City asked to pause demo process

Portland Board of Works was scheduled to meet Tuesday to potentially award a bid for the demolition of a downtown building.

Portland Redevelopment Commission is requesting that the process be paused.

CWC Latitudes consultant Ed Curtin, who assists the redevelopment commission, visited Portland City Council on Monday to ask that the city hold off on the demolition of the former Hunts building at 208 and 210 N. Meridian St. for at least a few months.

Curtin explained that his firm is working with the redevelopment commission to update its economic development plan for its tax increment financing (TIF) district, which includes the downtown area. As part of that process, they are identifying buildings that have potential for redevelopment. He said the structure being considered for demolition is among those on the list.

“That’s a building that probably has some opportunity.”

He requested that the city consider pausing the process toward demolishing the building to allow the redevelopment commission to complete its economic development plan update and determine if there is a way to maintain the 208/201 N. Meridian St. building and potentially increase its assessed value. The plan is expected to be complete in December.

“The concern that we have initially is that if the building comes down, that really is a non-conforming property,” said Curtin. “You can’t necessarily go build that same building back once it’s torn down.”

Council president Kent McClung, who was presiding over the meeting in the absence of Mayor John Boggs, told Curtin the decision is in the hands of the city’s board of works.

The board was scheduled to meet Tuesday to vote on awarding a contract for the demolition of the building. Clerk-treasurer Lori Phillips suggested that that redevelopment commission send a representative to the board of works meeting to reiterate the request to pause the process.

On Oct. 5, the board opened bids for the demolition for 208 and 210 N. Meridian St., with WEU Corporation of Portland bidding $150,000 and JAShroyer Group of Muncie bidding $249,000. (JAShroyer has been awarded the contract to tear down the Bailey Building at the southwest corner of Main and Commerce streets.)

The building was declared unsafe in August, at which point owner Juan Marentes had 30 days to tear down the building or otherwise mitigate its issues to make it safe before the city could take further action.

At previous meetings, John Hemmelgarn of Jay/Portland Building and Planning and city attorney Wes Schemenaur have expressed concern about the structure making it through the winter months. Portions of the west wall have already caved in and collapsed.

“The issue becomes, what’s the end game,” said Curtin. “So, once it’s down, what do we do with it.”

Also Monday, council members Janet Powers, Michele Brewster, Matt Goldsworthy, Mike Aker, Dave Golden and McClung, absent Don Gillespie, approved two tax abatements and sent two more requests to the city’s tax abatement advisory committee.

The abatements approved Monday were for Pioneer Warehousing and Fort Recovery Industries.

Pioneer Warehousing was approved for a five-year abatement on a $1.5 million expansion at 1600 N. Meridian St. It is expected to save the company $129,000 while the expansion will generate $321,000 in property taxes over 10 years.

Fort Recovery Industries was OK’d for an $850,000 investment on new equipment. It is expected to save the company about $22,000 while it will generate $67,000 in property taxes over a 10-year period.

Travis Richards, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, also presented a pair of tax abatement requests from Joyce-Dayton. The firm is planning a 25,000-square-foot expansion at a cost of nearly $6 million. It also plans to purchase $1.7 million in new equipment. The projects are expected to created 22 new jobs.

The expansion is eligible for a 10-year abatement that would save the company $823,000 in taxes. (It would generate $953,000 in taxes over a 10-year period.)

The new equipment is eligible for a three-year abatement that would save Joyce-Dayton $45,000 in taxes. (It would generate $135,000 in taxes over a 10-year period.)

Council sent Joyce-Dayton’s requests to the advisory committee for its review.

In other business, council:

•Received an update from park board president Brian Ison, who told members about recent upgrades to the parks such as a new pickleball court at Milton Miller Park and the lighting of the gazebo at Hudson Family Park. He also presented possible future projects, including new playground equipment at Haynes Park, expansion of the fenced in area around Portland Water Park and new restrooms at Milton Miller Park.

•Approved an ordinance requested by the park board that makes all fishing in the pond at Hudson Family Park catch-and-release only, with no nets allowed. Boats are also not allowed on the pond. The ordinance is in response to reports that individuals have been netting 20 to 30 fish at a time and taking them from the pond.

•Heard a request from Chad Fifer of Fifer Services that council look into the contracts being proposed for his purchase of the former Sheller-Globe south property at 510 S. Bridge St., Portland. Fifer said those involved — he and the city have both hired additional council to work through environmental issues related to the property — have struggled to come up with a fair agreement.

•On a 4-2 vote, asked city attorney Wes Schemenaur to draw up an ordinance to create a second part-time level for police officers in order to adjust the pay for the newly hired Kyle Denney. He returned to the department recently and was expecting to be paid as a full-time officer. But, because he was gone from the department for more than 180 days, he can not be considered full-time until he goes through a process related to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Portland Mayor John Boggs, who was not in attendance, and Police Chief Steve Schlechty requested the ordinance to adjust Denney’s pay to the full-time level. The motion to have Schemenaur draw up the ordinance passed 4-2, with Powers and Golden dissenting.

•Heard a request from Shawnda Roussey, center director for the Jay County Campus of Arts Place, to install stop signs at the intersection of two alleys west of the performing arts center because of safety concerns involving students walking from the parking lot to the building. She also asked that a pedestrian crossing sign be placed along the north-south alley. Council and others in attendance discussed various options, including the signs, speed bumps and making the alley one way. Council asked Schemenaur to draw up and ordinance for the spots signs and agreed to look into the situation.

•Heard from Phillips that ATVs and golf carts are continuing to drive on the new paved walking path along the east side of Blaine Pike. The path is not intended for motorized vehicles. She and council discussed the possibility of putting up signs, but made no decision on the issue.

•Got a reminder that citywide clean-up is scheduled for 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Residents may bring large trash items to the street department building to be disposed of free of charge. Residents need to bring a copy of their water bill. (The city’s alley clean-up is scheduled for next week.)

•Heard information regarding the county's owner-occupied rehabilitation program. The program is being funded with the $1 million the county is receiving through Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs for being a part of the state's Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) that assisted with planning for how to spend federal coronavirus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act. Kimball said the county is still working on getting approval for its application process from the state. (Kimball also provided information about grants for which the city could potential apply.)