Pumps to be replaced

Thanks to a decision by the Portland Board of Works, area residents won’t have to worry about being able to flush their toilets.

The board voted Thursday morning to replace two pumps at a lift station for $15,500, which quit working this week. They are located south of county road 200 West, near the Portland Country Club, and were installed in 1989, wastewater treatment plant superintendent Bob Brelsford said.

Before board members made their decision, Brelsford explained why the pumps needed to be replaced so quickly.

Because the pumps don’t work, wastewater treatment plant employees are spending two to three hours each day hauling the sewage back to the plant.

If this wasn’t being done, the sewer would back up and those who live near the lift station could not flush their toilets or use water.

Board member Robert McCreery asked Brelsford and other members of the board whether the maintenance of that lift station was the city’s responsibility. He said he didn’t remember it ever being dedicated to the city of Portland.

The board gave Brelsford permission to go ahead and get the problem fixed, as long as city clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford finds out who is responsible for the upkeep of the lift station. If she determines the city is not responsible, the bill will be passed on to the correct group.

Also Thursday, a request for the Portland City Court Clerk position to change from part-time to full-time was approved by the board.

Portland City Court Judge Michelle Pensinger said she needed the current clerk, Jennifer Noble, to begin working full-time because it would allow the court to be open longer. Extended hours would reduce the number of people who have to go to City Hall to pay tickets because they could be paid at the court.

“The bottom line is I need her,” said Pensinger.

A full-time city court clerk position is already in the budget, she said.

After the meeting, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said the public employee retirement fund and other benefits for Noble must go before the Portland City Council because it would need to amend the salary ordinance.

In other business, the board voted to allow $12,000 to $16,000 of routine maintenance work to be done on well pump No. 3, which is located at the Portland water plant.

Portland water department superintendent Doug Jackson said the well pump needed to be repaired because it’s only functioning at 75 percent. He said one of the three pumps is repaired each year. The board decided Peerless-Midwest Incorporated of Mishawaka would do the work.

Also during Thursday’s meeting, the board accepted a $5,400 bid by Vance’s Indoor Comfort of Portland for new furnace and air conditioning units at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Brelsford suggested the board select the quote, even though it was $446 more, because the other bidder wouldn’t be able to start the repairs for six weeks. Brelsford wanted the units to be replaced before cold weather arrives.[[In-content Ad]]