Crown Point panel approves 113th Avenue land purchase

The City of Crown Point has continued getting land acquisitions completed with the purchase of some land along 113th Avenue.

The Board of Public Works and Safety at its Oct. 24 meeting approved the $10,500 purchase of .64 acres of land at 3800 W. 113th Ave. City Attorney Alex Kutanovski told the board the purchase gives the city access to the lift stations and other utilities in that area.

In turn, the city will give an easement back to property owners, Mark and Dorothy Duffy, so that they may easily access the lake further into the property, Kutanovski said.

The land purchase won’t need to go before the Common Council because it’s under $25,000, Kutanovski added.

Mayor David Uran credited the Duffys with improving the lake and other habitat in their property’s vicinity.

“Environmentally wise, he has done a good job, and there will be good communication between us and the neighbors going forward,” Uran said.

Also at the meeting, Crown Point Fire Chief Dave Crane showed the board a $19,000 donation of battery-operated extraction tools it recently received. Broadway Mini’s, Nick’s Building.com, White Hawk Country Club, Franciscan Hospital Crown Point, the Crook family and other volunteers combined resources to donate the tools, Crane said, and they’ll be used for car accidents and other forcible entry situations.

“We hope these things look just as new in five years, but if we need them, we have them,” Crane said.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of a $30,131 2019 double-cab GMC pick-up truck to replace the 2005 Chevy Silverado that was involved in a recent accident. City Chief of Staff Greg Falkowski said the city was able to get $12,300 for the Silverado, which had 100,000 miles on it;

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the PostTribune.