[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6099835,"mediaKeyId","2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080","parentId",2815830,"title","Votes at a glance: council approves ordinances, purchases, bid for wells and several other items","audioSeconds",743,"startMs",1354000,"endMs",2097000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080&start=1354&end=2097","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080/thumbnail_1354000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099835/Indiana/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-ordinances-purchases-bid-for-wells-and-several-other-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099835-7af2a5a71c24731987802520206a48a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096096&Signature=DwJ1u8kagg1wFV55meL4qjbES-uuRw7MBD68LWLfwMfh5KR5EJGj-gDeeuILljrKrhNgAdcuWkU28EjUlIbDubdCbfIXjgKd0yclwxlaz3BkEdSEaCBSWvjCUVh1s~FUVgc3SUxdnb0t-aNgxwDGrCaReVMaylj95mhZpBt8F4jRPZ6SVdFZB6A5mtsEQiM2BSbUuaO4gwyqVaDm1GHgG87EBs6VXSVjCaFYx4rLlH4KLGan5vY06AmPalKdOpgPa7dPGCHrWBIP0T~~sjbl9EyZkl8NMITDrQWI4pXa3Xj~XWpcxCGIz-MfHsbw~wOG4z9~ynVaquByoqARv7Shew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town Council of St John IN","date","2025-03-27T14:43:37Z","article","The St John Town Council voted on multiple ordinances, purchase requests, contracts and a construction bid at its March 26 meeting. Several items were approved unanimously (motion carries 4 to 0 where recorded); others were deferred for further discussion or executive session.

Key votes and actions

- Purchase requests: The council approved six purchase requests totaling $81,429.93. The items named in the motion included street lighting from Boondre Electric ($5,366.43), water meters from Ferguson Water Works ($5,951), two bronze plaques from Premier Trophies, police vests from Ray O'Haron ($9,680), and LED street lighting work for several subdivisions ($33,195 and $22,337.50). The motion passed (recorded tally: 4–0).

- Accounts payable voucher: The council approved accounts payable vouchers dated 03/26/2025 totaling $1,736,927.61 for payroll, supplies, services and equipment. Motion carried 4–0.

- Ordinances (second reading and approvals): The council approved a series of ordinances on second reading with recorded votes of 4–0 unless noted:
• Ordinance 18‑58 — Amending Salary Ordinance 18‑42 to establish the 2025 wages/salaries and benefits; council members were told this includes adding IT personnel and seasonal camp counselors. (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑59 — Amending the subdivision control ordinance (Article 6) regarding stormwater drainage to correct published links and scrivener errors. (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑60 — Amending Town Code Section 2‑152 on Emergency Medical Services rates and fees. The presenter said the correct amount submitted to the state should be $1,250 (correcting an earlier $2.50 filing). (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑61 — Updating vendor agreements and vendor fees for town events. (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑62 — Increasing the customer deposit fee for water service (largely to deter walk‑offs); staff said the change raises deposits for renters while not changing required deposits for homeowners. (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑63 — Rezoning for the Heartland Park expansion site (a zoning change from R‑2 to Public for property on White Oak Avenue and Ninth Avenue). (Passed 4–0)
• Ordinance 18‑64 — Authorizing the town to issue one or more series of economic development revenue bonds for a commercial project in Economic Development Area 1 (related to the Jewel development) and approving related actions; council confirmed the bonds apply only to that allocation area. (Passed 4–0)

- Use variation (outdoor dining): The council approved a use variation to allow outdoor dining for Arcadia at 10081 Wicker Avenue. (Passed 4–0)

- Agreement/contract actions:
• The council approved an agreement with Baker Tilly for arbitrage services. (Passed 4–0)
• An agreement with Harris Law Firm PC regarding the Police Commission was deferred pending an executive session with the town attorney and the police commission president. (Deferred 4–0 in favor of executive session)
• A separate item for scribe equipment (minutes transcription equipment) was deferred to the next meeting to allow staff to add needed language. (Deferred 4–0)

- Vendor fee reduction for special event: The council approved reducing the vendor fee for Daily Grind from $100 to $50 for the town’s all‑day Easter egg hunt event at the Park Department’s request. (Passed 4–0)

- Construction bid: The council accepted Grimmer Construction’s bid for construction of Wells 8 and 9, not to exceed $3,131,000. The motion passed 4–0.

- Minutes: The council approved the March 12, 2025 minutes with a requested correction to the recorded motion text; the motion to approve as amended carried 4–0.

