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Porter County board approves Homer contract to finish storm grinding and authorizes $161,311.20 payment
Summary
After severe storms, the board accepted a Homer Services grinding bid to clear storm debris at affected compost sites and approved a $161,311.20 payment for Valparaiso grinding and hauling; staff said final storm invoices for other sites are still being calculated.
Board members moved to accept a Homer Services bid to complete grinding work after a large June storm that generated substantial debris across Porter County.
Staff described the sequence: Homer cleared Boone Grove on June 11 and the contractor agreed to return to Portage and Chesterton as weather and contracts allowed. The staff member said the Boone Grove bid was priced per hour plus a $525 per-load hauling charge and asked the board to approve Homer’s storm quote so the company could resume work.
After discussion, the board approved the Homer storm bid by voice vote. Staff then asked for approval of a payment to Homer of $161,311.20 for Valparaiso site grinding and hauling; staff said the figure reflected the district’s share after applying dividing rules and a $40,000 district supplement. “I am requesting a total payment of $161,311.20 to Homer,” the staff member said. The board voted to approve the payment by voice vote.
Staff cautioned total costs for other storm-affected locations were still being finalized; early invoices suggested an initial bill of about $38,965 for one site and a further estimated $30,000–$40,000 in additional hours. The staff member said the district typically allocates about $300,000 for grinding annually and would transfer savings from other line items to cover overages if needed.
Next steps: staff will finalize storm cost divisions by municipality, submit remaining invoices for approval and continue coordinating with Homer to complete remaining grinding and hauling work.
