[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6258483,"mediaKeyId","3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6","parentId",3148208,"title","Porter County commissioners approve paving contracts, pay apps and appropriations; create new fund for marine patrol","audioSeconds",1383,"startMs",135000,"endMs",1518000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6&start=135&end=1518","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6/thumbnail_135000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6258483/Porter-County/Indiana/Porter-County-commissioners-approve-paving-contracts-pay-apps-and-appropriations-create-new-fund-for-marine-patrol","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258483-6650d093a8953ff09b8bb6c00e3f0d3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903509&Signature=W5r5FL40FxSbPMWuKfWLWYfxGIwV9c-TZ71uM78lMVoWjK9cCZ6pT8LuEsszeI~87uqsIx70IVo8FZymYRLGKYllJsMATp9y18xYTLEstRaHyi2rnrDsc0CIJ~znYvgZrF42UBy~et3M~dLNEuIMzcKt~NbgXdfDDqtEwBB7KkppbYFT3AF9ANJI8zG7N6nwPVA4f9yYwlC9p1xpTvk49u-MuOm7Z5wZBr~z3f7laawG6yqfi2SEc0SMDkJU2MLbSFZHw7MX4fkOrA1GgHBTe0lSI1z6lNdiZH0FCxC3Fw60juD553-xa4nWFVoN9rkCr7IQXKRF~gSz8~GmUdrWvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Porter County IN","date","2025-04-28T14:58:46Z","article","VALPARAISO, Ind. — The Porter County Board of Commissioners on a busy April agenda approved a slate of construction pay applications and change orders, accepted highway paving bids to be awarded by location to the lowest responsible bidder, approved several interfund transfers and additional appropriations tied to the county's annual paving work, and gave first reading to an ordinance establishing a nonreverting fund to accept a state grant the sheriff's office will use for marine patrol overtime.

The approvals came during a meeting in which commissioners took multiple routine finance and facilities items under advisement and moved ahead with a multi-site highway procurement plan and several building and maintenance contracts.

Commissioners voted to accept the set of highway paving bids received by the auditor's office and to award individual projects to the lowest bidder for each location. The firms named in meeting discussion included Asphalt Materials Inc., Bitmap Products Inc., Reath Riley Construction, Milestone Contractors LP, Central Paving and Pavement Solutions; commissioners said the low-bidder approach will determine awards by project and location.

Among construction and facilities actions, commissioners approved pay applications and change orders including:
- Corilis/Corollis (roofing) pay application No. 7 for $187,894.75 (motion approved),
- Gary Construction payout: $320,900.50; Bloomfield Mechanical payout No. 3: $9,489.07; Circle A.M. Mechanical payout No. 7: $22,939.65; Circle A.M. Electric payout No. 3: $28,203.65 (all approved together),
- Bergman Construction change order No. 8, closet light, $999.90 (approved),
- Bergman Construction change order No. 11 for data drops (amount described in meeting; approved),
- Burgwin Construction payout No. 8: $142,511.93 (approved),
- Bergman Construction change order No. 9 (conference room lighting) $6,071.62 (approved),
- Steuer Septic Systems repair for Hebron highway department septic mound: $13,500 (approved),
- Exterior window restoration at the Admin Building: $7,495 (approved),
- Exterior brick and EIFS cleaning at the juvenile detention center: $9,366 (approved).

On budgets and grants, commissioners approved advertisement of the county's CCMG paving contract (federal/state grant supported routine roadwork) and approved a series of interfund transfers and additional appropriations to supply local matches for the CCMG projects. The board authorized these interfund transfers and appropriations, read into the record as: Fund 4921 Foundation holding account transfer $6,100; interfund transfer $850,000; additional appropriation Fund 1112 (account 6100) $650,000; additional appropriation Fund 1112 (lit account 6100) $200,000; additional appropriation Fund 1173 MBH (account 2362) $200,000. The board also approved a $50,000 additional appropriation (Fund 1176 MBH account 2362) to buy cold patch material for roads.

On project-specific approvals the board approved the reimbursemement contract with INDOT (contract No. 1703009) for an unofficial detour reimbursement (topic was described as a formality to reflect DEI/anti-discrimination clause updates) and approved the design plan for the Bremer Road small-structure replacement (Little Calumet River structure R19) with HWC Engineering; presenters said the project is 100% locally funded and will go out for bid with returns due at an April meeting.

