Council OKs a change to alley

For Portland residents, paying a gas bill could soon be as easy as ordering from a fast food restaurant.

Representatives from Ohio Valley Gas unveiled a proposal for a new drive-thru at its downtown office at Portland City Council’s Monday meeting. To maximize efficiency and accessibility, however, the company is requesting the alleyway that is proposed to be used to get to the drive-thru window become reserved to one way traffic.

Conan Wallace, district manager for Ohio Valley Gas, and employee Jeremy Lewis gave a presentation detailing how it would be in the city’s best interests to make the alley west of its office a one-way alley going south for ease of access to the alley and the drive-thru.

Over time and with alley side additions, Lewis noted, the alley is too small for traffic going both ways.

“You cannot get two cars down that anymore,” he said.

The council agreed, voting to task city attorney Bill Hinkle to draft an ordinance the alley adjacent to the Ohio Valley Gas office one way going south.

The presentation encompassed the majority of the roughly 20-minute meeting that began with a prepared statement by Portland Mayor John Boggs detailing how city employees have recently faced “anger, contempt and ill manners” from disgruntled Portland citizens during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Employees have had to restrain themselves … they have been brought to tears,” Boggs said.

Though Boggs did not go into any detail about any specific encounter, clerk treasurer Lori Phillips detailed in an email to council members a situation in which she said she and a fellow clerk were berated by a former city employee who was confused about their access to a retirement pension.

Phillips said she was provoked to request Portland police officers attend the city council meeting for protection. The department obliged, sending two officers who stood guard at the back of the council chamber for the entire meeting.

The meeting was held without any conflict and a disgruntled former city employee, who was scheduled to attend the council meeting, did not show.

In other business, Boggs told council members Michele Brewster, Dave Golden, Mike Aker, Don Gillespie, Matt Goldsworthy, Janet Powers and Kent McClung:

•Heavy trash pickup will run during the fourth week of June. TVs, tires and construction equipment will not be picked up, however.

•Park board will be meeting in the council chambers at 7 p.m. Tuesday and the city’s flood advisory committee will meet in the same place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Park board is expecting a lot of attendees since it will be deciding the use of recreational sports and local facilities during the summer, said Boggs, adding that social distancing must be abided by at the meeting.

•After Aker and Boggs detailed complaints they’ve heard from Portland residents over the proposed Indiana Department of Transportation project for Meridian Street (U.S. 27), INDOT is now planning on holding a public hearing in July.

INDOT held a public meeting about the proposal last fall. Boggs requested public feedback last month in lieu of a public hearing, which was impossible during the state’s stay-at-home order.

Council also paid $1,602,359.65 in claims.