Council backs park project (4/6/04)

Portland City Council pledged its support Monday for the planned Weiler Wilson/Hudson Family Park project.

Council members approved a resolution Monday supporting the project and endorsing the efforts of Portland Park Board members to apply for a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Park board members voted on March 9 to apply for the IDNR grant, which has up to $200,000 available for the estimated $3.4 million project and requires a 50 percent funding match. The board can use the 30-acre land donation as a funding match. The deadline for this grant application is June 1.

This program “provides grants for the acquisition or development of outdoor recreation sites and facilities,” according to information from the IDNR web site.

Also Monday, the council approved 25 compliance forms from Portland businesses, which have been granted five- or 10-year tax abatements.

Council members vote yearly on the compliance forms for each abatement, Portland clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford said following the meeting.

In other business, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier announced that city employees will not be picking up trash in Portland on Friday in observance of Good Friday. He added that residents with scheduled trash pick up on Friday will have their trash collected on Thursday.

The schedule for recycling collection will not change.

Also, Hosier said city residents have recently called his office voicing their concerns on the condition of East Water Street.

He added he has contacted the Indiana Department of Transportation about the deteriorating condition of the state maintained highway.

“(State officials) said they are currently bidding out the (repaving) project ... We could see the project getting started by the end of June or July (of this year),” Hosier said.[[In-content Ad]]