City to hire code enforcement officer (02/21/06)

City officials hope to make the city look cleaner by hiring someone to crack down on junk vehicle and junk property ordinance violators.

Applications will soon be accepted for the city’s first ever code enforcement officer.

This person will be responsible for enforcing city ordinances, including those for junk properties and junk vehicles.

The application process for the part-time position will begin sometime in the next two weeks, Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, told members of the Portland City Council Monday night.

“We believe there is a need if we’re going to effectively make a difference in the enforcement of junk vehicle and junk property (ordinances),” Hosier said this morning.

The officer will work closely with the Jay County Health Department, Portland police and the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department.

Most of those found in violation of city ordinances would receive a citation and would have to appear in city court, Hosier said. Hosier said this morning that the details and procedures of the new position are still being finalized.

Although the building and planning department, health department and police are currently responsible for enforcing city ordinances, Hosier said he felt more could be done. “I think we’ve made some really good progress. I think we could do better. They have a lot more responsibilities,” he said about the departments and the police.

Whoever is hired will have an office in the upstairs of city hall, will work 24 to 30 hours per week and will be paid $10 per hour, Hosier said. Funds were put into the 2006 budget to pay this employee, he said. The position is considered part time and does not come with benefits.

Hosier said he hopes to have the officer in place by the end of March or first of April.

In other business Monday, members of the Portland City Council voted to close a portion of Western Avenue and forbid parking on an alley located near Judge Haynes Elementary School, between 2:15 and 2:30 p.m. on days when school is dismissed at the regular time. The school is located at 827 W. High St., Portland.

Trent Paxson, the school’s principal, hopes the move will make the area safer for students and drivers.

Currently, “Western Avenue is a driving fiasco at that time,” Paxson said.

Several vehicles park along Western Avenue, between Walnut and High streets, while waiting to pick up kids after school, he said. They also park in a narrow alley located east of the school.

Closing that portion of Western Avenue will prevent any cars parked on the street from moving until after 2:30 p.m., Paxson said. Forbidding parking on the alley should prevent people from pulling onto Western Avenue between 2:15 and 2:30 p.m., he said.

Western Avenue will be blocked with orange cones at High and Walnut streets. Council members will vote at a later date on an ordinance which would close that portion of the street and forbid parking on the alley during the designated time.

Bob Sours, chief of police, said it would take at least a week for signs notifying residents of the changes to be made and posted. Paxson said he will tell parents about the changes and might be ready to be start the routine by the second week of March.

Also Monday, the council:

•Granted one tax abatement request and sent others to the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee to review.

Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, said the abatement committee recently recommended that the council approve a request by Fullenkamp Machine and Manufacturing, 1507 N. Meridian St.

The company is asking for a five-year tax abatement to purchase a lathe, machining center and a measuring machine at a total cost of $327,000. The new equipment is expected to create two new jobs with salaries totaling $54,080, he said.

Council members unanimously voted to grant this request.

The council also voted to send two abatement requests by FCC (Indiana) Mfg. LLC, 555 Industrial Park Drive, to the committee to review.

The company is requesting a five-year abatement to purchase automotive clutch manufacturing and assembly equipment at a cost of $3,520,000, and a 10-year abatement to expand its current facility by 43,000 square feet. The expansion is estimated to cost $2,500,000.

Quadrozzi said more room is needed for the new equipment.

A tax abatement allows companies to pay taxes in increasing increments over several years, phasing in the additional taxes due on the capital investment.

•Voted to close portions of East Main, West Main, Court, Commerce and Ship streets, near the Jay County Courthouse, for cruise-ins May 20 and Sept. 30 sponsored by the Arch Bridge Kroozers.

The council also voted to allow the organization to use the former fire station, located on Commerce Street, as a cafe during the event.[[In-content Ad]]