Political fixer Cantrell to keep his job for now
North Township Trustee Frank Mrvan plans to reorganize his office
Post-Tribune (IN)
July 30, 2006
Robert Cantrell will keep his job with North Township, at least for now, according to North Township Trustee Frank Mrvan.
Mrvan won the Democratic primary in May after being appointed North Township trustee in November, when Greg Cvitkovich resigned as part of a plea agreement to federal corruption charges.
"He's still there for the simple fact, that the record will show, I haven't fired anyone," Mrvan said of Cantrell.
Cantrell is lumped into a blanket policy Mrvan said he has instituted to review all North Township employees before reorganizing the office. Instead, Mrvan has implemented a new time-card system, which requires employees to log in with an electronic thumb print.
Speculation continues to swirl around Cantrell. Federal agents continue to interview North Township employees about the legendary political fixer, who manages the East Chicago Poor Relief Office. He has held a number of positions since being hired by Cvitkovich in 2001.
In the past, the Post-Tribune found evidence of Cantrell politicking while he was scheduled to work for North Township. He also has been tied to the contracts won by Addiction Family Counseling, run by Nancy Fromm. Fromm is under indictment for obstruction of justice for impeding a grand jury investigation. Her trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 5.
Fromm had 12 to 18 similar contracts with various government entities around Lake County, including Cantrell's daughter, Superior Court Judge Julie Cantrell.
Fromm's indictment was widely seen by court observers as a way to put pressure on her to testify against the people who may have helped her secure a number of government contracts in Lake County, most notably Cantrell.
That pressure may have subsided, at least in the short term.
Friday, Fromm's attorney, J. Michael Katz, filed a motion to continue her trial, based on the volume of documents, including more than 10,000 hand-written cards Fromm used for her accounting. The motion had the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District, according to court documents.
Katz said he could not comment on whether his client has cooperated in another federal investigation but he believed Fromm's case will go to trial.
Shortly after taking office in November, Mrvan said he canceled Fromm's $37,000 contract to provide stress and addiction counseling to North Township employees.
Cantrell has been quoted as supporting Mrvan's campaign though the trustee said Cantrell played no major role in his campaign.
Within the next two months, the trustee said, he will begin a reorganization of his office, including putting his own people in key positions.
"I'm going to do it at my own pace. We are going to do the right thing and not expose us to any risk," Mrvan said.
Until then, he said, he plans to proceed cautiously with replacing anyone in his office. Cantrell has worked full eight hour days since Cvitkovich left office, Mrvan said.
"I'm not put on this earth to answer for Mr. Cantrell's past behavior," Mrvan said.
