Plan for city is adopted (02/07/06)

The city’s first redevelopment commission is ready to get to work.

An ordinance establishing a redevelopment commission in Portland was approved on a second and final reading Monday night by members of the Portland City Council.

Also Monday, the five members of the commission were named, and city officials presented a map of where the tax increment financing (TIF) district could be located.

Before voting to establish a commission, council members heard Kristi Sturtz, principal planner and owner of Sturtz Public Management Group, explain where city officials would like to see a TIF district (see map on this page).

She said the district would begin at an 80-acre parcel located on the north side of West Votaw Street, adjacent to Ja-mar T.V. Appliances and Bedding. It would then run east down Votaw Street to where the new Wal-Mart SuperCenter is being constructed. The district then would go north on Industrial Park Drive and capture some land which is for sale and a few industries.

The district would then run east down Lafayette Street to Meridian Street. The district would go north on Meridian Street to about county road 100 North, and south just past Water Street.

Councilman Dolphus Stephens asked Sturtz who came up with this idea for the location of the district. Sturtz said it was a corroboration between herself, Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, and other city officials and advisors.

TIF districts typically are established in areas targeted for future development. The taxes on the rising assessed valuation in the districts is used by the commission members to improve infrastructure within the districts.

Also before council members voted, Sue Beesley, attorney with Bingham McHale LLP who is serving as an advisor on the establishment of a commission and the TIF district, explained what would take place after the commission is established.

She said before March 1, the commission members would need to meet and decide where they would like the TIF district to be located. Beesley said a district could be established for up to 30 years.

This work must be completed by March 1 to capture funds from the new Wal-Mart currently being built.

Councilman Bill Gibson said he was concerned that establishing a TIF district would take money away from the general city budget, especially if one is set up for such a long period of time.

“We’re not interested in a 30-year TIF process,” said Hosier.

TIF districts can be set up for as short as seven years, said Greg Guerrettaz, president of Financial Solutions Group, Inc., who also is serving as an advisor on the matter.

The redevelopment commission members will determine how long they want the district to last, then submit this idea to the Portland Planning Commission and Portland City Council for approval, Hosier said this morning.

Guerrettaz tried to reassure Gibson that TIF won’t hurt the city budget by saying there needs to be a balance in where the boundaries of the TIF district are located. He said not all areas where redevelopment is expected should be in the district, so that the city can still benefit from some of the increase in assessed valuation.

The motion to establish a commission was passed by the council in a 5 to 1 vote.

Council member Jim Sanders cast the lone dissenting vote. Councilman Kip Robinette left the meeting before the vote took place.

Sanders said after the meeting that he voted against the establishment of the commission because he was concerned TIF would take money away from schools and the county. He also cast the only dissenting vote on the ordinance on its first reading.

After the commission ordinance was passed, Hosier announced he had appointed three Portland residents to the commission and all had accepted their appointments.

Those selected by Hosier are Lola Joy, a former council, park board and planning commission member, and a business owner; Joe Johnston, the chief executive officer of Jay County Hospital and vice president of the Jay County Development Corporation board; and Bob Quadrozzi, JCDC executive director.

Council members voted to appoint Randy Wehrly, an employee of Portland Forge, and Mike Simons, a retired teacher.

In other business, the council decided to let a Portland man’s request to vacate an alley die due to lack of motion.

Billy Murphy, 107 Canterbury Lane, had asked for the alley to be vacated because it begins at his property and has no outlet. The alley runs north and south in between Hickory Court and Canterbury Lane.

Two of Murphy’s neighbors — Greg LeMaster, 112 Hickory Court, and Connie Roser, 110 Hickory Court — told council members they opposed closing the alley because if vacated, they would no longer have vehicular access to their back yards.

When Sanders asked Murphy why he wanted the alley vacated, Murphy said he wanted to know where his property line is. Murphy said he had the area surveyed and marked with flags.

City attorney Bill Hinkle said wherever the flags are, is where his property line is.

“If your survey is correct, do you still need the alley vacated?” Sanders asked Murphy.

“Not really,” Murphy replied.

“I want it to die,” Stephens said of the ordinance to vacate the alley.

Also Monday, council members:

•Voted to make a Portland couple’s neighborhood a little brighter.

Lois and Sam Grubb, 304 Jaqua Ave., asked for a street light to be installed in their neighborhood. Sam Grubb said the site of Chippawa Corporation, 510 S. Bridge St., no longer has a security light on at night. The neighborhood now is very dark.

Council members voted to install a light near Bridge Street and Jaqua Avenue.

•Voted to send a tax abatement request to the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee to review.

Quadrozzi said Fullenkamp Machine and Manufacturing, 1507 N. Meridian St., has requested a five-year tax abatement to purchase a lathe, machining center and a measuring machine at a total cost of $327,000. The new equipment is expected to create two new jobs with salaries totaling $54,080, he said.[[In-content Ad]]