UPDATE: County official to Portage: Joint building project is 'dead' idea
NWI Times
September 06, 2017
PORTAGE — The idea of a joint county/city building in Portage is dead, according to one Porter County official.
"It is dead. It would have never worked anyway," Porter County Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center, said Wednesday morning after learning city officials here are trying to resurrect an effort to construct a new city/county building in Portage's downtown.
At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Portage officials attempted to revive the idea, including having a consultant report on a recently completed cost/benefit analysis that concluded the project would be a good financial move by both the city and county.
City Council President Mark Oprisko, D-at-large, said Tuesday night the two sides have to get past "internal bickering" and do what's best for the residents.
He also said he had set up a meeting with Good next week.
Good said Wednesday morning that isn't true. He talked to Oprisko "for a few seconds" recently, but never set up a meeting.
He also disputed the accuracy of the report.
"The study was tainted. SEH never contacted us. They never got numbers from us," said Good. The property where the city would like the new building constructed is also not adequate for the county's needs, he said.
The idea of a joint building was dashed for good about two weeks ago when the county commissioners and County Council initiated a multimillion-dollar bond issue which would include money to renovate the North Porter County Annex on Willowcreek Road south of U.S. 6.
"The county made a decision to do their own thing. It has nothing to do with politics," said Good.
"We plead with the county to put aside all political, personal differences and think of all the citizens," said Andy Maletta, the city's economic development director, at Tuesday's meeting.
Maletta said the city's plan to construct a building on five acres between the city's police and fire stations on Central Avenue would save the county money in the long run by sharing services with the city. He also said the location would drive traffic to the city's newly developed downtown and that the location would not only better serve residents of Portage, but Chesterton, Porter and Burns Harbor as well.
Dan Botich, senior economic development professional of SEH, presented the cost-benefits analysis Tuesday night. The analysis looked at three scenarios, including renovating the county and city building, each entity constructing separate new buildings and entering the joint venture.
"It determines if the investment is sound, feasible and justified. It does not take into account the political decisions," said Botich.
The analysis determined it would be cost beneficial to the county to enter the joint project by spending less than the projected $10 million to renovate the present building.
However, said Botich, more importantly, it would open up the 13 acres on Willowcreek Road, the city hall site and surrounding area to additional development opportunities, spurring economic development and bringing more tax dollars into both the county and city.
The city has pledged a $9 million to $12 million investment, including purchasing the present county building, donating the five-acre site, constructing a parking garage and committing $5 million for construction of the new building.
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