10032006 - News Article - Housing board slip up repaired - Two appointees did not live within city limits, Clay reappoints GHA members

Housing board slip up repaired 
Two appointees did not live within city limits, Clay reappoints GHA members

Post-Tribune (IN)
October 3, 2006

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Gary Mayor Rudy Clay removed two people from the Gary Housing Authority board Friday after discovering they don't live in Gary. 

Under Indiana law, all GHA board members must live within the jurisdiction of the housing authority, said GHA Attorney Jim Meyer. 

Clay said he assumed that Jacquelyn Drago - Hunter and the Rev. Raymond McDonald lived within the borders, but discovered late last week that he broke the law by hiring them. 

"I assumed they lived in Gary," Clay said. "It was an assumption on my part." 

When he discovered his mistake, Clay said he immediately replaced the non-Gary members with Gary residents. 

He said the new appointees are the Rev. Pharis Evans of the Clark Road Baptist Church in Gary and Gary Thompson. 

Clay appointed five new board members Thursday after essentially firing five former members, whom he said mismanaged the agency's money. 

"I assumed they lived in Gary. It was an assumpt-ion on my part."