New Portage mayor-elect begins transition on the fly
Post-Tribune (IN)
November 13, 2011
Jim Snyder’s life has gone from super busy to crazy super busy, literally overnight.
The new Portage mayor-elect had a roller-coaster, bittersweet Election Day on Tuesday, eventually ending in jubilation with his close victory over incumbent Mayor Olga Velazquez.
But hours earlier, Snyder was stunned to hear of the death of 19-year-old Ashley Burbee of Portage, who was killed that morning in a traffic crash on Indiana 49. Burbee was a volunteer in his campaign, and Snyder was asked to break the news to members of her family who were working at Portage polling sites for his election.
“It was very rough for them,” Snyder told me Friday morning at his Central Avenue office during a brief break in his busy schedule.
There, his phone is constantly buzzing or ringing. His list of office guests is growing. He’s already leaning on his mayor mentors for guidance. His receptionist, Amanda Lakie, is swamped with coordinating his future. And prayers are welcome, he often tells supporters.
But he loves it all, and he appears giddy at the task ahead of running this region’s third-largest city, beginning Jan. 1.
These days, Snyder is reassessing the city’s strengths, weaknesses and employees. By Thanksgiving, he plans on notifying any city employees who may not be retained after he officially gets into the mayor’s office.
“Otherwise, it’s not fair to them to drag it out for a long time,” he explained.
After months of rumors that Police Chief Mark Becker will be one of those fired or demoted employees, Snyder still maintains that Becker’s position is up for review along with other city workers.
A transition team has already been created, and no one on this team has a financial interest in city business, Snyder said.
“Each person is each going to be assigned a different department to help me make those important decisions regarding the evaluation of all department heads,” said Snyder, who has hit the ground running.
“(Former) Mayor (Doug) Olson brought me to reality, telling me the day after election that he had five months to plan his transition and I have only six weeks,” he said. “But we’re humbled and excited.”
His broad goal over the next four years is to get as many Portage residents into city government as possible.
“There’s no city in Indiana with the opportunities as this city,” he said while donning a suit jacket to leave his office. “I feel we have a good plan in place.”
All of Snyder’s efforts and energy were focused on getting elected, he said, up until Wednesday morning when he started looking to Jan. 1.
“Hopefully in the next couple of years, people of this city are going to say that I meant what I said and I did what I said I would do.”
He has his critics, and they will surely keep close watch of his actions, decisions and campaign promises. And so will I.
And across the county line ...
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay routinely calls the mayoral position in his city the “toughest mayor’s job in the country,” and I don’t doubt it.
But regardless of what you think about the city, its leaders and its past reputation, you have to admire and appreciate the new buzz since Karen Freeman-Wilson was elected mayor.
Yes, she faces a daunting task. And yes, that buzz may fade when things settle down. But I find it refreshing for my hometown’s residents to once again have an opportunity to believe in something more tangible than rusted promises.
From a columnist’s standpoint, I’m looking forward to writing about this renewed attempt to change the city’s reality and, almost as important, its perception from outsiders.
I certainly don’t wear rose-colored glasses with this issue, but it would be nice to focus on a new vision for realistic change.
Listen to Jerry’s new radio show “Casual Fridays” on Fridays at noon on WLPR 89.1-FM or www.thelakeshorefm.com.
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