The County Council Meeting Top 10 List

Top 10 highlights of the 4/3/2012 county council meeting.

1. CEDIT funds from 2011 were allowed to be re-appropriated after a second vote in which Councilwoman Sylvia Graham changed her vote after a second round of "heated" discussion that clarified the lawyers recommendations and the stance of the DLGF.
2. Chesterton Sewer project had its reputation damaged by residents within the Damon Run Conservancy district complaining of double taxation if CEDIT dollars are used to help fund Chesterton's economic development plan.
3. Councilman Polarek, also a Commissioner candidate, received $200 for travelling to Indy to hear Ed Charboneau. He said it was a "conference" in the meeting agenda. Earlier, Polarek asked if CEDIT funds could be transferred to rainy day funds and then to another fund in order to pay 911 salaries since CEDIT funds cannot directly go towards salaries.
4. Hebron Town Council would like to be on next month's agenda for a plan to use some of the Hospital funds.
5. Commissioner Evans interrupted County Council President, Dan Whitten, instructing him in which order the items should go on the agenda. His plight was unsuccessful.
6. Court IV D was funded and Judge Harper strongly suggested the Council lobby the State to step up in the obligations for courts.
7. The County Council asked the consultants that gave the drainage study report to come back with a package deal from the commissioners so they can fund it, possibly floating a bond.  Evans said he no longer supports using CEDIT dollars for funding drainage.
8. Commissioner Evans told Councilman Biggs, who is also a candidate for County Commissioner, "There is a separation of powers you don't recognize" in response the the intense questioning by Biggs about CEDIT projects.
9. Commissioner Evans said that the Commissioners plan on disbanding the current Redevelopment Commission and creating a statutory Redevelopment Commission.
10. Councilman Biggs accused Commissioner Evans of campaigning (pot calling kettle black) less than 40 minutes into the 3 hour meeting. Later, Biggs failed at a joke when he asked Sheriff Lain to bring the SWAT team with him to the next meeting in case he and Evans cannot get along. 

Mike Baird and Bob Taylor "Nightmare" Mailer Weak on Facts

Apparently city council candidates Mike Baird and Bob Taylor failed to research a claim on his mailer that "the prescription drug drop off program" was "started by Mayor Costas." The NWI Times wrote that "fire Chief David Nondorf and Police Chief Michael Brickner had applied to the DEA to set up a drop-off program, but it was turned down." and that the DAUGHTER of Mayor Costas was the person that aided the fire and police chief in composing the second request. The daughter of the mayor was even quoted saying, "Chief Brickner and Chief Nondorf had done a lot of work, and I just drafted the letter."

To top it off, Baird's mailer mentions that residents should "re-elect" Baird when he was never elected in the first place unless you count the 7 Republican committee persons that picked him after Kelly Ward resigned in August of 2010 as an election.

Yes, prescription drugs in the wrong hands are wrong but are Baird and Taylor making it a campaign issue when both Republican and Democrats agree that the prescription drug drop off program is a good idea?

Is your Facebook friend a PAID consultant for Valparaiso Republicans?

Image of Curt Ellis taken from his Facebook Page

Is your Facebook friend a PAID consultant for Valparaiso Republicans?


The next time you read a post by Curt Ellis think twice about the money he received to post such glowing reports of the city of Valparaiso and Republican Candidates. Curt Ellis is a paid consultant for Republican Valparaiso City Council candidates Mike Baird, Tim Daly, and Deb Butterfield. The campaign finance report of Deb Butterfield revealed that she paid Ellis $275 to manage her Facebook presence.  Baird paid Ellis $725 while Daly paid Ellis $710. All of these transactions are listed in the campaign finance reports turned in last week.


If the Republican City Council candidates hire consultants that don't practice transparency do you really think the Republican candidates will be transparent after the election?

A screenshot taken from the Comment section of the NWI Times in regards to the Valparaiso City Council asking for more tax money.

Early Afternoon Porter County Commissioner's Meetings

The Porter  county council has done more to increase accessibility while the county commissioner's have decreased accessibility to their public meetings.

Not a single Commissioners meeting has been held after 4:00pm since Republicans have had the majority of seats on the Porter County board of Commissioners. The majority of meetings held since January 1, 2010 have begun at 2pm. Does this increase accessibility or transparency of government when most working Americans are at their jobs until 5:00pm? 

When Democrats held the majority of seats on the board in 2010 meetings were held at 6pm at night. In fact, the Porter County Council has begun holding evening meetings at MULTIPLE locations throughout the county. 

Did Evans and Adams violate Open Door Law?

Did Commissioner Evans authorize the suspension of two animal shelter employees in a telephone conversation with Commissioner Adams during a meeting with the two animal shelter employees? If so, a law was broken. The only question left is which law? Either Adams and Evans violated Indiana's Open Door Law or Evans "participated in final action" without statute. The argument that Adams "just checked in with Evans for guidance" is void if Evans voted on a disciplinary action. Does a statute exist that authorized Evans to vote?

The NWI Times posted an article where County Council President, Dan Whitten, "questioned whether Adams violated the state's Open Door Law by allowing a second commissioner - Evans - to take part by telephone in her discussion with the two shelter employees without calling an official meeting."

Indiana Code 5-14-1.5 is quite clear when it states that a meeting "means a gathering of a majority of the governing body of a public agency for the purpose of taking official action upon public business" and that an executive session can be held "with respect to any individual over whom the governing body has jurisdiction to receive information concerning the individuals alleged misconduct" there are requirements to post a notice to an executive session. The requirements read that "Public notice of executive sessions must state the subject matter by specific reference to the enumerated instance or instances for which executive sessions may be held under subsection" and Commissioner Evans and Commissioner Adams posted no such notice.

In regards to Evans being present via telephone, the law reads that "A member of the governing body of a public agency who is not physically present at a meeting of the governing body but who communicates with members of the governing body during the meeting by telephone, computer, videoconferencing, or any other electronic means of communication (1) may not participate in final action taken at the meeting unless the member's participation is expressly authorized by statute; and (2) may not be considered to be present at the meeting unless considering the member to be present at the meeting is expressly authorized by statute."

Where is the statute?

 

Commissioner Adams takes gift from DLZ and awards county contracts to DLZ in the same month

Porter Commissioner, Nancy Adams, and her husband were flown to a Republican dinner by DLZ. Earlier in the month she voted to award DLZ two county contracts worth $285,000. 

The May 16th NWI Times article, detailing Adams actions, points out that "the county personnel policy manual prohibits elected officials from accepting and donors from offering any gift, favor, service or entertainment under circumstances in which it can be reasonably inferred the gift would influence special consideration by the official."

On her campaign web site Adams claimed that she would we be "guided by ... Accountability to the Citizens of Porter County and our partners at all levels of government to conduct our business responsibly, ... and to report how we are spending the tax dollars that the Citizens entrust to our stewardship."

Porter County needs to hold Commissioner Adams accountable.

UPDATE: Days after the Times revealed Adams violation of county policy, Adams has apologized via Facebook and has vowed she "did not think this through thoroughly"  and in the Times claims she was unaware the county personnel policy manualprohibits elected officials from accepting and donors from offeringany gift, favor, service or entertainment under circumstances. Being "unaware" is no excuse when the law has been broken. Anyways, what politician is not aware that kick backs are illegal?

Hoosier GOPs want to raise taxes on businesses!

Less than a week after the election Mitch Daniels has declared that benefits will have to be cut for people who are out of work. In addition Daniels said that unemployment insurance TAXES ON BUSINESSES will have to be RAISED.

Republicans cutting benefits and raising taxes.