Board endorses utility partnership with Chesterton

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Board of Commissioners voted 2 to 1 Tuesday to endorse teaming up with Chesterton to extend utilities south along Ind. 49 for development expected as a result of a new hospital at U.S. 6.

County Council members will consider final approval of the partnership and a funding plan when the proposal is presented March 27.

Chesterton Town Councilman Jeff Trout, who unveiled the proposal during a joint commissioner and council meeting in November, presented an update Tuesday. The plan seeks $900,000 from the county to install water, sanitary sewer and fiber optic lines to a point near County Road 900 North.

The county would be on its own in extending the lines further south from that point, he said. He presented a proposal to extend the lines along the east side of Ind. 49 to serve that area to just south of U.S. 6.

The proposed sewer line would not be serving the new hospital at the northwest corner of Ind. 49 and U.S. 6. The hospital has opted to use a nearby conservancy district.

In response to concerns the project is jumping the gun on the recently created county board focusing on job creation and development, Trout said infrastructure needs to be in place for interested companies.

"Without utilities, the jobs don't come, can't come," he said.

Driving home the potential benefit to the county, Trout said Chesterton has already welcomed two health-care related developments and 180 new jobs resulting from the new hospital. One of those developers wanted to located closer to the hospital, but the infrastructure is not in place, he said.

The proposed partnership would benefit the town by adding new sanitary sewer customers, he said.

Porter County Commissioner President John Evans, R-North, said he believes the county should assist municipalities and called on the County Council to host a public hearing.

He has said the project can be funded either with revenues from the local income tax or with interest money generated by the 2007 sale of the county hospital.

County Commissioner Carole Knoblock, D-South, said she cast the lone vote of opposition because of the cost of the project and concern it will fuel the use of a tax increment finance districts.