More $$ for engineering approved

The cost of extending a Portland street to make way for new development will cost a bit more.
Members of the Portland Board of Works have voted to pay The Schneider Corporation an additional $45,499 for engineering work on the Lafayette Street Extension project. This brings the total cost of engineering for the project to $294,181.
A good chunk of the project is being paid through a $740,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation. Craig Rogers of Schneider told board members Thursday morning that INDOT officials told him the city could possibly get supplemental funding for the project, to help with the increase in engineering costs. The total cost of the project has been estimated at $1.3 million.
Rogers did not provide the board with an estimate of how much additional funding the city could receive.
Schneider officials asked for the addition to the contract because of unexpected work, such as a noise analysis, now required by state law. This study projects how much noise will be generated in the area once the street is extended west to Industrial Park Drive.
The contract cost increase is also for Schneider officials to attend city meetings, to work on right of way acquisitions, and to prepare documents.
Rogers also announced that the city has formally asked INDOT to move the construction date of the extension project up to 2011 from 2013.
In other business, board members gave the nod to raze three houses, to extend the deadline for structural improvements on two others and to determine if a garage and barn are unsafe.
Bill Milligan, Jay/Portland Building and Planning Administrator, told board members that houses at 804 E. Race St., 657 W. Second St. and 1404 N. Ben Hawkins Ave., have been vacant for more than six months. The houses are not for sale. Board members told Milligan to begin the procedure to get the houses demolished.
The city recently approved an ordinance which states that any abandoned property or property that has been vacant for more than six months can be razed. City officials have the power to file a lien to recover demolition costs. Houses are considered abandoned if unoccupied and the utilities have been shut off for an extensive length of time.
Also, board members voted to give the owners of properties at 622 N. Pleasant St. and 318 N. Harrison St. an extended deadline of Sept. 2 to complete the work to the outside of the houses. The original deadline was July 19. Jessie Walters, the owner of the Pleasant Street property, and Roger Caster, the owner of the other property, have been working to make the houses structurally sound after they were deemed unsafe.
Board members were afraid that if they did not extend the deadline, the work would not be completed.
In a related matter, board members asked Milligan to determine if a barn at 316 E. Walnut St. and a garage at 510 W. Water St. are violating any city ordinances by being unsafe. Board members agreed that they want an update on the matter at a future board of works meeting.
Also Thursday, board members:
•Voted to pay Financial Solutions Group up to $6,500 to study the city’s water rates.
Greg Guerrettaz will conduct the study. The last water rate study was done in the fall of 2008. Studies are typically conducted every two years.
City residents currently pay $20.97 per month for use of 4,000 gallons of water.
The last time the city’s water rates increased was in December of 2004. At that time, water rates increased by 6 percent, said city clerk-treasurer Randy Geesaman. Guerrettaz also is studying the city’s utility rates.
•Voted to have Milligan determine the status of about 12 properties in the city that were sold during a county tax sale in April.
Geesaman said the property owners cannot take possession of the properties until July 28. Milligan was told to report back to the board on Sept. 2.[[In-content Ad]]