July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Plans for property stalled (08/22/06)
Portland City Council
By By RACHELLE HAUGHN-
A public hearing on the annexation of land needed for a proposed hotel project north of Portland was called off Monday after a city official announced that engineering issues remain to be worked out.
Scott Daniels and his company, Dascoda LLC, plan to develop a 73-room Holiday Inn Express along the east side of U.S. 27. Daniels has requested that the 60.92 acres needed for the project be annexed into the city so he can apply for a tax abatement.
Also included in the annexation request are 28.555 acres and 1.075 acres owned by Robert T. Burkey and Virginia Burkey. This land, which Dascoda does not plan to purchase, needs to be annexed because a certain amount of land must be adjacent to the city limits for the annexation to be legal.
The lots owned by the Burkeys are located just north of Oakwood Mobile Home Park and south of the hotel lot.
During a meeting of the Portland City Council Monday, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier and Daniels each asked that the public hearing be "tabled."
Council members did not discuss the annexation request.
After the meeting Hosier said a "more detailed site evaluation for the (routing) of the utilities" is needed. Dascoda has a cost-share agreement with the city to extend city water and sewer lines to the hotel site.
Hosier said the more thorough evaluation will be included in a plan for how city services will be provided, which must be created when considering an annexation.
After the meeting, Daniels declined to say what the engineering issues are or when he thinks another public hearing might be scheduled.
Council members voted in December to re-zone the land needed for the project to highway service from agricultural.
Also Monday, council members:
•Unanimously approved the city's 2007 budget on second reading.
The proposed budget is set to raise to $6,826,071 from this year's total of $6,520,031.
The new budget includes appropriations for city officials, Portland Municipal Airport, city court, the city council, city departments and the planning commission.
There was no discussion before council members voted.
•Voted to close a portion of an alley and a portion of a city street for special events.
Jamie Coats, a member of the Family Worship Center, 200 E. Elder St., asked for a portion of an alley located between Elder Street and Chicago Avenue to be closed on Sept. 10 for a carnival.
Coats said closing the alley would make the area safer for the children attending the event.
Also, Bobbi Long Peterson, mother of Norm Peterson, asked council members to consider closing Main Street, between Meridian and Harrison streets, on Sept. 29, between 5 and 8 p.m. Peterson appeared on behalf of her son, who made the request.
Peterson requested the street be closed so a small car show can be held that day, Hosier said.
•Voted to allow the Portland Economic Development Corporation to obtain liability insurance at a premium of $800 per year.
Hosier said city attorney Bill Hinkle recommended the PEDC get the insurance in case of any future litigation. The coverage will be for $1 million, he said.
The PEDC had to get permission to get the insurance because Economic Development Income Tax funds will be used to pay the premium, city clerk-treasurer Linda Kennedy said this morning.
•Approved a five-year tax abatement request by W&M Manufacturing, Inc., 1000 N. Morton St., Portland.
Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, said the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee met on Aug. 10 and voted to recommend the council approve the request.
The company wants to purchase several pieces of equipment at a total cost of $275,000. The new equipment would create six additional jobs with wages totaling $150,000.
Tax abatements allow companies to pay taxes in increasing increments over several years. The additional taxes due on the capital investment are phased in.
•Heard Bob Brelsford, superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant, give an update on the progress of the Gerber gravity sewer project.
Brelsford said work is being done on Park Street, between Walnut and High streets, and heading north. There recently was a short delay in the work because the size of the pipe in the ground was larger than expected, requiring more supplies to be ordered. There is a large demand for parts right now, he said this morning.
Work should be complete in about a month, Brelsford said.
The project started in April and was originally expected to take about 50 days to complete. Brelsford said there have been several delays in the project because workers have encountered areas with unstable ground.
The project is designed to reduce the amount of sewage handled by the north lift station located along Industrial Park Drive. During heavy rains, capacity at that lift station is sometimes exceeded, causing raw sewage to be diverted into the Wehrly Ditch.
