Council member speaks up

Concerns with how a city board is conducting its business were expressed at the Portland City Council meeting Monday night.

Councilman Kent McClung suggested that the city offer training on how to conduct meetings to the Portland Aviation Board. He offered to help with teaching the board members about Open Door Laws, Robert's Rules of Order and their general responsibilities.

"I'd be careful with overreaction," said Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier. "We'll always look at ways to operate all boards efficiently."

Hosier also said Monday that procedures for approving airport claims has been changed, and that members of the board of aviation will now be required to approve claims before submitting them to the city for payment. Those claims have been handled directly by the airport manger or the president of the board of aviation.

"There have been some other (procedural) things implemented," Hosier said.

Several issues involving the airport have been in the news lately - including friction between board and city officials and the airport's long-time manager, Dave Miller.

"I just want to say that the airport and Miller Aviation are assets to our community, and I really hope that they can work things out," McClung said Monday night.

Board members recently voted to advertise for a new manager for the airport, and to create separate contracts for the manager and the fixed base operator (FBO). Miller, who has managed the airport for 20 years, has been working on a month-to-month contract that does not separate his manager and FBO duties.

Miller said he will not serve as the airport's FBO if he is not the manager.

In other business, council members held a public hearing on the city's second application for an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Community Focus Fund grant for the Steen Addition project.

The city is asking for $600,000 to separate storm and sanitary sewers. The addition is bordered on the east by Boundary Pike and on the north by Floral Avenue. Wastewater tends to pool in yards in this area during heavy rainfall.

Total estimated cost for the project is $980,000. If the city receives the grant, the rest of the money for the project would come from utility funds.

The first time the city applied for this grant, it was denied. Ami Huffman, director of community development, said Monday that she has received about five letters of support for the project, and that the application explains more clearly how many combined sewer overflow projects are in the city's future.

This grant application is due March 19, and city officials should be learn in May if the city was awarded the grant.

Additional letters of support may be sent to the Community Resource Center or Portland City Hall, she said.

Also Monday, McClung said he was shocked by the high engineering costs for the work on the north side sewer separation project.

Included in the claims docket given to council members was a bill for about $400,000 for The Schneider Corporation's work on the project, which will eliminate CSO's in the north side of the city.

"I was just shocked a bit," McClung said. "Every time I get an engineering report it hurts. It's just a lot of money." He suggested the city try to reduce engineering costs in the future.

"While fees are very expensive, we have no option," Hosier said. "We're paying for experience and expertise." The state is mandating that all communities eliminate CSO's.

Geesaman said this morning the contract with Schneider was approved by the Portland Board of Works.

Also Monday, board members:

•Voted to create an ordinance establishing a promotional expense fund for the council. This fund will contain $1,000. Geesaman said this morning said the fund would be used for such instances such as flowers for funerals.

•Praised the street department employees for their work in removing snow from city streets.[[In-content Ad]]