Ray Poparad marked
his exit from the position of Burns Harbor Town Council President by
ordering raises for all full-time Town employees.
About halfway
through the Town Council meeting Wednesday, the Council reorganized,
electing Nick Loving and re-electing Eric Hull Vice-president. Poparad, who
has been President for three years, switched seats with Loving right away.
Since board
presidents cannot make motions, the quick switch enabled Poparad to later
make a motion for the raise: $1,000 across the Board for full-time
employees. Department heads were directed to make the raises out of their
own budgets.
Non-salaried
employees will have their hourly pay rates adjusted accordingly to add the
$1,000. Building Commissioner John Miller will receive a $1 per hour raise
from $25 to $26.
Two recent hires--a
new police officer and a new Street Department laborer--who are currently
under probationary periods of employment as part of their positions, will
receive their raises after their respective probationary terms end, which
will be April for the new officer and the end of February for the Street
employee.
The Council passed
a resolution approving the 2019 salary ordinance with the raises.
Appointments
The Council
reappointed all current Department Heads: Bill Arney, Fire; Pat Melton,
Street; Mike Heckman, Police; John Miller, Building.
The Council
reappointed Kylane Tumblin to the Park Board, Roseann Bozak to the Plan
Commission, Wally Macchiarella to the Board of Zoning Appeals, Wilbur Oudman
to Sanitation Board, and Jeremy McHargue to Plan Commission. The Council
also reappointed Redevelopment Commission members Nick Loving and Brad
Enslen. The Council reappointed Loving to the Stormwater Board and appointed
Lisa Woodrich to the Tourism Board. Woodrich is appointed by agreement of
the Towns of Porter, Burns Harbor, and Chesterton.
At Fire Chief Bill
Arney’s recommendation, the Council also approved designating Building
Commissioner John Miller as the Town’s Flood and Storm Coordinator. Arney
previously had this position, but noted that it involves Building Department
business like building permits and mapping floodplains more than emergency
response.
By state law, some
appointments to Boards are from the Council as a whole and some are
appointments of the Council President. President Loving reappointed Toni
Biancardi to the Duneland Economic Development Commission and appointed
Biancardi and Eric Hull to the Plan Commission. Loving then reappointed
Biancardi and Hull to the RDC and appointed Poparad to the RDC in place of
Kevin Tracy.
Contracts
The Council renewed
its contracts for fire services, engineering services, financial services,
cleaning services, pest control for the Town hall, and legal services. All
but two contracts were unchanged.
The town pest
control services saw an increase in cost from $45 a month to $50 a month.
Town Attorney Clay Patton’s legal services contract with the Town went up
$100 from $1,500 to $1,600 a month for Patton to represent the Town Council,
RDC, BZA, and Plan Commission.
Fire Department
In November, the
BHFD responded to 41 calls and spent a total of 14 hours and 56 minutes on
scene. 48 firefighters completed 135 hours and 15 minutes of training.
Fire Chief Bill
Arney reported the addition to the Fire Department is moving along and the
inside will hopefully be framed next week.
As for the Town’s
new E1 fire engine, the build is going well, and the truck is still slated
to be delivered the first or second week of January. The truck will be
outfitted with some equipment, including a turntable for extrication tools,
extra divider shelves, and mounting pipe holes, in St. John to save costs.
That could be done either before or after the BHFD takes delivery of the
truck.
Arney also said the
BHFD is taking donations for Shop with a Firefighter. Contact the Fire
Department to donate. Presents will be delivered with Santa the week of
Christmas.
Other Approvals
The Parks
Department reminds residents to be on the lookout for its events in the
coming year and not to forget that building rentals at Lakeland Park are
available through the winter.
The Council opened
one sealed bid for a 2005 Ford Expedition. The Council voted to accept the
bid of $1,301 and decommissioned the vehicle.
The Council
approved paying $687.50 in NWI Forum dues. The dues increased from $550 to
$687.50 this year.