Handicap space gets OK (07/05/06)

A Portland church with a shortage of handicapped parking spaces may soon pull into a better spot.

A local board voted Monday night to create an ordinance which would make one more handicapped parking space for members of West Walnut Street Church of Christ, 204 W. Walnut St.

The space would be along Walnut Street, near Commerce Street.

Eldon Morrical, trustee of the church, made the request for the additional parking space at the Portland City Council meeting. There currently are three handicapped parking spots at the rear of the church. However, there are many more church members who need such spaces, he said.

Morrical suggested the additional parking space be created in front of the church rather than behind it because one of the handicapped members has a class at that side of the church. She currently parks in a handicapped spot along Commerce Street and walks to the church from there, he said.

Council president Glen Bryant asked if the space would only need to be marked as handicapped on Sundays.

Morrical said yes.

“It would have to be every day, I think,” said councilman Jim Sanders.

Bob Sours, Portland police chief, said it would probably be best to create an ordinance making the space handicapped every day. The church could mark the space as handicapped on Sundays, but it wouldn’t be enforceable, he said.

“I don’t see a problem with” making the space handicapped, Sours said. “I would have no objections.”

Before council members voted, councilman Dolphus Stephens said the council received a similar request about two years ago from another church and it was denied because there were other handicapped spaces available.

The request to create a handicapped space passed in a 4 to 1 vote. Stephens cast the lone dissenting vote. Council members Judy Aker and Kip Robinette did not attend the meeting.

After the meeting, Stephens said he voted against the request because he was concerned that there isn’t adequate parking for the Jay County Courthouse. Employees of the courthouse sometimes park in front of the church, where the space would be created. Stephens also said he would have preferred for council members to think over the request before making a motion on the matter.

City attorney Bill Hinkle said he would work on creating an ordinance.

Also Monday, council members:

•Approved the 2007 payroll ordinance on second and final reading which increases the annual salary of elected city officials by 2.5 percent.

The pay increase will raise the annual salary of the mayor to $42,688 from $41,648. The clerk-treasurer’s salary will rise to $41,936 from $40,914.

With the increase, each city council member will make $3,295 per year instead of $3,215 per year. The city court judge’s salary will increase to $12,680 from $12,371.

At the June 5 meeting, council members approved a 2.5 pay increase for all other city employees. They also voted to require the mayor and clerk-treasurer to pay $10 per pay period for single insurance coverage and $50 per pay period for family coverage. The two currently pay $1 per year for single or family coverage. City employees and elected officials are get paid every two weeks.

•Approved three tax abatement compliance for Fortco Plastics, which was granted five-year abatements.

Council members vote yearly on the compliance forms for each abatement.

•Learned the second city clean-up week will be held July 10-14 in Portland.

Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, said all large items such as furniture, brush and vehicle batteries will be collected. Appliances will be picked up as long as the Freon has been removed from them.

•Heard Harker announce that a portion of Industrial Park Drive will close Wednesday at 7 a.m. and re-open sometime late Thursday afternoon, for sewer work for the Wal-Mart SuperCenter.

The street will be completely closed between Votaw Street and just west of Alphabet Inc.-Portland Division, 700 Industrial Park Drive. The rest of the street will only be open to through traffic. Factories located along the street can be accessed from Meridian Street.

•Heard Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, encourage city residents to welcome visitors to the Vintage Motor Bike Show, which will be held July 12-15.

Portland residents will be allowed to have yard sales that week without getting a permit from Jay/Portland Building and Planning.

•Heard Hinkle announce that he may have proposed changes to some city ordinances ready for the council to review at the next meeting.[[In-content Ad]]