Portland is getting new decorations

Christmas season will be a little brighter in downtown Portland this winter.

Portland Board of Works unanimously agreed Thursday to purchase new Christmas lighting for 38 poles along Meridian Street.

“The ones we have now are pretty well shot,” said Mayor Randy Geesaman.

Each pole’s lighted decorations will cost $385 for a total of $14,530.

Funds for the purchase will come from the city’s share of riverboat gambling revenues, which amount to about $30,000 annually.

Geesaman said the new decorations will be purchased from Winterland Inc., Marion, and are in stock, so they should be going up in the next few weeks.

The current decorations along Main Street and around the Jay County Courthouse are in better shape and not yet in need of replacement, the mayor said.

The board of works also unanimously agreed to hire Ryan Edmundson to fill a vacancy in the city street department.

The board also accepted all quotes for petroleum and gasoline products for the coming year. Quotes had been submitted by Portland Motor Parts, AgBest Coop of Muncie, G&G Oil of Muncie and Harvestland Coop of Richmond for petroleum products. Village Pantry submitted the sole quote on gasoline prices.