The board also heard and approved a citizen appointment: Debbie Gunn was appointed to the newly created Enactment Services Committee; Gunn was introduced in the meeting as a director of the county dispatch/911 system.

On a separate procedural item, commissioners held the first reading of an ordinance to establish a nonreverting fund to accept DNR grant funds to the sheriff's office to cover overtime for Marine Patrol work on Lake Michigan. The chair opened and closed the required public meeting with no public comment and moved the ordinance on first reading; the board noted a second reading is required before the ordinance becomes final.

The meeting included a number of routine approvals on county building and facilities maintenance and several smaller contract awards for voting equipment access control pending insurance approval, pay applications for courthouse renovation work and other maintenance items.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (payroll and claims approvals) — approved (voice vote).
- Appointment: Debbie Gunn to Enactment Services Committee — approved (voice vote).
- Ordinance establishing nonreverting fund for insurance proceeds to restore buildings (second reading noted) — approved (voice vote).
- Ordinance establishing nonreverting fund for Marine Patrol Assistance Program (first reading; public meeting held, no speakers) — motion approved on first reading; second reading pending.
- Acceptance of paving bids and authorization to award by lowest bidder per project/location — approved (voice vote).
- Corollis Roofing pay application No. 7 — approved ($187,894.75).
- Highway pay applications (Gary Construction, Bloomfield Mechanical, Circle A.M. Mechanical, Circle A.M. Electric) — approved (amounts in meeting record).
- Bergman Construction change orders (multiple) — approved (amounts in meeting record).
- Burgwin Construction payout No. 8 — approved ($142,511.93).
- Steuer Septic Systems Hebron mound repair — approved ($13,500).
- Exterior windows Admin Building restoration — approved ($7,495).
- Exterior brick and EIFS cleaning at juvenile detention center — approved ($9,366).
- Advertise CCMG paving contract bids — approved.
- INDOT reimbursement contract No. 1703009 — approved.
- Approve interfund transfers/additional appropriations to support CCMG matching funds — approved (dollar amounts read into record).
- Additional appropriation for cold patch (Fund 1176 MBH account 2362) — approved ($50,000).
- Design plan approval for Bremer Road small-structure replacement (HWC Engineering) — approved (motion; project described as 100% local funding).

What it means
The approvals advance multiple road and building projects already in the county capital program and provide local matching money to ensure state/federal paving grant projects (CCMG) can proceed. The county also opened a fund to accept a DNR grant for Marine Patrol overtime; commissioners held the required public hearing and moved the ordinance forward on first reading. Several routine construction pay applications and small change orders were approved. The board did not take final action on zoning or the larger Willow Creek/data-center matter during this session.

Ending
Commissioners scheduled further action — including a second reading for the Marine Patrol fund ordinance and bid openings — at forthcoming meetings; several presenters said packages and bids will be available in the auditor's office for public review before the next session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners - April 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","VALPARAISO, Ind. — The Porter County Board of Commissioners on a busy April agenda approved a slate of construction pay applications and change orders, accepted highway paving bids to be awarded by location to the lowest responsible bidder, approved several interfund transfers and additional appropriations tied to the county's annual paving program, and gave first reading to an ordinance establishing a nonreverting fund to accept a state grant the sheriff's office will use for marine patrol overtime.","taxTitle","Porter County, Indiana","taxId",12891,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6258472,"Porter County health board funds community reentry, YMCA wellness programs and a new county resource portal; community groups present updates",740,7204000,7944000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6&start=7204&end=7944","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6/thumbnail_7204000.jpg","/articles/6258472/Porter-County/Indiana/Porter-County-health-board-funds-community-reentry-YMCA-wellness-programs-and-a-new-county-resource-portal-community-groups-present-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258472-c01b131ed2542b367537859b28921c33/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903509&Signature=aoQ7jGicvLojMe1gFS11JY5IA8VHbywOq292ebsieZK-Jcw2XzPwtovmuVrpRCptTt~YttSgS~p~m4~~Bq47UTi~FsMpfhIUno-BOFURWGq1~OSy8LF5buegj0CfkKqhrRpGg-0dtPUtf0hleM6KKyoyubvx0uUXD5ON1gqwGFj5ZyhJ0aOasSSd4owG1kemiNXJkES7i0vMxMrMQdUJW4R7VRF62hH25lyJ4QS0hf-T8IzDtwOlxgHG~g67SEy0FA~G8rGb3~vTi4J-s8aq1KTLlUzjWabd5nqW0T1ia~TR2M7PtdXqo1mQzILVSyV6VpI5pLNM3G8b2WZsKUQMvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","VALPARAISO, Ind. — At a concurrent Porter County public-health meeting, the county health board approved multiple Healthy Families Initiative grants to local YMCA organizations to expand fitness, chronic-disease prevention and family wellness programming, heard a detailed presentation from the Community Change Center on reentry services and second-chance employment, and reviewed progress on the county's \"Find Help\" resource portal.

