July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Grant for city planning sought
Portland City Council
City officials are hoping to receive funds to study downtown Portland.
Ami Huffman, Jay County Community Developer, announced at Monday's Portland City Council meeting that the city plans to apply for a $50,000 planning grant. If the city is awarded the funds, the money would be used to study sidewalks, lighting, the facades of downtown buildings and signs. The goal is to make the downtown pedestrian-friendly and to make it attractive and memorable for visitors.
Huffman said the grant funds would be distributed by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The federal disaster relief funds have been awarded to Indiana for heavy flooding that occurred about a year ago in southern Indiana. During the heavy rain, Jay County also had some flooding, she said. Enough damage was caused by the flooding that Jay County qualifies for disaster funding.
The funds can be used for planning grants and other items communities need, such as fire trucks, Huffman said.
If the city is awarded a grant, the money would be used to pay an engineering firm to conduct the study. Huffman said that before the city applies for the grant, an engineering firm has to be chosen. A committee made up of city clerk-treasurer Randy Geesaman, mayor Bruce Hosier, Lola Joy, a member of the Portland Redevelopment Commission; Kristi Sturtz, a consultant for the city; Jane Spencer, president of Portland's Historic Preservation Commission; and Huffman selected The Schneider Corporation to conduct the study. The committee met with Schneider, Triad Associates Inc., Indianapolis, and Martin Riley Architects, Fort Wayne. The firms were scored and Schneider had the top score.
The grant application is due July 31. A public hearing on the application was held Monday night. Neither audience members nor the council commented on the application. Huffman said the city should learn if it has been approved for the grant by the end of September. No city match is required.
In other business, council members considered the possibility of the city paying all of the cost for physicals for new police officers, rather than just half.
Bob Sours, Portland police chief, told council members that when the city hires a new police officer, he or she must complete both physical and psychological evaluations. Currently, the officer pays the entire cost for the evaluations, then the city reimburses the officer for half of the cost after he or she has worked for the city for a year. The average cost for both the physical and psychological evaluations is $900, he said.
Sours said the company that does the evaluations - the Institute for Public Safety Personnel Inc. - recently suggested that the city change its policy. Sours said he feels it is a good idea for the city to pay all of the cost of the physical so the city owns, or has the right to review, the results.
"Should anyone have to pay to work for us?" Sours asked. "It has always kind of bothered me."
Hosier agreed. "You shouldn't have to financial penalize them" for being hired. He suggested that council members consider the matter and possibly vote on it at the next council meeting, which is scheduled for July 20 at 7 p.m.
Also Monday, council members:
•Heard council president Bill Gibson announce that the Vintage Motor Bike Show begins July 14 at the Jay County Fairgrounds.
Gibson said the show is nearly as big as the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show and the organization has about 1,988 members. He said some people have already arrived for the show. The show ends July 17.
•Were reminded that this is city clean-up week. All large items, including brush and furniture, are being collected on the regular trash routes. Appliances will be collected as long as the Freon has been removed.
•Learned that the river path project is nearing completion.
Hosier said trees will be planted along the path in September or October. The Indiana Department of Transportation is paying for most of the path through a grant and told the city that the trees must be planted in the fall, Hosier said. The path begins at the trailhead in Hudson Family Park and ends near Freedom Park.[[In-content Ad]]
Ami Huffman, Jay County Community Developer, announced at Monday's Portland City Council meeting that the city plans to apply for a $50,000 planning grant. If the city is awarded the funds, the money would be used to study sidewalks, lighting, the facades of downtown buildings and signs. The goal is to make the downtown pedestrian-friendly and to make it attractive and memorable for visitors.
Huffman said the grant funds would be distributed by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The federal disaster relief funds have been awarded to Indiana for heavy flooding that occurred about a year ago in southern Indiana. During the heavy rain, Jay County also had some flooding, she said. Enough damage was caused by the flooding that Jay County qualifies for disaster funding.
The funds can be used for planning grants and other items communities need, such as fire trucks, Huffman said.
If the city is awarded a grant, the money would be used to pay an engineering firm to conduct the study. Huffman said that before the city applies for the grant, an engineering firm has to be chosen. A committee made up of city clerk-treasurer Randy Geesaman, mayor Bruce Hosier, Lola Joy, a member of the Portland Redevelopment Commission; Kristi Sturtz, a consultant for the city; Jane Spencer, president of Portland's Historic Preservation Commission; and Huffman selected The Schneider Corporation to conduct the study. The committee met with Schneider, Triad Associates Inc., Indianapolis, and Martin Riley Architects, Fort Wayne. The firms were scored and Schneider had the top score.
The grant application is due July 31. A public hearing on the application was held Monday night. Neither audience members nor the council commented on the application. Huffman said the city should learn if it has been approved for the grant by the end of September. No city match is required.
In other business, council members considered the possibility of the city paying all of the cost for physicals for new police officers, rather than just half.
Bob Sours, Portland police chief, told council members that when the city hires a new police officer, he or she must complete both physical and psychological evaluations. Currently, the officer pays the entire cost for the evaluations, then the city reimburses the officer for half of the cost after he or she has worked for the city for a year. The average cost for both the physical and psychological evaluations is $900, he said.
Sours said the company that does the evaluations - the Institute for Public Safety Personnel Inc. - recently suggested that the city change its policy. Sours said he feels it is a good idea for the city to pay all of the cost of the physical so the city owns, or has the right to review, the results.
"Should anyone have to pay to work for us?" Sours asked. "It has always kind of bothered me."
Hosier agreed. "You shouldn't have to financial penalize them" for being hired. He suggested that council members consider the matter and possibly vote on it at the next council meeting, which is scheduled for July 20 at 7 p.m.
Also Monday, council members:
•Heard council president Bill Gibson announce that the Vintage Motor Bike Show begins July 14 at the Jay County Fairgrounds.
Gibson said the show is nearly as big as the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show and the organization has about 1,988 members. He said some people have already arrived for the show. The show ends July 17.
•Were reminded that this is city clean-up week. All large items, including brush and furniture, are being collected on the regular trash routes. Appliances will be collected as long as the Freon has been removed.
•Learned that the river path project is nearing completion.
Hosier said trees will be planted along the path in September or October. The Indiana Department of Transportation is paying for most of the path through a grant and told the city that the trees must be planted in the fall, Hosier said. The path begins at the trailhead in Hudson Family Park and ends near Freedom Park.[[In-content Ad]]
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