Chesterton awards contract for Town Hall to firm that built police station
The construction firm that built Chesterton's police station will be the contractor for the remodeling of the Town Hall and fire station.
Chesterton's Town Council Monday awarded the contract to Larson-Danielson Construction of LaPorte for $3,370,500 after the company was found to have the lowest and best bid out of four construction firms that submitted proposals. Larson-Danielson last year built the police station across the street at 8th and Broadway.
Town Council members said they were happy with the bids, which came in under an expected $4 million price. The scope of the project grew because of a decision that more remodeling work needed to be done with the fire station.
The updating of the Town Hall will improve its acoustics and aesthetics along with upgrading the technology.
The Town Hall's interior will be reconfigured so the dais will be moved to the north side. The window on the east side of the building will be removed as part of an effort to lessen the noise from passing trains. New bathrooms will be built in the foyer area.
A 703-square-foot community room that will be available to the public will be created from space formerly used by the police department's detective bureau.
Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, I-Dist. 5s, said the community room will fill a need as she has already heard from people who are interested in using it.
On the fire station side, a two-story addition of 1,730 square feet will be built toward the back of the building.
That addition will allow for an internal reconfiguration with enhanced living quarters, dedicated office spaces for the chief and the two deputy chiefs and a 592-square-foot training room.
The council's next step will be to obtain a bond to finance construction.
Last year the town expanded the Tax Increment Financing District to include the Town Hall and fire station at the corner of 8th Street and Broadway. The town will be able to use property tax revenues collected within the district to pay off the bonds.
In other business, the council decided to suspend its efforts to pursue a federal safe streets grant because of future uncertainty with the town's revenue due to the state legislature's recent passage of Senate Enrolled Act 1. The legislation provides property tax reform and a break for homeowners, but local governments and schools say it will financially impact their operations.
Clerk-Treasurer Courtney Udvare said she will have a detailed report soon on what the financial effect will be in the coming years.
Council at its April 14 meeting authorized Tina Rongers, the town's grant consultant, to apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets program for a $180,000 grant. If the town was successful in obtaining the grant, it could help with traffic safety issues at the railroad crossings.
'Given the significant impact that Senate Bill 1 may have on funding priorities and the lack of clarity surrounding its impact on next year's budget, it is prudent to pause activities on this grant until more definitive information becomes available,' said Councilwoman Erin Collins, D-2nd.
Councilman James Ton, R-Dist. 1, concurred that the suspension was a 'wise move' at this time.
Council also:
*Approved an agreement with Porter County to share in the repaving costs for Babcock Road from County Road 1050 N to the Gulfview subdivision. Chesterton will pay $79,824.10 of the total $167,180.40 cost.
*Heard a request from Justine Carlotta for a wildlife crossing sign on South Calumet Road between Westchester and Jefferson avenues. She said there is a 'wildlife corridor' on the road for beavers, ducks, possums and deer that live in the nearby woods. She said that last week, a duck was fatally struck by a truck. The council referred the matter to the Street Department to investigate.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business Wire
Oceaneering to Present at the J.P. Morgan Energy, Power, Renewables & Mining Conference
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oceaneering International, Inc. ("Oceaneering") (NYSE:OII) President and Chief Executive Officer Roderick A. Larson is scheduled to present at the J.P. Morgan Energy, Power, Renewables & Mining Conference in New York on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Mr. Larson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Alan R. Curtis, and Senior Director, Investor Relations Hilary Frisbie will also meet with institutional investors. Oceaneering's First Quarter 2025 Investor Presentation is available on the Investor Relations page of Oceaneering's website at Oceaneering is a global technology company delivering engineered services and products and robotic solutions to the offshore energy, defense, aerospace, and manufacturing industries. For more information on Oceaneering, please visit
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Solo Brands, Inc. Appoints John Larson as Chief Executive Officer; Company Completes Comprehensive Debt Restructuring
