Targeted for annexation (05/20/08)

By the end of the year, Portland's boundaries may be growing.

Members of the Portland City Council voted Monday night to begin the process to annex 65 acres located south and west of the current city limits.

If the process goes as scheduled, the land could be annexed by December, said Kristi Sturtz of Sturtz Public Management Group.

Local developer Barry Hudson, of Beam LLC, is requesting annexation for land he owns located near the city's wastewater treatment plant. The parcels that could be annexed are bordered on the south and east by the Salamonie River. The west side of the land is bordered by the Green Park Drive, Honeysuckle Lane, Dogwood Lane and Bittersweet Lane neighborhoods, which are already within the city limits.

Hudson is requesting the annexation so he can build houses.

The next step in the annexation process is to introduce an ordinance annexing the four parcels, which are mainly zoned as agricultural. A public hearing on the annexation will then be held.

The other properties that would be annexed are owned by the city of Portland, Kevin W. Petschke and John G. and Gretchen L Young. The Beam LLC property is the northernmost parcel, closest to Seventh Street.

Just south of that is land owned by the city, and then farthest south is the Youngs' property. Petschke's land is located northeast of the Beam LLC property.

Councilman Mike Brewster asked Hudson if the new homes would be similar to those existing in the area.

Hudson said the houses would be nicer than the existing homes. The structures would be similar in cost to those on Jack Imel Avenue, he said.

Also Monday, council members gave initial approval of a 4 percent pay increase for all city employees and elected officials in 2009.

The increases would raise the mayor's salary to $45,506.24 from $43,755.66, and the clerk-treasurer's pay to $44,704.92 from $42,985.28.

Also, the council members would make $3,512.78, and the city court judge's pay would be $13,517.14.

Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said Portland Board of Works members also would be paid for the first time. Board members would be paid $1,300 per year. Hosier said he felt the board of works members deserved to be paid because they make huge decisions for the city.

The street and park department superintendent, the fire chief, the police chief, the water department superintendent and the wastewater treatment plant superintendent would each make $42,979.56 per year.

Councilman Todd Nichols, an employee of the Portland Street Department, abstained from voting on the pay increase. Brewster, who is also a city police officer, voted for the increase.

After the meeting, Brewster said he decided to vote on the pay increase because, "I felt a 4 percent raise was sufficient for city employees."

The pay increases will need to be voted on a second time to pass.

In other business, council members voted to make some traffic flow changes.

The council voted to make the intersection of Ninth Street and Bridge Street a four-way stop, and to change the two yield signs at Ninth and Shank streets to stop signs.

Phoebe Robinette, who lives in that area, asked council members to make the intersections of Ninth and Bridge and Ninth and Shank four-way stops to make the area safer for children. Robinette said people who drive in the area speed.

Jeff Harker, street and park department superintendent recommended that the yield signs be changed to stop signs at Shank and Ninth. When Harker observed the intersection recently, he did not see any traffic, he said.

Also Monday, council members:

•Voted to add two speed bumps to a north-south alley located between East Votaw Street and East North Street.

Jack Rouch, 310 E. North St., requested the speed bumps to make the area safer for neighborhood children who play basketball near the alley. One speed bump will be located near each end of the alley.

Cara Honeycutte, 126 Boundary Pike, also planned to request speed bumps for an alley located near Boundary Pike, north of Elder Street. She did not attend Monday's meeting so council members took no action on the request.

•Voted to amend city guidelines for when to request bids and quotes. The increases are being made to follow new guidelines set up by the state.

Quotes can be requested for any purchase expected to cost less than $50,000. The cutoff previously was $25,000. Also, bids should be submitted for anything expected to cost between $50,000 and $150,000. Previously, bids were submitted for projects costing between $25,000 and $75,000.

•Voted to change death benefits for police and firefighters to conform to amendments made by the state.

The first amendment states that the heirs or estate of any active or retired member of the police departments will be paid $12,000 for funeral costs. Previously, different amounts were paid based on what year it was at the time of death.

The second amendment also says that $12,000 will be paid for disabled, discharged or retired members of the fire department. This also was previously broken down by year of death.

The change also states that death benefits will be paid to surviving spouses, surviving children or the estate.

•Heard Hosier report that city residents' water/sewer bills will now be mailed in envelopes.

He said the post office has been stamping across the amounts owed on the bill cards.

•Voted to update the list of stop signs in the city ordinance.[[In-content Ad]]