Any official who’s ever held office in the Town of Highland could be barred from coming before any town board in a “lobbying” capacity if one council member has his way.
Councilman Mark Schocke, R-3, in an ordinance amendment he presented during the town’s Monday evening study session, would like to prohibit any former elected official “in any position in Federal, State or Local Office within the State of Indiana at any time” from coming before the town’s Plan Commission or Board of Zoning Appeals as “an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or company that assists and/or acts on behalf of a petitioner in any matter before the Highland Plan Commission or the Highland Board of Zoning Appeals. The council, the ordinance reads, “finds that prohibiting former elected officials from serving in a representative capacity for petitioners before the Highland Board of Zoning Appeals and/or the Highland Plan Commission is in the best interests of the Town and its residents and promotes the health, safety, and welfare of the public and prevents the appearance of impropriety and/or nepotism.”
The ordinance doesn’t indicate whether former elected officials — such as town attorney John Reed, a former Munster Town Councilman — can work directly for the town; nor does it indicate whether relatives of former elected officials, such as outgoing Redevelopment Director Kathy Deguilio-Fox, whose brother, U.S. District Court Judge Jon Deguilio, served on the Hammond City Council from 1984-1987, would be disqualified from working for the town.
“The reason we signed up (for elected positions) is to represent the people of Highland, not make a ton of money off them,” Schocke said. “Indiana and Illinois have a yearlong ban for elected officials going to lobbying firms, and Florida, I believe, has a six-year ban in their Constitution.”
Councilman Tom Black, R-4, asked if such a restriction could scare off better projects from coming to Highland and if the ordinance wasn’t “looking for a solution to a problem we don’t have.”
Councilman Roger Sheeman, R-5, said it could affect him helping former constituents in the future.
“Say I have a neighbor who has an issue, and they ask me, ‘You were on the council — could you help me with this?’ and maybe I would come to a meeting. I’m not asking for money,” Sheeman said.
“Maybe we could change the ordinance to read ‘for compensation,'” Schocke said.
Councilwoman Toya Smith, D-2, said she’s not comfortable with the amendment.
“I wouldn’t want someone to dictate to me who we can and cannot hear from,” Smith said. “(This amendment) seems personal.”
Council President Bernie Zemen said he liked the amendment but asked if Schocke would like to tweak it. The council will continue discussing it at its June 20th study session.
In other business, Highland taxpayers likely won’t be terribly affected if the Indiana General Assembly decides to reconfigure the personal property tax floor. According to a presentation from Reedy Financial, Highland’s real property assets are strong enough to cushion any blow any future legislation might deal.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
