Department heads who get a busy signal from the Porter County Board of Commissioners shouldn’t be surprised.
Commissioners President Jeff Good, R-Center, said during Tuesday’s meeting that there has been a lot of posturing by other departments about their capital needs.
“As far as the board of commissioners are concerned, our plate is full,” he said, referring to a $30 million bond issue for countywide building upgrades and a $20 million bond issue for storm water projects, both passed last year. “This board is responsible for spending $50 million in tax dollars.”
Commissioners need to focus on those projects, he said, adding they work part-time and it’s going to take a significant amount of time to get through what’s before them now.
“I want to make it very clear in an election year we’re not going to entertain a lot of wants. We’re focused on the county’s needs,” he said, adding the tasks at hand would be significant even if commissioners worked full-time. “We bit off a lot last year and it’s a lot to chew.”
Department heads’ needs should be addressed during budget hearings and not mid-year, said Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, so commissioners can keep their focus on the projects they already have.
“We don’t want to complete these jobs. We want to complete them well,” he said.
Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, said she’s looking forward to the upcoming projects. “It’s going to be an exciting year,” she said.
Commissioners will begin reviewing contracts with architects for the capital upgrade plan at their Jan. 30 meeting, Good said.
Good retained his post as president after a brief reorganization at the start of the meeting. Blaney remains vice president, and Biggs continues to serve as secretary. Commissioners also voted to keep county attorney Scott McClure.
In other business, Good said the harsh winter weather in recent weeks is giving county roads a beating, and the county has already gone through quite a bit of salt.
“We’re also seeing quite a bit of freeze damage on the roads, much worse than in the past,” he said, adding officials are monitoring the county’s 845 miles of roads in unincorporated areas. “I think we’re all seeing it – a lot more potholes, a lot more cracking.”
He’s hoping for better weather in the next 60 days, but said commissioners will be in contact with the county council about the possible need for funds for extra repairs.
“This is a tremendous investment in our county roads,” Good said.
Additionally, commissioners introduced the county’s new human resources director, Heather Shearer, who started in the job about five weeks ago.
Shearer, a Hebron native, moved back to Porter County from Chicago two years ago. She’s a graduate of DePaul University and has 10 years of experience in human resources in the private sector.
Shearer replaces Pam Courtney, who served as the county’s first human resources director for almost two years. Courtney resigned in April.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