The board approved a Valparaiso YMCA proposal to deliver mobile fitness classes and community wellness programming in rural parts of Porter County, including Hebron and Kouts, with funding requested for instructor compensation, mobile fitness equipment and targeted marketing to reach underserved residents. Commissioners and health directors discussed the project's intended June-to-December start and an outreach plan that includes library partnerships and targeted postcards to households.

The Portage YMCA also received HFI approval to continue and expand chronic-disease screening and prevention work including blood-pressure self-monitoring seminars, diabetes prevention and family-based healthy-weight programs; the Portage YMCA said its outreach last year touched an estimated 32,000 people through screenings, employer engagements and media campaigns and that it hopes to expand blood-pressure and family programming in coming months.

The board also approved funding for Strength & Stillness, a program offering yoga and breath-work classes tailored to first responders and the reentry/recovery communities. Presenters cited peer-reviewed and departmental data showing yoga can improve flexibility, reduce anxiety and reduce injury and use-of-force incidents among officers when adopted as regular practice. The program was approved with a plan to run an initial period (the board discussed 6-month and 12-month options) and to evaluate sustainability options including state training-center partnerships and Medicaid-billable services for reentry clients.

Community Change Center presentation
Sam (Demetrius) and Megan Judy of the Community Change Center presented a multi-component reentry plan funded in part by the health board. They said the county-funded position has delivered immediate case management and created programs including \"Set for Success\" workforce-readiness curriculum, a neighborhood mentorship pilot pairing justice-involved mentors with young adults, and a food truck employment pilot (launch event scheduled April 26) that will act as a social-enterprise training ground for hiring returning citizens.

\"In the first two months of my employment with Sam I have hit the ground running,\" Megan told the board; she said the center is operating walk-in reentry hours, had seven ongoing clients and nearly 40 service contacts in a single month and is building employer relationships for second-chance hiring.

Find Help portal and resource updates
Health department staff and partners reported usage growth on the county's Find Help portal: 2024 had over 3,000 distinct users and the first three months of 2025 showed nearly double the traffic in county searches versus the same period last year. Board members discussed next steps to increase visibility (email signatures, public kiosks, library placements and posters in emergency departments) and requested quarterly update metrics. Staff said they are preparing a promotional campaign and additional materials including window clings and signage for partner agencies.

Ending
Board members asked staff to continue monitoring program results and to report back on early metrics; board approval of the HFI grants means the YMCAs and Community Change Center may begin program launches and outreach steps identified during the meeting.","VALPARAISO, Ind. — The Porter County Board of Health on Tuesday approved Healthy Families Initiative grants to the Valparaiso and Portage YMCAs to expand community wellness and chronic-disease prevention programming, approved a Strength & Stillness yoga and breath-work program targeted to first responders and reentry populations, and heard a progress report from the Community Change Center on reentry services and a social-enterprise food-truck pilot.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6258477,"Hundreds of residents press commissioners over proposed data center near Wheeler schools; speakers request pause and independent studies",347,2377000,2724000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6&start=2377&end=2724","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3148208-a5423db11f95c49788d383079446e4b6/thumbnail_2377000.jpg","/articles/6258477/Porter-County/Indiana/Hundreds-of-residents-press-commissioners-over-proposed-data-center-near-Wheeler-schools-speakers-request-pause-and-independent-studies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258477-25ffd39a24cf6fc84545472867155bdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903509&Signature=dPcw~oGlwJFluMwAnyFojwXDKDiT-ZNhtEv3J9dVeXxy4tLckTpC0DskZQOCNe8mp9aoIQB-9NhsKgxxNR4~2tuacUsDN3WZd~IbA59rptVdc4s0j4YPTDtZwVL7eTO2Yh3~~Ytgv1fGeI3uX--RnS32mu84T3cmhXVdE1lwdB0BdE8IC7R5Z-CPtfmMY1uCuGDMbbVwRUiRpeIEqIWcvaVQfpL1OULXZjcFQaOm7Vndcpfbkmn3i2qqwQYPQfZysvK0KeHhtz6POglTG11jklo3BlD0mdPuhUHU3jA3ERMKRVeIHAGwPwO78Pfl-Z6T0SWDVgvJUmpvJLPGIt3pRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","VALPARAISO, Ind. — Dozens of residents from Union Township and neighboring areas packed a commissioners' meeting to oppose a proposed data-center development and related Willow Creek Road extension that would place large-scale data infrastructure near Wheeler-area schools and residential neighborhoods.

