappers, and other tossed litter that needs to be cleaned up.

“If you are proud of your environment and your community, please contact me at the public works building,” Brueckheimer said. “There’s lots of trash on the roadways.”

Brueckheimer also mentioned that the Porter County Waste Collection and Recycling District will hold a household hazardous collection day on Saturday, July 11, at Westchester Intermediate School, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the Duneland area and another one sooner at Portage High School on Saturday, June 27, with the same hours.

Residents can drop off waste that contain toxins or corrosives that require special care for disposal such as oil-based paints, car batteries, pesticides, and cleaning chemicals. Specifics about what items will be accepted are listed on the District’s website, www.itmeanstheworld.org.

Brueckheimer also recommended that residents find safe ways to get rid of items like scrapped tires, old flower pots or anything that can hold water. This will cut down on rampant mosquito breeding.

“It will help you and it will help your neighbors,” she said.

Summer events

In other business, the Council approved requests for programs and events in Town during the next few months.

First, the Council approved Sexton’s request to open Hawthorne Park’s west shelter for the Globe Star Summer Park Program, which is open for individuals with disabilities to make new friendships with games, crafts and other activities.

The week-long program will begin Monday, July 27 and last until Friday, July 31, with different themes each day. A $25 fee is asked for the program which helps with providing scholarships. The event it open to all Duneland residents, Sexton said.

The Council also approved the routes for the Porter Volunteer Fire Department’s upcoming “Stop, Drop and Run” 5k on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 8 a.m., and for the “Stash Dash” mustache run with the non-profit Crazy Legs Race Series on Sept. 6.

Both events will start at Hawthorne Park. Parks Director Brian Bugajski said Stash Dash will raise funds for the town.

Meanwhile, Bugajski reminded the Council that Safety Fest is this Friday from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Hawthorne Park, dependent on the weather.

In advance of Safety Fest, Bugajski mentioned that the Lake County Sheriff’s Department made a surprise helicopter landing at Monday’s summer camp in Hawthorne Park and he thanked the LCSD for its visit to educate campers.

 

 

Posted 6/10/2015

 

 
 

 

 

 

Â