Street safety issued mulled (02/05/08)

Concerns about safety at an intersection in the city were voiced Monday night.

A member of the Portland City Council said he has received several complaints about vehicles not stopping at Commerce and Main streets.

Councilman Mike Brewster, who is an officer with the Portland Police Department, said local residents have asked him if a more prominent four-way stop sign could be erected, such as the one in the middle of the intersection of Ship and Main streets.

A city official said the first step would be to have police park near the intersection and watch for those who fail to stop. "I would just look at increased enforcement first," said Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent.

The city's mayor, Bruce Hosier, said the word "STOP" was painted on the street during the summer as a reminder.

"I can't believe that people can't see" the stop signs now, Harker said.

"Of course, the major concern is public safety," Hosier said.

Both Harker and Portland Police Chief Bob Sours said they weren't sure how many accidents had occurred at that intersection.

Sours said he would determine how many collisions have occurred at the intersection and report back to the council.

"I don't believe the number of tickets reflect a large number of people disregarding that sign," Sours said.

Also Monday, council members:

•Approved an Industrial Pretreatment Enforcement Response Guide for the city's wastewater treatment plant.

Before council members voted, wastewater treatment plant superintendent Bob Brelsford briefly explained the document to the council. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is requiring the city to create the guidelines. Treatment plant employees will now have to monitor what local industries release into the wastewater system, he said. Before, IDEM did the monitoring, he said.

•Heard councilman Todd Nichols suggest that parking be prohibited on one side of Dogwood and Honeysuckle lanes. When vehicles are parked on both sides of the streets, fire trucks and snowplows have a difficult time finding room to drive on the streets, he said. Nichols works for the city's street department.

•Appointed council president Bill Gibson to the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Board.

Hosier said council member Kip Robinette, who has served on the board for the past four years, has decided to step down because of a work conflict.

•Learned that the North Central (Indiana) Mayor's Roundtable meeting has been set for April 17 in Portland.

Hosier is a member of the organization. He said he would like council members to attend the networking event. He plans to release more details in the future.[[In-content Ad]]Members of the Portland City Council received information Monday about requests which could lead to construction of a Walgreens store in Portland.

Council members were given copies of a legal notice about a request to vacate two alleys.

The Portland Planning Commission will also meet Thursday at 5 p.m. to consider a request to re-zone several parcels to permit the siting of a Walgreens Store.

The Faigus Group, Highland Park, Ill., is working with several property owners in the area to develop the project on an L-shaped lot around Village Pantry. The company is asking re-zoning for three residential lots.

On Feb. 18, the city council will also consider a request to vacate two alleys - one north-south alley between McNeal and Votaw streets; the other an east-west alley between Ben Hawkins Avenue and the Village Pantry parking lot.