Porter County’s nascent stormwater program will have a budget of just under $3.4 million for this year and a staff of six or seven people.
The county’s stormwater board, comprised of the Board of Commissioners and Surveyor Kevin Breitzke, met Tuesday to lay the groundwork for the new program, which will tackle drainage projects throughout unincorporated parts of the county and be funded through a new stormwater management fee.
Bob Thompson, the county’s director of development and storm water management, said three of the staff for the stormwater program are current county employees who would split their time between planning and stormwater duties; he is one of those three people.
The stormwater management program will be self-sufficient and not rely on the county’s general fund, said County Attorney Scott McClure. The storm water fee is expected to bring in around $3 million a year.
Thompson said he expects fairly large capital outlays this year for equipment to get the program going and McClure said he expects the budget to remain about the same for next year, though funds will most likely shift around from equipment expenses to drainage projects.
Assuming the County Council approves a $500,000 loan from hospital interest funds at their Feb. 23 meeting already approved by commissioners, the program will be able to begin hiring the necessary staff.
Commissioner Jeff Good, R-Center, who is president of the stormwater board, said he would like that staff to be in place by mid-April.
That staff, which includes an engineering director and a project manager, will allow the program to do many of its project in-house instead of contracting them out and keep its consulting budget in line, McClure said.
“I think this is a way to address that,” he said.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
