Traffic study finds little speeding

Speeding on Meridian Street in downtown Portland is not a major problem, according to a recent study by Portland Police Department.
Portland Police Chief Nathan Springer on Monday presented a traffic study to Portland City Council that contradicted an editorial that speeding on Meridian Street has been a problem because of a lack of enforcement.
City council also voted to set new pay and hours for the mayor’s secretary, approved a tax abatement for a local manufacturer and approved changes to the fee scheduling for the building and planning department.
In an Oct. 4 editorial, The Commercial Review was critical of Portland Police Department for what it felt was a lack of enforcement of the speed limit on Meridian Street in the downtown area. It also noted the prevalence of trucks disregarding red lights.
After conducting a traffic study over the course of 13.25 hours of observation on Meridian Street, Springer presented the results to council.
“Between Oct. 7 and Oct. 17 we had officers on all shifts conducting traffic studies on Meridian Street,” Springer said. “We ran radio not only in marked police units but also in unmarked, undercover vehicles. This study was conducted over a total of 53 shifts at least three times per shift.”
During the course of the study, 284 semis passed through Portland on Meridian Street, at an average speed of 26.6 miles per hour, with the highest speed hitting 37 mph. The speed limit is 30 mph.
“1,689 cars and light duty trucks traveled through downtown during the study. The average speed was 28.6 miles per hour,” Springer said. “The highest speed was 42 miles per hour, and a citation was issued to that person.
“We agree that red lights do get disregarded. During the study none was observed.”
Springer also presented data showing the total number of tickets, arrests and warnings issued by Portland Police Department since 1998, showing peak numbers in 2000 and 2001, decreasing totals from 2009 to 2013, and then an increase since Springer’s hiring as chief in 2014.
“I started with the Portland Police Department in 1999. I remember why our enforcement was down in the past. I remember the officers being called traffic nazi, Mr. ticket and other names,” Springer said. “I don’t blame the previous administration for relaxed enforcement because that’s what a large portion of the public wanted, or it appeared that way.”
Springer reminded the council that there are usually only two Portland Police Department officers on duty at a time, and that they have to juggle the responsibilities of traffic enforcement, responding to calls and providing extra patrols to businesses and schools.
“I think we all agree that we have to change the image of law enforcement while still protecting the community. As of today, 127 officers have been killed in the line of duty so far this year in this country alone,” Springer said. “If we had a better image, it may have lower numbers.”
Springer encouraged council members and the media to go on ride-alongs with the police department to better understand the nature of their job.
Council also approved an ordinance setting a new pay rate for the mayor’s secretary, after 50 percent of the position’s salary as Portland Housing Authority executive director was pulled by the Department of Housing and Urban Development after accusations of nepotism and mismanagement.
Council members had expressed concern with a prior proposal to cover the entirety of the lost pay, and an alternative was proposed to return the mayor’s secretary position to a part-time position.
Council voted to specify the position as part time, to be paid an hourly wage of $11 an hour, comparable to the pay of other clerical employees of the city.
Bill Bradley, executive director of the Jay County Economic Development Corporation, presented a proposal for a new tax abatement on equipment to be purchased by Joyce Dayton.
The company plans to purchase $1.2 million in new equipment in order to manufacturer its own roller-ball screws, one component of it’s screw jacks.
Tim Hummel, Joyce Dayton’s director of operations and plant manager for the Portland division, explained that the equipment would create three additional jobs, on top of the 83 jobs already at the Portland plant.
The proposed tax abatement would save the company $44,000 over the next five years.
Council voted to forward the abatement to the city’s tax abatement committee.
Additionally, council members Janet Powers, Bill Gibson, Judy Aker, Michele Brewster, Kent McClung and Don Gillespie, absent Mark Hedges, voted to approve changes to the zoning compliance fees and building permit fees.
The proposed fee raises would help the building and planning department become financially independent of the city and county. Currently, the department is funded roughly 50 percent from the city and 50 percent from the county.
Council approved the fee increases, and also approved an ordinance that would create a new fund to be managed by the department and used to hold revenue from the fees.
In other business, council:
•Discussed the postponement of the Parade of Lights due to high winds and adverse weather. The parade has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 3.
•Heard from Mayor Randy Geesaman that the city has $45,000, instead of the previously reported $14,000, still available through a state grant to demolish blighted homes. Geesaman said that the money will be used to demolish a few more homes, but suggested that the city create it’s own fund to continue the work. He suggested the city not apply for the grant in the future because of the amount of paperwork involved. Powers suggested the city create its own program while still applying for state grant money in the future.
•Heard from Geesaman that the new awning is now installed on Portland City Hall.
•Discussed last week’s revitalization plan meeting with Ball State Students. Resident Barry Hudson recommended that city council members and the public attend the final presentation at 6 p.m. Dec. 7 at Jay County Public Library.
•Heard from Geesaman that a $17,500 bid was placed for the mobile home that was previously used as a temporary headquarters for Lutheran Air.