Troubled properties rescued by owners

Two Portland properties once eyed for demolition have been saved.
Members of the Portland Board of Works learned Thursday morning that properties at 804 E. Race St. and 1404 Ben Hawkins St. have met the Jay/Portland Building and Planning department’s requirements.
Bill Milligan, building and planning administrator, told board members that work on both properties has been completed, so the structures will not be torn down. The structures are no longer considered unsafe, and no longer violate building codes.
However, the owner of one property that has been deemed unsafe has decided to sell it.
Milligan said John Turner, who owns the property at 657 W. Second St., has decided to sell it at an auction on Nov. 19. He cannot afford to make the necessary repairs, Milligan said.
Whoever buys the property must make several repairs requested by the city, he said. Among the requirements for the new owner are keeping the yard clear of debris, replacing the roof and gutters, repairing the chimney and replacing porch steps. The board of works will decide the future property owner’s deadlines for these changes, Milligan said Thursday afternoon.
In other business Thursday, board members voted to purchase a new car, a new repeater and new radios for the Portland Police Department.
The 2011 Chevrolet Impala will be purchased from Ken Kunkle Chevrolet, Portland, at a cost of $16,423. This price reflects a trade-in value for a 2008 Chevy Impala, which has more than 100,000 miles on it. The police department typically replaces cars every three years, Portland Police Chief Bob Sours said after the meeting.
The city also received a quote of $16,738.64 from Moser Motors for a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria.
Board members also voted to purchase a new repeater, four link radios and eight mobile data radios from Motorola at a total cost of $17,681.10.
Sours said the Federal Communications Commission is requiring that all radios and repeaters be replaced by Jan. 1, 2013. To meet this requirement, he expects to ask the city to purchase more radios in the upcoming years.
A repeater is a base radio that is located away from the police station. It rebroadcasts communications to the police cars. The link radios connect the repeater to the police station’s control panel. The mobile data radios link the computers in the police cars to the police station.
Also Thursday, board members:
•Approved a contract with a not to exceed amount of $2,000 for The Schneider Corporation to conduct the second phase of the city’s Wellhead Protection Plan.
The city first created this document, which is required by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 10 years ago and it must be updated every 10 years. The plan lays out any potential hazards that could affect the city’s water system and makes a plan of action in case the water should get polluted.
•Learned that wastewater treatment plant employee Dave McGraw is now on Family and Medical Leave Act.
He has exhausted all of his vacation and sick days, said city clerk-treasurer Randy Geesaman. As a requirement of the act, McGraw will be able to keep his job for 12 additional weeks.[[In-content Ad]]