By PAULENE POPARAD

Pending legal review of the lease agreement, the Porter Town Council approved by consensus Tuesday the purchase of a Vactor 2110 multi-use vehicle that will cost almost $350,000 spread over five years.

The council decided not to solicit competitive bids, in part because of the anticipated delay. Town attorney Patrick Lyp said the council was within the law to do so.

Public Works superintendent Brenda Brueckheimer said there is a dire need for the vehicle; in the past 18 months the town has spent $78,000 renting vaccuum trucks to pump out overflowing lift stations and to perform other emergency and maintenance duties. That figure does not include costs for the Sept. 12-14 record 15-inch rainfall in Porter that had four rented vaccuum trucks on duty 24 hours a day for three days.

The superintendent said 12 million gallons alone overflowed at the Porter Avenue and Triangle sewage lift stations combined, and the Little Calumet River rose 17 feet and flooded into the lift stations. The town’s other 14 lift stations also tripped high-water alarms as well.

Brueckheimer lobbied hard for the Vactor as her preference because it also can jet pipes and culverts, clear and clean sanitary and stormwater lines and manholes, and has a camera to take video of its work. The Vactor model was on loan for a demonstration in town recently.

Porter is under an agreed order with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to upgrade its sanitary sewer collection system and lift stations. Councilman Dave Babcock said the Vactor will help Porter carry out its compliance plan with IDEM.

Council member Todd Martin said, “I always favor bids but I respect the nature this current problem presents us.” He did note it’s a lot of money for a truck. “It’s not just a truck,” said Brueckheimer, who described it as the Cadillac of vaccuums and that the purchase includes valuable staff training and a warranty not available with a used model.

Council member Michele Bollinger asked if there would be a benefit to bidding. “It’s a lot of paperwork to go through when I’m going to pick this truck,” said Brueckheimer, noting Chesterton Utility owns this brand. Replied Bollinger, “If (Brueckheimer) feels that passionately it’s the one she wants, I say go for it.”

Lyp also said an argument could be made that the savings to be had if a lower price is quoted would be offset by having to rent a vacuum truck while the bidding process took place.

Clerk-treasurer Carol Pomeroy said $68,353 was found to make the initial 2008 payment by taking $50,000 from Porter’s revenue from the Porter County income tax and $18,300 from the sewer fund. Not discussed was how subsequent years’ payments in that amount would be made. After the meeting Pomeroy said, “We haven’t gotten that far” although it’s likely the Porter Redevelopment Commission will be asked to contribute.

Stormwater fees endorsed

Voting 4-0 with member Micheal Genger absent due to a death in the family, the council endorsed a revised stormwater fee that establishes a new formula for assessing commercial/industrial property. The fees were forwarded to the Porter Stormwater Management Board for a public hearing prior to final action.

The current fee for residences will not change.

All developed parcels including residences have been charged $4 per month to finance stormwater activities, especially federal mandates imposed by the MS4 stormwater program. Based on calculations prepared by town engineer Haas & Associates, each commercial/industrial site would be assigned a number based on its stormwater runoff volume multiplied by the $4 fee now set as one equivalent residential unit or ERU.

As an example, Worthington Steel with 45.579 acres is assigned 122.66 ERUs or a fee of $490.64 per month. In all 77 commercial/industrial properties are listed for a total 914.24 ERUs.

The proposed ordinance does not address an ERU for vacant properties, estimated to be about 330 parcels. In May the Stormwater Board asked that vacant land, not currently assessed a fee, be added and charged the $4 monthly residential rate.

Also Tuesday, the council split over plans to purchase $16,700 in Keystone software and related costs to resume billing for sewer, trash collection and stormwater fees now done under contract with Indiana American Water Co. The town is in the third year of a five-year contract and will have to pay IAWC about $4,500 to buy it out. Sixty days notice must be given.

Vote was 2-1 with Martin, who was appointed last month, abstaining due to lack of information. Babcock and president Jon Granat voted yes and Bollinger no; she said she is not against the resumption but needs more time to review its impact.

Flood forms available

Town officials urged property owners who had damage resulting from the recent flooding to obtain a one-page Indiana Department of Homeland Security flood-damage questionnaire at the town hall, where the completed form also can be returned. The form is not an application for assistance but is vital to document damage that occurred in hopes of future assistance being made available, said Brueckheimer.

Granat urged residents dealing with flood damage to receive a tetanus shot, and warned against hiring contractors who are not licensed by the town.

Woodlake Springs residents Pam Cunningham and Lynne Dzialakiewicz both commended town departments for the help given their families after having 8 inches and 4 inches of water in their Lake Vista Drive homes, respectively. The residences are near Pratt Lake on Beam Street.

Said Dzialakiewicz of town employees, “Their efforts when (the rain) came and after the fact were phenomenal. I’ve never seen a response by a city government like this.” Resident Jennifer Klug also commended town departments for their efforts; she said the cooperation is probably the best she’s seen in Porter.

Brueckheimer herself thanked the Fire, Police and Building departments for their assistance. “Thanks for being such great team players, and for the support of the council.”

Brueckheimer said there are dumpsters at the Public Works building on Beam Street into which Porter’s flood-damaged furniture and items may be deposited. Pick-up also can be arranged through the Street Department.

Park Superintendent Jim Miller strongly urged parents not to let their children play in stormwater if it’s ponding in Hawthorne Park. “I don’t want anybody lost.” He said he was able to secure manpower from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the post-flood days to keep children out of the water, which has receded. The resulting damage to park property took 40 hours to clean up, he added.

In related sewage news, the council voted 4-0 to accept the low $12,360 bid to install new meters in the Beam Street and Mineral Springs Road lift stations. The upgrade is mandated under the IDEM compliance plan. Brueckheimer said the current meters are 23 feet deep in the control pit and will be raised to ground level. The other bid was for $14,682.

Posted 9/24/2008