Munster this week reactivated a board in order to deal with multiple code violations at a residence in the 8000 block of Beech Avenue.
The Unsafe Buildings Board had no appointed members for a number of years, but on Monday, two members of the Board of Zoning Appeals and a non-town council member of the Plan Commission were asked to reconstitute it and take action against the homeowner. The board can compel an owner to demolish a building and if that is not done, authority for demolition can be given to the town.
In other business, the town council approved a $144,291 bid, with trade-in, from Rush Trucking Center of Gary for the purchase of a new dump truck and plow for the Public Works Department.
Town officials also announced their intent to openly oppose vehicle emissions testing in Lake County. Council President John Reed said Lake is one of only two Indiana counties where emissions testing is required by state law, with exemptions for large trucks.
He said the testing creates a financial hardship on people who are forced to make costly repairs when they fail, and he questioned the integrity of the testing.
“If your vehicle’s ‘check engine’ light is on, you’re not going to pass,” Reed said. “But does that really mean the emissions are bad?”
The council changed its next meeting to Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m., to avoid conflicting with the Labor Day holiday.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.