Collin Czilli

"How many car washes are we going to have in Portage?" resident George Graves asked during Tuesday's city council meeting.

Portage residents will soon see a sharp increase in their utility bills.

Mayor Austin Bonta said the change is designed to bring Portage in line with Indiana Code, which typically leaves personnel matters up to a city's board of works.

The city of Portage is looking to spur development of some vacant land near I-94. The city council approved a resolution last week to split a few parcels out of an existing allocation area into their own separate TIF district.

Portage firefighters are set to get a pay raise. Under a three-year collective bargaining agreement approved by the city council and the firefighters union Wednesday, firefighters will get a 6.2-percent raise this year, a five-percent raise next year and a 3.8-percent raise in 2025.

Plans for a new Portage subdivision face an uncertain future with the city council.

Portage officials say they're thinking outside the box, when it comes to the city budget. The proposed 2023 budget totals just over $66.1 million, including a general fund of $24 million.

Portage officials are downplaying environmental concerns about a proposed lead casting business.

Portage Police officers are set to get a pay raise. The city's board of works finalized a three-year collective bargaining agreement Tuesday, following the city council's approval last week.

The City of Portage is about to get bigger. The city council voted four-to-two this week to annex property in the 600 block of Porter County Road 700 North, between Willowcreek and Swanson roads. It's the first of two annexations required for a proposed 240-home subdivision.