Gibson to lead council

By CALEB BAUER

The Commercial Review

Portland City Council elected council member Bill Gibson to continue as council president at a brief meeting Tuesday evening.

Council member Kent McClung nominated Gibson to take the president spot, and was seconded by Judy Aker. Council members Michele Brewster, Janet Powers, McClung and Aker, absent Mark Hedges and Don Gillespie, approved Gibson to continue his role as council president.

Council also heard from Mayor Randy Geesaman that Portland’s new water park is a state finalist for the Indiana chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies annual Engineering Excellence Award. The winning project will be announced at an award luncheon March 2.

Geesaman also informed council that the steering committee from the recently completed revitalization plan project will reconvene at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17 in the city council chambers to pinpoint next steps to implement the plan. The proposal was developed by Ball State urban planning students during the fall semester and the final report was presented in December.