September 6, 2017 at 4:47 a.m.
Council funds Corps study
Council funds Corps study
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Portland will fund a flooding study, whether the county chooses to get involved or not.
Portland City Council on Tuesday approved $77,000 for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study for solutions to the city’s chronic flooding problems.
Also Tuesday, council accepted the resignation of Portland streets and parks department superintendent Ryan Myers, approved the 2018 payroll ordinance and allowed an ordinance amending restrictions on the non-reverting fire equipment fund to expire without a vote.
The $77,000 approved by council combined with the same amount approved by the city’s redevelopment commission is enough to cover the full cost of the study. City council will draw back on its contribution if Jay County Commissioners, who are scheduled to meet Wednesday morning, decide to make a financial contribution.
On Aug. 24, Portland Redevelopment Commission agreed to fund $77,000 of the needed $154,000 to fund the proposed feasibility study through the Army Corps of Engineers. That left an additional $77,000 needed in local matching funds. The total cost of the project is projected at $308,000, with the Corps of Engineers covering 50 percent and local sources covering the other half.
At their Aug. 28 meeting, the county’s three commissioners refused to make a commitment before the issue came before Portland City Council.
On Tuesday, council answered by funding the entirety of the remaining $77,000, with the provision that they would walk back the funds if the county commissioners decide to contribute funds at their 7:30 a.m. special meeting this morning.
The study will examine possible solutions for reducing flooding in Portland through the year 2066 and develop construction plans and cost estimates.
“It is a high priority for me to do this project,” said council member Kent McClung. “I understand the federal government is frustrating. It’s molasses in January the way that it moves … But what’s good for the citizens of Portland has to be at the forefront. And this is, to me, what’s most important right now.”
Council member Bill Gibson expressed reservation with funding a project that has a projected end date almost two years in the future.
“Basically we need to get together with every county between here and that reservoir (Salamonie Lake), and put the pressure on the Corps of Engineers to clean (the Salamonie) river,” Gibson said. “For us to just run a feasibility study for the City of Portland is not going to help us.”
Despite his objections, Gibson and the other members voted to fund the study.
Council also discussed Myers’ resignation, which will be effective Friday. Mayor Randy Geesaman acknowledged that he has the power to appoint a new superintendent, but that he plans to advertise the open position to find a qualified new candidate. He said he hopes to appoint someone within the next 30 to 45 days. In the meantime, street department employees Matt Shauver and Greg Wright will serve as interim co-superintendents.
The 2018 payroll ordinance was also approved on first and second reading by council, and will provide a one-time $425 stipend on July 1, approximately the average of what each employee would receive for a 2-percent raise across the board.
It also bumped the city court clerk’s wage to $18.04 per hour from its current $14.40 to bring it in line with that of other clerks working for the city.
Geesaman said he will bring council a list of members for a new committee to do a full review of the city’s payroll ordinance and compare local wages to those of employees in cities of comparable sizes. The committee, which has not yet been formed, will then make recommendations for changes to the payroll ordinance.
Council had previously tabled a decision on the payroll ordinance, after being unable to come to a conclusion on providing raises.
The debate over removing funds from the city’s non-reverting fire equipment fund was settled by letting a proposed ordinance die without a vote. Council had previously discussed shifting cash from the fund to the city’s general fund. By choosing to retain the already existing ordinance, the funds in the non-reverting fire equipment fund will not revert to any other fund for any other use.
In other business, council:
•Heard from Geesaman that the fall clean-up leaf and trash pickup is scheduled for the first week in October.
All Rights Reserved
Portland will fund a flooding study, whether the county chooses to get involved or not.
Portland City Council on Tuesday approved $77,000 for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study for solutions to the city’s chronic flooding problems.
Also Tuesday, council accepted the resignation of Portland streets and parks department superintendent Ryan Myers, approved the 2018 payroll ordinance and allowed an ordinance amending restrictions on the non-reverting fire equipment fund to expire without a vote.
The $77,000 approved by council combined with the same amount approved by the city’s redevelopment commission is enough to cover the full cost of the study. City council will draw back on its contribution if Jay County Commissioners, who are scheduled to meet Wednesday morning, decide to make a financial contribution.
On Aug. 24, Portland Redevelopment Commission agreed to fund $77,000 of the needed $154,000 to fund the proposed feasibility study through the Army Corps of Engineers. That left an additional $77,000 needed in local matching funds. The total cost of the project is projected at $308,000, with the Corps of Engineers covering 50 percent and local sources covering the other half.
At their Aug. 28 meeting, the county’s three commissioners refused to make a commitment before the issue came before Portland City Council.
On Tuesday, council answered by funding the entirety of the remaining $77,000, with the provision that they would walk back the funds if the county commissioners decide to contribute funds at their 7:30 a.m. special meeting this morning.
The study will examine possible solutions for reducing flooding in Portland through the year 2066 and develop construction plans and cost estimates.
“It is a high priority for me to do this project,” said council member Kent McClung. “I understand the federal government is frustrating. It’s molasses in January the way that it moves … But what’s good for the citizens of Portland has to be at the forefront. And this is, to me, what’s most important right now.”
Council member Bill Gibson expressed reservation with funding a project that has a projected end date almost two years in the future.
“Basically we need to get together with every county between here and that reservoir (Salamonie Lake), and put the pressure on the Corps of Engineers to clean (the Salamonie) river,” Gibson said. “For us to just run a feasibility study for the City of Portland is not going to help us.”
Despite his objections, Gibson and the other members voted to fund the study.
Council also discussed Myers’ resignation, which will be effective Friday. Mayor Randy Geesaman acknowledged that he has the power to appoint a new superintendent, but that he plans to advertise the open position to find a qualified new candidate. He said he hopes to appoint someone within the next 30 to 45 days. In the meantime, street department employees Matt Shauver and Greg Wright will serve as interim co-superintendents.
The 2018 payroll ordinance was also approved on first and second reading by council, and will provide a one-time $425 stipend on July 1, approximately the average of what each employee would receive for a 2-percent raise across the board.
It also bumped the city court clerk’s wage to $18.04 per hour from its current $14.40 to bring it in line with that of other clerks working for the city.
Geesaman said he will bring council a list of members for a new committee to do a full review of the city’s payroll ordinance and compare local wages to those of employees in cities of comparable sizes. The committee, which has not yet been formed, will then make recommendations for changes to the payroll ordinance.
Council had previously tabled a decision on the payroll ordinance, after being unable to come to a conclusion on providing raises.
The debate over removing funds from the city’s non-reverting fire equipment fund was settled by letting a proposed ordinance die without a vote. Council had previously discussed shifting cash from the fund to the city’s general fund. By choosing to retain the already existing ordinance, the funds in the non-reverting fire equipment fund will not revert to any other fund for any other use.
In other business, council:
•Heard from Geesaman that the fall clean-up leaf and trash pickup is scheduled for the first week in October.
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