Stormwater utility is established

A stormwater utility is now in place.

Portland City Council on Monday approved an ordinance establishing a stormwater department and stormwater utility for the city. It is a step in the process of establishing a stormwater tax.

Council also discussed recent decisions about the proposed US Aggregates stone quarry expansion and the decision to return an Indiana Department of Natural Resources grant to the state.

Portland Mayor John Boggs had proposed a stormwater tax last year, with Portland Council approving it in September. At that time, no amount was attached. (It had been planned to go into effect Jan. 1.)

The city then shifted gears in December to instead establish a stormwater fund via property taxes rather than implementing an additional fee or tax.

Monday’s ordinance establishes the new stormwater utility “for the purpose of providing for the collection, disposal and drainage of storm and surface water and relieving of sanitary sewers of such water.” It also allows the city to tax to support the new utility.

The goal is that stormwater fund money can be used for projects to combat flooding and abide by the city’s long-term control plan. It also makes the city eligible for state grants to fund such projects.

Council members Kent McClung, Janet Powers, Don Gillespie, Michele Brewster, Matt Goldsworthy, Dave Golden and Mike Aker unanimously approved the establishment of the stormwater utility.

The city is working with consulting firm Baker Tilly to establish the tax rate for the new utility fund.

Golden also asked about the process moving forward after Portland Plan Commission last week recommended that council deny a US Aggregates rezoning request to allow expansion of its mining operation.

City attorney Bill Hinkle explained the building and planning department has 10 days to certify plan commission’s recommendation, after which council has 90 days to act. Hinkle indicated the plan commission recommendation has not yet been certified and US Aggregates has asked for time to consider removing or modifying its request.

McClung also had questions on the procedure that led to the city returning a $168,000 Department of Natural Resources grant that had been awarded for a proposed trail project. Portland Board of Works noted at its meeting Thursday an agreement with Jay County Trails Club on the project had not been reached and the grant would be returned. McClung questioned whether the decision was appropriate to be made by board of works or whether city council and/or park board should have also had input.

Boggs also informed council he plans to request $350,000 in funding from Portland Redevelopment Commission for a proposed Meridian Street sewer project designed to help mitigate downtown flooding. Wessler Engineering last month proposed a new $1.3 million Meridian Street sewer line in the downtown area to help take pressure off of Millers Branch, which has had issues with backing up and flooding the area between Main and North streets.

In other business, council:

•Heard from Boggs that he will make an appeal to Coca-Cola officials to keep its current operation in Portland, though he acknowledged there is likely not much chance to save it. Coca-Cola Consolidated announced last week its Portland facility, which currently has 54 employees, will close Nov. 1.

•Approved $3,538.58 in economic development income tax (EDIT) funds for Christmas lights for a planned display at Jay County Fairgrounds. The city’s EDIT advisory committee met earlier Monday and voted to recommend approval of the request. The funding is contingent on plans for the lighting display moving forward.

•Transferred $17,013.87 from the city’s blight elimination fund to the general fund. The money was leftover from blight elimination projects related to state grants.

•Learned from Boggs the county’s housing task force is considering a residential tax increment financing (TIF) district in Portland. The goal would be to capture new tax dollars and use it to help defray the cost of infrastructure related to a potential housing project.

•Modified its payroll ordinance to eliminate the annual clothing allowance for police dispatchers because they are no longer required to wear uniforms.

•Heard a comment from Gillespie that detours seemed to be working out well Monday on the first day of construction on a pair of U.S. 27 (Meridian St.) bridges on the south side of the city. “Everybody please have some patience,” added Boggs. “I think we’ll be better off when it’s all done.”