Building sale contract terminated

A City of Portland property is likely going to be put up for sale again.

Portland Board of Works on Thursday approved the termination of the city’s contract with John Goodhew of Goodhew Roofing and Metals for the sale of the Sheller-Globe south building.

Following a process that took more than six months and involved two rounds of offers, Portland City Council approved the sale of the property at 510 S. Bridge Street to Goodhew in June 2019. Goodhew had planned to invest at least $500,000 in renovating the property to manufacture standing seam roofing and carports.

However, a provision allowed Goodhew to terminate the contract if the city could not provide a clean environmental study. Goodhew exercised that provision and on Thursday board of works members Jerry Leonhard, Steve McIntosh and Portland Mayor John Boggs approved the termination as well as returning Goodhew’s 10% deposit of $5,250.

Boggs said he expects the city will put the building back up for sale. He noted that in doing so the property will be sold as-is.

The board also approved leasing a new Case front-end loader from RPM Machinery of Fort Wayne for the city’s street department. (Boggs and McIntosh voted in favor with Leonhard abstaining because his son Tom is the street department superintendent.) The lease on the current front-end loader is nearing its end.

The new lease, which includes a three-year warranty for all service on the equipment, comes at a total of $209,540. The city will receive $108,000 for trading in its current front-end loader.

Boggs also reported to the board that city officials had a productive meeting earlier in the day with Wessler Engineering, Jay County Development Corporation and accounting advisory firm Baker Tilly about potential funding options for the proposed Meridian Street sewer project. The planned work would add a storm sewer line along Meridian Street from south of Race Street to the Salamonie River to help drain the area during heavy rain events and take pressure of the overloaded Millers Branch.

The mayor said he’s hopeful that he won’t need to approach board of works to request funding for the estimated $1.2 million project.

“I think we’ve got a pathway to get some money,” Boggs said.

Portland Redevelopment Commission has already committed $350,000 for the project.

Also Thursday, the board approved the final pavement design for the Blaine Pike paving and sidewalk project. The work involves paving Blaine Pike and constructing a sidewalk from Bittersweet Lane to about 180 feet south of its intersection with the Norfolk Southern Railroad line near Water Street. The project, 80% of which is being paid for by Indiana Department of Transportation, is scheduled for spring 2022.