Request made for more lights

A Portland resident is hoping more lighting will prevent future vandalisms and thefts in his neighborhood.

Dennis Mason Jr. asked Portland City Council members to have a streetlight installed either in front of 204 Pittsburgh Ave. or behind 1204 S. Boundary Pike. Mason said Monday night that there is inadequate lighting in the area.

Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said several lights are being installed along Boundary Pike as part of the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project. These lights could be a remedy to the problem, he said.

Hosier said he could contact Herb Berg of Bonar Group, who is overseeing the project, and find out where the streetlights are being erected.

Hosier suggested that council members wait to take action on the matter until after they have gone down and looked at the area at night. In the meantime, he will speak with Berg. Council members agreed to table the matter until the next meeting, which is April 20 at 7 p.m.

In other business, council members voted to send a request for a five-year tax abatement to the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee for review.

Mark Goldman, president of Pennville Custom Cabinets, 600 E. Votaw St., is asking for an abatement on the purchase of a new molder for his business. The new equipment will create one additional job with a pay of $10 per hour. The estimated cost of the machine is $65,000.

Tax abatements phase in property taxes on new investments over a period of several years.

Also Monday, council members:

•Learned that next week is city clean-up week.

Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, said large items will be collected. Tires, oil and oil-based paints will not be picked up, but latex paint will be collected. Appliances will be picked up as long as the Freon has been removed.

He added that trash will not be picked up this Friday because it is Good Friday - a holiday that city employees observe. Trash normally collected on Friday will be picked up one day earlier.

•Heard Harker report that free mulch and compost will be available April 20-24. It can be picked up at the city's compost site along North Morton Street. The compost and mulch can be picked up between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Harker added that the site is not for dumping. He said couches, metal and other materials have been left there by city residents.

•Voted to close a portion of Harrison Street in September for an event at Asbury United Methodist Church, 204 E. Arch St., Portland.

Mason, who is assistant Scout Master for Boy Scout Pack 3202, said the scouts would like to hold a carnival in the parking lot of the church on Sept. 19. He asked for Harrison Street to be closed between Arch and Race streets on that day. He requested that the street be closed between noon and 6 p.m. Council members approved the street closure request.

•Learned that work at Hudson Family Park is progressing.

Hosier said work on the restroom facility has begun. The restroom building will serve as the trailhead for the river path. The path will begin at Meridian Street, near Freedom Park, then go southeast along the Salamonie River. It will then cross Wayne Street and go to and over the iron bridge and into Hudson Family Park. Work on the path will begin after the restroom facility is built, he said.

The river path project is being funded through an Indiana Department of Transportation Transportation Enhancement Grant.

•Learned that the North Central Mayors Roundtable event will be held April 16 at Arts Place, 131 E. Walnut St., Portland. Hosier said the lunch meeting will start at 11:45 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]