Fire station sale on hold (1/6/03)

Action on the sale of the former Portland fire station was tabled following a vote Monday by Portland City Council members.

“With the new administration, we need to table the matter and research it further,” Mayor Bruce Hosier said at the council’s first meeting of the year. The council was scheduled to hear the Portland Board of Works recommendation to sell the building by silent auction, but voted to table the topic.

The council’s unanimous decision came just minutes after Sandy Bubp of Headwaters Heritage asked that each council member take the time and evaluate the city’s plan for the building and find a way to utilize it for city or county use.

“It is important that we protect (the former fire station) today and for generations to come,” Bubp said, adding that the building, located at 100 Commerce St., could be used jointly by the city and county as a visitor’s center or retail establishment.

According to information from Wayne Goodman, director of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, the station was rated outstanding in the historical sites and structures interim report. This makes the building eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places, Goodman added.

The structure was built in 1929.

In other business, the council elected Councilman Glen Bryant as its president.

Councilman Dolphus Stevens also was nominated for this position, but received only two votes in his favor compared to Bryant’s four votes.

Also Monday, council members:

•Postponed appointing three council members to the Portland Planning Commission.

Bryant said that he thought the mayor made three appointments to the commission instead of the council.

City attorney Bill Hinkle said that he didn’t have the state statute with him and could not make the determination.

Information from the Indiana Code provided later Monday night by Hosier indicated that the council appoints three commission members, and the mayor appoints four citizen members to the planning commission.

•Heard Portland Police Chief Robert Sours explain recent police department purchases totaling $7,170.47 for new equipment after Councilwoman Linda Kennedy questioned them. The purchases, made on Dec. 8 and Dec. 11, include a dog cage, a new train- (Continued on page 2)

(Continued from page 1)

ing bite suit and a new car console for the city’s K-9 officer and 14 small flashlights and six laser gun sights for city officers.

Kennedy questioned the K-9 program’s feasibility and the approximately $4,500 spent in December on the program.

“(These items) were purchased under a different administration and chief. There are several programs under evaluation now, and we plan to keep the council abreast of any changes,” Hosier said.

•Approved the first and final readings of an ordinance to create an assistant superintendent position in the street department and delete the park department superintendent. The assistant superintendent, Randy Mann, will be in charge of maintenance of all city parks during park season, which runs from April to October.

Funds from the former park department superintendent position were used to create the new position, city clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford said Monday.

•Re-appointed Councilman Kip Robinette as the council’s representative on the Jay/Portland Building and Zoning Commission.

•Approved a request by Dave Frasher of the Arch Bridge Kroozers to hold cruise-ins on May 22 and Oct. 10 in downtown Portland. The cruise-ins will be held on West Main Street, between Meridian and Ship streets; Court Street, between Main and Walnut streets; and Commerce Street from the City Cigar Store to Walnut Street. These streets will be closed from approximately 1 to 9 p.m. for these events, Frasher said.[[In-content Ad]]