Money is OK'd for work on plan

Portland Board of Works put more money into its long-term control plan for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management at its Thursday morning meeting.
The board approved two amendments to an engineering agreement with Brian Houghton of Jones and Henry Engineers, adding an additional $75,000 to the agreement.
The additional funds will go toward work on the city’s wastewater treatment plant and an agreed order with IDEM to help meet the city’s long-term plan with the agency.
The city’s long-term control plan addresses the need to eliminate combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which deposit untreated sewage into rivers and streams. An agreed order requires the city to eliminate CSOs by 2025.
The plan also addresses higher water quality standards, which involves continued improvements at the wastewater treatment plant.
 “It’s time for that long-term plan to be updated,” Houghton told board members Bill Gibson, Jerry Leonhard and Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman.
He also said work needs to continue at the wastewater treatment plant to keep up with IDEM’s standards.
Along with continuing work at the plant, Houghton said he plans to look at sewer and storm water lines and drains, as well as the remaining combined sewer overflows in the city.
“There’s a number of things we need to do,” he said.
“There’s a number of things we need to identify” to remain up-to-date on the city’s long-term plan.

In other business, board members:
•Approved the purchase of an 80-kilowatt generator for city hall. The generator, which would replace the decades old one currently in use, will cost $26,200.72.
“This one’s going to bring us up to code,” Geesaman said.
“We’ve got to have it,” Leonhard agreed.
The board also approved a $22,000 construction project to fix leak issues and flood damage in the rear of city hall. Hatzell Brothers will do the work.
•OK’d payment of flood-related mileage and repair claims for the personal vehicles of police officers used during the recent flooding.
Portland police chief Nathan Springer said a few officers had to use their personal SUVs or trucks instead of cruisers because of the high water. He said there were three claims.
“As long as we have proof and documentation” the city can turn those claims over to the state for payment, Geesaman said.
•Approved a permit for Community Fiber Solutions for buried telephone lines near the intersections of Votaw and Meridian streets. The lines would serve as a backup if the company’s above-ground lines don’t work, Mark Clemens of CFS said.
“We’re running fiber to a new company in town,” Clemons said, mentioning the areas planned for the lines are already within the city’s existing rights-of-way.