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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Environment - More on the Pines transfer station

The Michigan City News-Dispatch is reporting, in a story headlined "City Council supports appeal against IDEM":

Michigan City might assist Pines and Beverly Shores against the waste-transfer station.

The City Council agreed Tuesday night it would like to financially assist Pines and Beverly Shores in appealing a waste-transfer station on County Line Road. Now, that decision of whether to give any money rests with Mayor Chuck Oberlie. * * *

Lungren asked the council earlier this month to put some $7,200 not paid to council attorney Tom Alevizos toward the case, but Alevizos asked to put the move on hold while he researched the legality of the move.

On Tuesday, he said the council could pass the resolution showing support for the move, but added Oberlie is in charge of requesting appropriations. The money wouldn't come from the council's attorney fund, but from the city's general fund.

If money isn't used, it goes back into the general fund.

Alevizos said the council can't donate taxpayers money to a private organization, according to state law. To do so, the city would have to become part of the suit.

“Law states you can't donate to a private organization, so by doing this, you're asking to be a partner,” he said. “It would be contractual, then, because the city would have a stake in the suit.”

The two Porter County towns are appealing a November ruling from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management granting Great Lakes Transfer LLC a permit to build the facility on County Line Road. * * *

Representatives from Pines and Beverly Shores lobbied council members to pass the resolution.

“When you look at us, we become one community,” Pines Town Council Vice President Cathi Murray said. “Our kids go to Michigan City Area Schools, we shop in Michigan City, our kids play on the same teams. We are one community.”

[For more on the suit, enter "Pines" in the search box in the right column.]

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 18, 2006 04:34 PM
Posted to Environment