Resurfacing needs to be resurfaced

It just didn’t stick.
A Michigan contractor is re-applying microsurfacing to three Portland streets because the last coat didn’t stick.
Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent, told members of the Portland City Council that portions of Wayne, High and Water streets are being resurfaced. The company that applied the mixture of steel slag, cement, sand and water in October was hired by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The resurfacing was paid for with federal stimulus money. The work had a three-year warranty.
Harker said the surface put down in October has already worn off significantly. State officials were notified of the problem and agreed to have contractor Pavement Maintenance resurface the streets again. The work is being done at no cost to the city or state.
The coating was supposed to last eight to 10 years. Harker said he was told the surfacing material did not stick because of the cool temperatures in October.
“I’m sure hoping this holds,” Harker said, reminding council members that the temperatures this week have been unseasonably low.
The following streets are being resurfaced:
•Wayne Street, between Water and Votaw streets.
•West High Street, between Meridian and Middle streets.
•Water Street, between Meridian Street and the west city limits.
In other business Monday, council members approved a five-year tax abatement for FCC (Indiana) Inc. on the purchase of $19,582,000 in new equipment.
The new equipment will create eight new jobs with salaries totaling $240,000. The new equipment and tools are for new vehicle models.
Bill Bradley, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, said the Portland Tax Abatement Advisory Committee met prior to the council meeting and voted to recommend that the council approve the abatement.
Tax abatements phase in taxes on new investments over a period of years. Bradley said this abatement will save the company $726,000 in taxes. He said that the supplier in Japan for FCC is expected to resume operations in July. The plant was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in March of this year.
Also Monday, council members:
•Heard an update on the Steen Addition storm and sanitary sewer separation project.
David Ayala of R.W. Armstrong told council members that all of the sewer separation work has been completed. He said sidewalks, curbs and driveways damaged during construction are now being repaired.
Also 15 projects that could be funded with the leftover $50,000 in grant money have been identified. He said additional storm inlets and storm manholes are on the list. Cost estimates for the projects are being configured, he said.
There is $50,000 of the $600,000 grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs left over because bids came in less than expected. City officials want use the grant money, rather than return it.
•Met new Portland Fire Chief Chad Aker.
Aker was appointed Sunday by Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier. Chad Aker replaces his brother, Matt Aker, who died April 30 following a motorcycle accident.
Aker thanked the mayor for giving him the opportunity to serve the city in this capacity. “I fully intent to continue what Matt started,” Aker said.[[In-content Ad]]