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Residents, council clash over Portage Manor proceeds as council passes remainder of Bill 87-24 and tables item R
Summary
Public commenter urged proceeds from Portage Manor sales be used only for the manor; a council member cited $234,000 spent on off-duty officers and about $1,000,000 invested in building upgrades. The council voted to keep item R tabled and passed the remainder of Bill 87-24 by a 9–0 vote.
The Saint Joseph County Council wrestled with how to allocate proceeds tied to Portage Manor before approving most sections of Bill 87-24.
During the public hearing on Bill 87-24—an ordinance appropriating and transferring monies for multiple county departments—resident Christine Galvis said proceeds from items sold at Portage Manor should stay with the manor and be used only for its upkeep, not redirected to other projects. "Any money of Portage Manor should be used for the manor and stay with them," Galvis told the council as she opposed channeling proceeds to other proposals, including a proposed Miracle Field in Mishawaka.
Council members then debated item R (a $600,000 appropriation previously tabled). The petitioner requested the item remain on the table and the council voted to keep item R tabled and consider only items A through Q that evening.
In subsequent council discussion, a member criticized a press conference that publicized the sale proceeds and said the county had already spent $234,000 on off-duty police to secure a vacant building and had invested about $1,000,000 in boilers and other upgrades before closing the manor. That member said the timing and publicity of a proposed contribution for a community project seemed politicized. Other members said they did not oppose funding a Challenger Little League project in concept but objected to the way the proceeds were promoted.
After the exchange the council voted to pass the remainder of Bill 87-24 (items A–Q) by a 9 to 0 roll-call vote, leaving item R on the table for future consideration.