Well-positioned to pursue strategic transformation, supported by strong leadership bench and extended financial runway GRAPEVINE, Texas, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solo Brands, Inc. (NYSE: DTC; OTC: DTCB) ('Solo Brands' or 'the Company'), a leading portfolio of lifestyle brands (Solo Stove, Chubbies, Isle and Oru) that are redefining the outdoor and apparel industries, today announced that Mr. John P. Larson was appointed as permanent President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Larson will also continue to serve on the Company's Board. The Company also announced that Solo Brands, LLC, as borrower (the 'Borrower'), an indirect subsidiary of the Company, entered into Amendment No. 4 (the 'Amendment') to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 12, 2021 (as amended, the 'Credit Agreement'), by and among the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, collateral agent and letter of credit issuer, and the lenders party thereto, to effect a comprehensive debt restructuring. John Larson, Solo Brand's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, 'This is a pivotal time for Solo Brands, and we have a strong team in place to implement our plans. This successful debt restructuring marks a substantial step forward, creating a significant runway and providing financial flexibility to execute our strategic vision. We believe we have taken appropriate steps to strengthen our balance sheet and liquidity position that underpins our multi-year transformational growth strategy. 'We are confident that our strong brand recognition, coupled with our turnaround efforts and value accretive initiatives, will position us to continue down the pathway to stabilize and transform the business. We appreciate the collaboration and support from our lenders. Finally, I am excited to continue in the CEO role, permanently, as the team, Board, and I are well aligned,' Larson concluded. Key Transaction Terms The Amendment, which became effective on June 13, 2025, reallocated and restructured the Borrower's debt under the Credit Agreement to provide a revolving credit facility with commitments equal to $90.0 million; a new term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount equal to $240.0 million; and the paydown by the Borrower of $136.5 million of revolving loans and $32.5 of existing term loans outstanding as of June 13, 2025. As a result, as of June 13, 2025, the Company's total outstanding debt under the revolving facility was $19.7 million, and the Company's total outstanding debt under the new term loan facility was $240.0 million. In addition, the Amendment extends the stated maturity of the revolving loans and the new term loans to June 30, 2028. Additional terms of the Amendment are set forth in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 16, 2025. Advisors Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel, Lazard served as financial advisor, and AlixPartners served as operational advisor to the Company. About Solo Brands, Inc. Solo Brands, headquartered in Grapevine, TX, is a leading omnichannel lifestyle brand company. Leveraging e-commerce, strategic retail relationships and physical retail stores, Solo Brands offers innovative products to consumers through five lifestyle brands – Solo Stove and TerraFlame, known for firepits, stoves, and accessories; Chubbies, a premium casual apparel and activewear brand; ISLE, maker of inflatable and hard paddle boards and accessories; and Oru Kayak, innovator of origami folding kayaks. Contacts:Mark Anderson, Senior Director of Treasury & Investor RelationsInvestors@ Three Part Advisors, LLCSandy Martin: smartin@ 214-616-2207Steven Hooser: shooser@ 214-872-2710 Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding our ability to realize expected benefits from the amendment of the credit agreement governing our debt, future financial position, turnaround efforts, strategic transformation goals, future growth and shareholder value, our going concern assessment, our plans and strategy to improve our liquidity, the expected benefits of operational improvements and restructuring efforts, benefits from management changes and seasonal trends. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'expects,' 'plans,' 'anticipates,' 'could,' 'intends,' 'targets,' 'projects,' 'contemplates,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'forecasts,' 'guidance,' 'predicts,' 'potential' or 'continue' or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our ability to realize expected benefits from our strategic plans, including as a result of the amendment of our credit agreement; our ability to implement any restructuring and cost-reduction efforts; our liquidity; our ability to continue as a going concern; our ability to mitigate the impact of new and increased tariffs and similar restrictions on our business; our reliance on third-party manufacturers, which operate mostly outside of the U.S., and problems with, or the loss of, our suppliers or an inability to obtain raw materials; failure to regain compliance with the continued listing requirements of the NYSE, upon appeal or otherwise, or any future failure to meet such requirements; the impacts of the continued quotation of our Class A common stock on the OTC Pink Market; our dependence on cash generated from operations to support our business and our growth initiatives; the limits placed by our indebtedness to invest in the ongoing needs of our business; our ability to maintain and strengthen our brand to generate and maintain ongoing demand for our products; our ability to design, develop and introduce new products; our ability to manage our future growth effectively; our ability