Hosier said any yards damaged due to the project will be repaired to look as good as or better than before.[[In-content Ad]]
Scott Daniels and his company, Dascoda LLC, plan to develop a 73-room Holiday Inn Express along the east side of U.S. 27. Daniels has requested that the 60.92 acres needed for the project be annexed into the city so he can apply for a tax abatement.
Also included in the annexation request are 28.555 acres and 1.075 acres owned by Robert T. Burkey and Virginia Burkey. This land, which Dascoda does not plan to purchase, needs to be annexed because a certain amount of land must be adjacent to the city limits for the annexation to be legal.
The lots owned by the Burkeys are located just north of Oakwood Mobile Home Park and south of the hotel lot.
During a meeting of the Portland City Council Monday, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier and Daniels each asked that the public hearing be "tabled."
Council members did not discuss the annexation request.
After the meeting Hosier said a "more detailed site evaluation for the (routing) of the utilities" is needed. Dascoda has a cost-share agreement with the city to extend city water and sewer lines to the hotel site.
Hosier said the more thorough evaluation will be included in a plan for how city services will be provided, which must be created when considering an annexation.
After the meeting, Daniels declined to say what the engineering issues are or when he thinks another public hearing might be scheduled.
Council members voted in December to re-zone the land needed for the project to highway service from agricultural.
Also Monday, council members:
•Unanimously approved the city's 2007 budget on second reading.
The proposed budget is set to raise to $6,826,071 from this year's total of $6,520,031.
The new budget includes appropriations for city officials, Portland Municipal Airport, city court, the city council, city departments and the planning commission.
There was no discussion before council members voted.
•Voted to close a portion of an alley and a portion of a city street for special events.
Jamie Coats, a member of the Family Worship Center, 200 E. Elder St., asked for a portion of an alley located between Elder Street and Chicago Avenue to be closed on Sept. 10 for a carnival.
Coats said closing the alley would make the area safer for the children attending the event.
Also, Bobbi Long Peterson, mother of Norm Peterson, asked council members to consider closing Main Street, between Meridian and Harrison streets, on Sept. 29, between 5 and 8 p.m. Peterson appeared on behalf of her son, who made the request.
Peterson requested the street be closed so a small car show can be held that day, Hosier said.
•Voted to allow the Portland Economic Development Corporation to obtain liability insurance at a premium of $800 per year.
Hosier said city attorney Bill Hinkle recommended the PEDC get the insurance in case of any future litigation. The coverage will be for $1 million, he said.
The PEDC had to get permission to get the insurance because Economic Development Income Tax funds will be used to pay the premium, city clerk-treasurer Linda Kennedy said this morning.
•Approved a five-year tax abatement request by W&M Manufacturing, Inc., 1000 N. Morton St., Portland.
Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, said the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee met on Aug. 10 and voted to recommend the council approve the request.
The company wants to purchase several pieces of equipment at a total cost of $275,000. The new equipment would create six additional jobs with wages totaling $150,000.
Tax abatements allow companies to pay taxes in increasing increments over several years. The additional taxes due on the capital investment are phased in.
•Heard Bob Brelsford, superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant, give an update on the progress of the Gerber gravity sewer project.
Brelsford said work is being done on Park Street, between Walnut and High streets, and heading north. There recently was a short delay in the work because the size of the pipe in the ground was larger than expected, requiring more supplies to be ordered. There is a large demand for parts right now, he said this morning.
Work should be complete in about a month, Brelsford said.
The project started in April and was originally expected to take about 50 days to complete. Brelsford said there have been several delays in the project because workers have encountered areas with unstable ground.
The project is designed to reduce the amount of sewage handled by the north lift station located along Industrial Park Drive. During heavy rains, capacity at that lift station is sometimes exceeded, causing raw sewage to be diverted into the Wehrly Ditch.
Hosier said any yards damaged due to the project will be repaired to look as good as or better than before.[[In-content Ad]]
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