Speakers raised environmental and health concerns, requested an immediate pause on rezoning or infrastructure work tied to the proposal, and asked the board for independent environmental and fiscal impact studies and full public disclosure of developer ties.

\"Why in in the world would I ask to do that? Out of respect, I'm asking you to do the thing. Why would we put an industrial area immediately adjacent to a school?\" said a Union Township resident who identified himself as representing the Union Township School Corporation and who said he was speaking on behalf of the district's concerns about tax base and student safety. (Transcript: public comment segment.)

Several parents and residents said they worry about noise, light and vibration from a hyperscale data center, water use for cooling, and long-term local economic and property-value effects. \"This project is not going to bring money. It's going to hurt us. Our children is everything to us,\" said Sandy Hill, who said she lives at 650 North near the proposed footprint.

Other speakers told commissioners they had researched industrial-scale data centers elsewhere and described 24/7 operational noise, heavy on-site equipment and large diesel generators during construction and backup-power events. A resident who said he works near an existing hyperscaler on Route 2 described the site as \"a disaster\" and said it \"glows at night\" and brings heavy truck and crane traffic.

Residents asked the county to require:
- An independent environmental impact study and an independent fiscal impact analysis,
- A community oversight board with Union Township representation,
- Full disclosure of campaign and developer contributions and potential conflicts of interest,
- A pause on rezoning or road-building until studies and public review are complete.

Several speakers emphasized proximity to schools: about 1,100 students attend the affected district, they said, and they described concerns that new industrial uses and 24/7 noise could reduce enrollment and damage children's health. \"We are not against progress,\" said David Bolo, a Union Township resident. \"I believe the perceived economic benefit as proposed by BlackRock will not override the negative impact on the quality of life for Union Township residents.\"

Commissioners responded in public remarks that state law requires county officials to accept and process land-use applications and to hold required hearings for applicants. One commissioner told the crowd: \"We are not the bad guy here. We're what we're doing is managing your government. They have come into the county and asked to be heard. By state law, we must hear the case.\" He urged residents to use the formal public-review and planning process while continuing to raise concerns.

Other residents urged faster action by commissioners to make clear positions on data centers near homes and schools. Some speakers said they had gathered petitions opposing the site: one speaker said she collected 1,500 signatures in a single day, with many addresses inside nearby ZIP codes.

What the county said
Commissioners noted they have limited discretion to halt an application outside the planning and rezoning process; they told residents the board will follow required legal process and hearings, that they hear the concerns raised and that they would rely on the planning commission and public-comment opportunities for further fact-finding.

Next steps
Several speakers said they would press the planning commission and related county bodies for a formal pause and for independent studies. Commissioners said developers must still file permit and rezoning documents and that the planning process will be the venue for technical reviews. No final rezoning or permitting action was taken at the meeting.

Ending
Residents left the meeting with no immediate county moratorium; many said they planned to attend upcoming planning commission hearings and seek independent environmental and fiscal reviews. Commissioners said they will follow statutory procedures and that public comment and planning hearings remain the appropriate technical forums to evaluate the proposal.
","VALPARAISO, Ind. — Dozens of Union Township residents pressed Porter County officials at a public meeting, asking the county to pause work tied to a proposed data center and the Willow Creek Road extension and to require independent environmental and fiscal studies before any rezoning or infrastructure work proceeds.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Porter County commissioners approve paving contracts, pay apps and appropriations; create new fund for marine patrol

Porter County health board funds community reentry, YMCA wellness programs and a new county resource portal; community groups present updates

Hundreds of residents press commissioners over proposed data center near Wheeler schools; speakers request pause and independent studies