Council OKs road closures

There will be a few more roads closing in Portland in the near future.
This time it’s not for flooding. Or construction.
The Portland City Council on Monday approved the closure of a few city streets so that a trio of local groups can host community events.
Council also heard updates from Mayor Randy Geesaman about an upcoming meeting with a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and plans for mosquito spraying in the city.
Council members Donald Gillespie, Kent McClung, Judy Aker, Kip Robinette, Bill Gibson, and Mark Hedges, absent Michael Brewster, approved the closure of roads for a pair of events to be held Aug. 29.
The Portland Eagles will be holding its 100th year celebration from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Council members approved the closure of Arch Street between Meridian and Commerce streets.

The alley behind the Eagles’ building between High and Arch streets will also be closed for the event.
Council also approved the closure of a small section of Race Street — between Meridian Street and the parking lot west of the new CFS building at 414 N. Meridian St. — for Community and Family Services’ fourth annual Grill Master Cook-Off. The event will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29.
Kyle Cook of Jay Community Center also approached the council and asked for a street to be closed for the start of its half-marathon Sept. 12.
JCC is partnering with Run Midwest for the 13.1-mile event, and Cook said he expects to have about 150 runners.
Council approved closing Meridian Street from just south of Freedom Park to Votaw Street from 8 to 8:45 a.m. and River Run Road from 7 to 11 a.m. for the event.
Geesaman told council members a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in council chambers in Portland Fire Station, 1616 N. Franklin St., to discuss flooding issues.
“There will be a lot of people who can make things happen … at the meeting,” Geesaman said.
He also told council members that he and Ryan Myers, street and parks department superintendent, had decided to spray for mosquitoes on Mondays and Thursdays — instead of just on Mondays — in order to keep this year’s high mosquito population at bay.
In other business, the council:
•Approved the yearly review of tax abatements that are currently active in the city.
Bill Bradley, speaking for the tax abatement advisory committee, told council members all business seem to be following the requirements of their abatements. He mentioned that the abatement committee had to contact two companies to clear up some issues, but that the committee “feels comfortable with these issues now.”
He recommended the council approve the abatement review.
•OK’d an ordinance setting up a retainage fund for Watson’s Excavating, which is doing the sewer separation work on the west side of the city. The ordinance was tabled at the council’s last meeting after council members discovered it contained a typing error.
•Paid claims totaling $1,120,629.68.