Council rescinds Arts Place funding (08/21/07)

A local board has reversed its decision to give funds to a regional arts group.

Members of the Portland City Council have decided not to donate $5,000 to Arts Place after getting a letter from a county official.

"I feel that we should rescind our motion of funding the Arts Place until we have more information," councilman Jerry Leonhard said Monday night.

Council members voted Aug. 6 to donate the funds after being told the $5,000 was to match an amount being donated by the county.

Since then, council members received a letter from Jay County Auditor Freda Corwin informing them that the county was only donating $2,000.

Leonhard said this morning that he decided to make a motion to not give Arts Place any money, rather than matching the amount donated by the county, because the 2008 budget is tight.

Leonhard said he felt no funds should be set aside in the city's 2008 budget for Arts Place. An official with the arts group asked for the funds to help pay for advertising.

Council members did not discuss the matter before voting. Councilmen Glen Bryant, Kip Robinette and Dolphus Stephens voted against rescinding the motion. Bill Gibson, council president Judy Aker, Leonhard and Jim Sanders voted in favor of the motion.

Leonhard is the only council member who changed his vote from Aug. 6. He previously voted in favor of making the donation.

He said several people who live in his district have called him and told him they are against the city giving money to Arts Place.

In a related matter, the council approved the 2008 budget for the city on second reading.

The budget is set to raise to $6,577,000 from this year's $6,458,051. It includes appropriations for city officials, city departments, the council and the planning commission.

In other business, the council learned what steps could be taken to help preserve the integrity of the historic buildings in the city's downtown.

Officials with the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana said the city should consider creating an ordinance to establish a local register of historic places, which could include buildings in the downtown area. Several structures downtown already are included in the National Register of Historic Places, said Joe Jarzen, with the landmarks foundation. If buildings are registered locally, the city has more control over how the structures can be altered, he said.

Once the ordinance is approved, a commission would be established to oversee how tax increment financing (TIF) funds are used to rehabilitate dilapidated buildings.

Downtown Portland is in a TIF district, said Kristi Sturtz, of Sturtz Public Management Group. She helped city officials establish the TIF district and the city's redevelopment commission.

"We're trying to lay the groundwork for the future," she said.

Council members took no action on the matter.

Also Monday, council members were updated on the status of some projects in the city.

Sanders asked if a stop light will still be installed at Votaw Street and Industrial Park Drive.

Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said yes, and that Wal-Mart and Indiana Department of Transportation officials are still working on an agreement.

Leonhard asked for an update on the relocation of the lift station along Industrial Park Drive.

Bob Brelsford, superintendent of the city's wastewater treatment plant, said work is expected to resume on Aug. 29, after the controls and some of the lines come in. The lift station is being relocated as part of the widening of Industrial Park Drive.[[In-content Ad]]