Several motions were moved and seconded during the meeting; where the transcript identifies a mover or seconder that name was recorded, but many motions in the transcript were introduced generically and the recorded vote result (often “motion carries 4 to 0”) is used here. No ordinance readings failed, and multiple items were deferred for additional language or an executive session as noted above.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Council Meeting March 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 26 meeting the St John Town Council approved a slate of ordinances, purchase requests and a construction bid; it also approved accounts payable, deferred several items for further review and approved a Baker Tilly contract for arbitrage services.","taxTitle","St John Town, Lake County, Indiana","taxId",52278,"location","Indiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099840,"St. John firefighters honored for March 14 house‑explosion response",349,383000,732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080&start=383&end=732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080/thumbnail_383000.jpg","/articles/6099840/Indiana/St-John-firefighters-honored-for-March-14-houseexplosion-response","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099840-2bf1586c1a4056cdd9c989ad3500a7f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096096&Signature=eppwPRgH05Cmi1mw2cl06V009azEgHMLQj3gltN~-f5KhRxvCI3m3f2HQxfnKPtkUTYWSwNIqB7PzuO4xf0v5PMqJmCbA5zmMKy9HHwP8p0UwT9rtpdxBa1YS0F8g6PZqnH4YmD1U~s55zreNSYzo9cF8AJ0~BYpSNrg3KJlT4btOJK7NcCuAL-pwbW8BOvFJqBqP8o-If75Wg3fNB0~eSCy6e01f39hWgcmNflDd4KaEnUNrGx2SZAwvsGGGPR7w3IJm8XAZqu5jl0w-kJXes1RdcS5nYRg7F73RKK18rvvdWM5uI-xvPTTH6NtiU6A2BiLYyEJXEQ02qeOvJY4xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Council on March 26 recognized three members of the St. John Fire Department for their actions on March 14 at a house fire that involved explosions and hazardous materials in Lowell, the town’s fire chief said.

Chief Adams (St. John Fire Department) read a letter from Christopher Gamblin, fire chief of the Lowell Fire Department, which described a working house fire that originated from an explosion and involved chemicals at the property. The Lowell letter said multiple explosions continued during the incident, threatening people on scene and motorists on the nearby highway. Gamblin’s letter thanked the St. John engine crew for helping establish hose lines and protect emergency medical personnel treating the injured; he asked that the Saint John crew be formally acknowledged for their professionalism.

Chief Adams told the council the scene required specialized response: the Porter County Bomb Squad and the ATF responded and the incident was being investigated. Adams said that, in his experience dating to 1995, this was an unusually hazardous scene and that the three crew members’ efforts contributed to gaining control of the fire and eliminating further explosion risk.

Lieutenant Zach Strubiak, Firefighter‑Paramedic Matt Eastal and Firefighter‑EMT Zach Ritt were brought forward and presented meritorious‑conduct awards and accompanying commendation bars by the St. John Fire Department. The council and attendees took photographs; no formal council vote was required for the recognition.

Chief Gamblin’s letter closed by calling the departments a “fire family” and expressing appreciation for the St. John crew’s actions that night.","The St. John Fire Department presented meritorious‑conduct awards to three crew members who responded to a March 14 house fire that involved explosions; the Lowell Fire Chief sent a letter praising the crew’s actions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099844,"Council receives TIF management report showing $1.1 million collected in 2024",242,91000,333000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080&start=91&end=333","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2815830-633ef50c14d715988e4ded60dff08080/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6099844/Indiana/Council-receives-TIF-management-report-showing-11-million-collected-in-2024","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099844-d4867fef5840670b1f38b724a6a397a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096096&Signature=ExN019lRG2k--S7nxrJV4j58ctLxka8pV9aaN0VVMdiFIj6zKVtzmfaw96lgp0yq05XbyhsIhcgO8enyivXJNEYRCm3EkUov8fVgniX5ZmUTfjN-I~47n21Xkoyu6Gqdqa8zHBuOXQcYeJnID5ThvkXFrEEj2QiPesR8YL8bzabQfCbMefjnX1fNFr1RiIeRT47Dvaietta~wxJBs387XqL8S7d5B6fB0OXZFKTuKM9vdI64NBSqmylGXGnFfvgqz-C48RM2fhMiwo3T6gc6ci4PPxHTuhyY~00qtd7VYsqdXhX7GEFWAKM4z975zD1Gs~VM~8nZFz3XRLyjJqxMeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Greg Balsano, a consultant from Baker Tilly, presented the Town of St John’s annual Tax Increment Financing (TIF) management report on March 26 and told the Town Council it is an informational filing required by the Department of Local Government Finance due April 15.

Balsano said the report covers taxes payable 2024 and summarized allocations for the town’s redevelopment areas. For 2024 the report showed the TIF funds collected just over $1,100,000 in revenue and recorded about $940,000 in expenses. One large line item was a $584,700 payment on the 2018 redevelopment district bonds, Balsano said. He also reviewed the end‑of‑year fund balances as of Dec. 31, 2024 and the list of outstanding bonds that will begin additional payments in coming years.

Balsano explained that TIF captures the incremental assessed value on properties inside redevelopment allocation areas (the difference between current assessed value and the base assessed value when the area was created) and that the captured revenue is used to finance infrastructure and incentives that support economic development in those areas. He noted three new allocation areas were created in January 2025; the report presented to council covered the parcels and values in effect for taxes payable 2024 and therefore does not yet reflect the January 2025 changes.

Balsano said a PDF with the parcel list and assessed value data for each allocation area for taxes payable 2024 will be uploaded to the YALG S site (the file name and location were identified in the presentation) and that no council action was required because this presents prior‑year information that the Redevelopment Commission must file with the state.

Town staff and council members had no additional questions beyond clarifying that the report shows the prior year (payable 2024) figures and therefore does not yet reflect the pruning changes made for payable 2025.","Consultant Greg Balsano presented the annual TIF management report to the St John Town Council; the report, informational only, summarized 2024 revenues, expenses, outstanding bonds and parcel data for the town’s redevelopment allocation areas.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: council approves ordinances, purchases, bid for wells and several other items

St. John firefighters honored for March 14 house‑explosion response

Council receives TIF management report showing $1.1 million collected in 2024