to expand into additional markets; our ability to maintain and strengthen our brand to generate and maintain ongoing demand for our products; risks associated with our international operations; our inability to sustain historic growth rates; our ability to cost-effectively attract new customers and retain our existing customers; the highly competitive market in which we operate; our failure to maintain product quality and product performance at an acceptable cost; the impact of product liability and warranty claims and product recalls; business interruptions resulting from fluctuations in the price of our Class A common stock; geopolitical actions, natural disasters, or pandemics; and the ability of our largest stockholders to influence corporate matters. These and other important factors discussed under the caption 'Risk Factors' in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, or other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Solo Brands at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Porter and Lake counties to defend against Cleveland-Cliffs assessment challenge
Cleveland-Cliffs is challenging the assessed valuation for its steel mill operations in Porter and Lake counties, prompting the assessors from both counties to mount a defense. The dispute could ultimately be decided by the Indiana Board of Tax Review in Indianapolis. Porter County Assessor Sue Neff during Wednesday's Burns Harbor Town Council meeting requested that the town pitch in up to $23,000 toward hiring an appraiser and legal assistance to make Porter County's case. Neff said she believes it may cost up to $100,000 for the county to present its defense before the Indiana Board of Tax Review. She is also soliciting financial help from the Duneland School Corporation and the Westchester Public Library. 'We just feel we really have to fight this,' Neff said. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance set the value of land and structures owned by Cleveland-Cliffs in Porter County at $134,557,900 this year, which is a more than $16 million increase. Taxes are paid the next year based on the valuation from the prior year. The higher valuation would mean increased collections of $348,000 next year, Neff said. Cleveland-Cliffs pays nearly $2.6 million in property taxes this year, according to the Porter County Auditor's Office. Cleveland-Cliffs reacted to its increased tax assessment with an appeal to the Indiana Board of Tax Review. Neff said the initial step is for the county to hire its own appraiser, who would do an independent appraisal of the land and structures of Cleveland-Cliffs. 'If you don't have an appraisal, you're never going to win,' Neff said. Neff said she believes that large industrial properties, like Cleveland-Cliffs, have been traditionally undervalued in tax assessments. Cleveland-Cliffs has recently reported losses in quarterly earnings statements, which may be a factor in their decision to challenge the tax assessment, Neff said. 'We believe that they want to go even lower than last year's assessment, which is money out of all the taxing units' pockets,' Neff said. Burns Harbor would receive $77,000 in additional tax receipts next year if the $16 million increase in assessed valuation held, Neff said. It's important to protect the flow of tax receipts coming from Cleveland-Cliffs, especially with recent Indiana Senate Bill 1 limiting the growth of future tax receipts for local governments, Neff said. 'What my hope is once I get this appraisal, we're going to be able to sit down with these Cleveland-Cliffs people,' Neff said. If the appraisals are close, Neff believes a settlement could possibly be reached rather than going before the Indiana Board of Tax Review. That would also reduce the expense that would come from having a hearing before the board. Neff said she has also talked with the Duneland School Corporation — which would stand to lose the most potential tax revenue — and the Westchester Public Library about contributing toward the county's effort. The Burns Harbor Town Council decided that it needed more time to review Neff's request. The council could vote on the proposal next month. Town Attorney Clay Patton suggested that the town — which deals daily with the town's largest employer — could make their own contacts with the company to determine what they are seeking. Council members and Neff said that Cleveland-Cliffs has been a 'good neighbor' and has made many contributions to the local community over the years. Cleveland-Cliffs officials didn't return a message seeking comment. Meanwhile, Lake County Assessor Latonya Spearman said that she has talked with Neff and is leaning toward joining in the defense of the tax assessment of Cleveland-Cliffs. The tax assessment of Cleveland-Cliffs operations in Lake County was scheduled to rise to $121,970,300 this year, up from $114,997100. The steelmaker's operations in East Chicago yielded $3,498,579 in tax collections for Lake County this year, Spearman said. Spearman said a frustration is that the counties have nothing to do with setting the assessments for large industrial properties — that is done by the Department of Local Government Finance. 'We're just trying to work through all the red tape. It does appear that we're moving in the same direction,' Spearman said, regarding joining a defense to the challenge from Cleveland-Cliffs.
