City OKs funding for new sidewalk design

The city will contribute toward a project in order to add a sidewalk to a bridge.

Portland City Council on Monday approved contributing $16,800 for design work related to adding a sidewalk on the Seventh Street bridge over the Salamonie River.

Jay County Commissioners president Chad Aker explained that the bridge is slated for replacement next year, with construction funding sought through an Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings Grant. He noted that city officials had approached the county, which is in charge of bridges, to request that a sidewalk be added. He told council the additional design cost for that portion of the project is $16,800, bringing the total to $123,700.

Aker asked council to provide the $16,800 to cover the cost of designing the addition of a sidewalk to the bridge.

Council member Janet Powers asked if the county would also be asking the city to contribute toward the cost of construction of the new bridge. Aker responded that the city would be asked for construction funding because of the addition of the sidewalk.

Council president Kent McClung, who presided over the meeting as Mayor John Boggs attended remotely, noted that other bridges in the city have sidewalks and that there is significant pedestrian traffic on Seventh Street. (The bridge is located between Western Avenue and Bridge Street.)

He echoed Powers’ concern about the city being asked to contribute even though city residents also pay taxes to the county, but said he was in favor of providing the additional funding in order to move the project along because he feels the sidewalk is important.

Council members Michele Brewster, Matt Goldsworthy, Mike Aker, Dave Golden, McClung and Powers voted unanimously in favor of providing the funding. (Don Gillespie was absent from the meeting.)

They also discussed proposals from firms to install equipment to allow the city to comply with a state law and a request from Jay County Baseball Club for financial support for “The Clubhouse.”

Legislation passed this year requires government units to live-stream and record meetings beginning July 1, 2025. In July, city council heard proposals from Dynamic Business Solutions of Portland and BIS Digital, a Florida company owned by a Portland native, for equipment and services that would allow the city to meet that requirement.

Powers expressed concern Monday that the two proposals to not provide an “apples-to-apples” comparison. McClung agreed, and suggested a review of the specifics of what the new state law requires.

Council eventually asked city attorney Wes Schemenaur and clerk-treasurer Lori Phillips to look at the state statute, existing equipment and the various city boards that will need to meet the requirement and put together a request for proposals to be reviewed.

On the topic of The Clubhouse, a facility Jay County Baseball Club is developing in an existing building it purchased on county road 500 West. It is intended as a training facility for baseball and other “non-hardwood sports.”

Powers said she’s supportive of the effort but said she would not vote to provide money toward the effort. Golden agreed, with McClung adding that it’s a “non-starter” to provide funding for a facility located well outside of the city limits.

Goldsworthy argued in favor of providing financial support, saying such a facility would benefit a lot of children in the community.

Council took no action on the funding request.

Also Monday, council approved the city’s 2024 budget of $9.59 million on second and final reading. There were no additional comments on the budget from council or the public. The budget includes $4.42 million in the general fund, $1.31 million in the motor vehicle highway fund, $1.3 million in the insurance surplus non-reverting fund and $509,000 in the park and recreation fund.

In other business, council:

•Heard concerns from Blaine Pike Tim Sheffer and Monte Dunlavy regarding the steep slope between the street and the new paved walking trail that is currently being installed. Clerk-treasurer Lori Phillips said she spoke to the project designer from engineering firm Beam, Longest and Neff Monday afternoon and he said he would visit Portland this week to address the issue. Council members also suggested Sheffer and Dunlavy could visit Thursday’s Portland Board of Works meeting to discuss the problem. (Goldsworthy said he has also gotten reports that golf carts have been using the trail, which is not meant for motorized vehicles.) Phillips added that residents are asked not to remove stakes that have been placed as part of the construction process.

•Sent a pair of tax abatement requests to the city’s tax abatement advisory committee. Pioneer Warehousing is requesting a five-year abatement on a $1.5 million investment at 1600 N. Meridian St. and Fort Recovery Industries is seeking a three-year abatement on an $850,000 investment.

•Answering a question from Powers, Schemenaur noted that the board of works will consider the bid already received for demolition of the Bailey Building, 201 through 205 W. Main St., and open bids for the demolition of 208 and 210 N. Meridian St. at its meeting Thursday. He added that the condition of the Meridian Street structure has continued to deteriorate following recent storms.

•Heard a reminder that large trash items will be picked up with regular trash during the week of Oct. 23 through 27. The free drop-off day for large items at the street department is Oct. 21.

•Set residential trick-or-treat hours in the city for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31. (Jay County Chamber of Commerce’s Merchant Trick-or-Treat will run from 5 to 7 p.m.)

•Heard a reminder that Portland City Hall is open while Meridian Street in the area is closed for the ongoing storm sewer project. Phillips noted that a drop box has been placed at the rear of the building to allow drop off of payments after hours. She also said  the paving that was done in the sound end of the project area will be smoothed out after the remaining work is complete.