02282016 - News Article - MARC CHASE: Stop giving second chances at the expense of taxpayers - ROBERT CANTRELL

MARC CHASE: Stop giving second chances at the expense of taxpayers
NWI Times
Feb 28, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/marc-chase/marc-chase-stop-giving-second-chances-at-the-expense-of/article_2aebc33d-d1e8-5a6f-a3c6-4e735e1f7265.html
Can it get any more embarrassing in East Chicago — or for Northwest Indiana?

Headlines seemed to test that premise earlier this month with the announcement Randall Artis, who had been working full time for the East Chicago city clerk, was being the shown the door because of a felony conviction for essentially stealing from taxpayers.

That sounds like reasonable, good government, right? Artis' former boss, City Clerk Adrian Santos, said "Randall Artis was terminated because he cannot be trusted to handle the public's money. It's just that simple."

It seems simple enough. Someone with a felony conviction for stealing from taxpayers shouldn't be working in a position in which he could potentially do it again.

Only it's East Chicago, and anyone who's followed the ins and outs of that city for any period of time knows it's not "that simple," as Santos would have us believe.

Artis' conviction didn't happen in 2015 or 2016.

He pleaded guilty in 2005 — more than 10 years ago — to a charge of theft in U.S. District Court, Hammond. You see, Artis was an East Chicago city councilman at the time, elected to preside over the public trust.

Artis was convicted, along with a number of city officials and vendors, in a corruption probe that became known as the sidewalks-for-votes scandal. The co-conspirators misappropriated more than $24 million to pave new sidewalks, curbs, private driveways, parking lots and even one resident's entire backyard to curry votes in the 1999 elections.

Even with that highly publicized, shameful mark on Artis’ resume, then City Clerk Mary Morris Leonard hired Artis in August 2015.

Artis told The Times earlier this month it was his "big break in life" landing the position, which admittedly pays a paltry $10,840 per year but comes with full benefits, including health insurance.

The problem is, Artis clearly didn't deserve this "big break," at least not at the benevolence of a city he already admitted to fleecing, taking advantage of and deviating from a sacred oath he took when sworn into office.

Second chances have their place in society,  but not at the expense of those already victimized — in this case, the taxpayers.

Artis now claims his firing is political, contending Santos bent to the political whims of disgraced East Chicago political operative Robert "Bobby" Cantrell, who recently finished a 78-month federal sentence for his own felony conviction. A federal jury found Cantrell guilty of taking cash kickbacks from a contract between the North Township trustee's office, where Cantrell was an employee, and a counseling service, and then evading taxes on the profits.

If Cantrell is actually calling political shots again, that also would be an embarrassment to a city currently reeling from a sitting city councilman, Robert Battle, who is charged in an unrelated federal homicide and drug case.

Santos denies Cantrell had anything to do with the firing.

Regardless of the truth behind Artis' firing, nothing changes the embarrassment of a convicted felon, found guilty of stealing from taxpayers, was again rehired to serve those very same taxpayers.

On the unconscionable hiring side of this red-faced fiasco, East Chicago isn't alone. Throughout the years, convicted criminals, particularly ones whose crimes were against taxpayers, have found their way back onto municipal and county payrolls throughout Lake County.

Prior to being hired by East Chicago, Artis also worked part-time for Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and former Lake County Surveyor George Van Til, county records show. Both of those jobs also followed Artis' 2005 conviction.

It's all part of politics-as-usual in Lake County, in which political allegiances hold more sway over hiring than qualifications — in which the strength of political connections transcend criminal convictions.

Ask most private-sector employers — ones that don't have hiring arrangements with court probation departments — if they would knowingly hire felons, and the answer is likely to be no.

But we do it here in Lake County as a matter of course, and it's embarrassing.

Voters keep letting it happen, too. Until our voters’ faces glow red with either the scarlet hue of anger or the sheepish blush of embarrassment — and until those emotions translate into action at the polls — nothing will change.

02182016 - News Article - Portage mayor pledges continued advances in city

Portage mayor pledges continued advances in city
Joyce Russell joyce.russell@nwi.com, (219) 762-1397, ext. 2222
Feb 18, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/portage-mayor-pledges-continued-advances-in-city/article_ed45a7ad-4217-5442-80e1-aa3a114008cc.html

PORTAGE — Mayor James Snyder told an overflow crowd Thursday that his administration’s work isn’t done in making Portage the best city in Northwest Indiana.

Snyder gave his annual State of the City address at Woodland Park. The event was sponsored by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce.

Outlining accomplishments of his first term as mayor and introducing and thanking various department heads, employees and other elected officials, Snyder said the work isn’t over and that the city has entered the “State of Custodial Care.”

Snyder said he has formed an Efficiency and Excellence Commission tasked with finding more ways the city can become efficient and excellent.

“This committee will provide a road map of custodial care for Portage’s future,” said Snyder, announcing committee members as Jim Fitzer, Ron Necco and Porter Superior Court Judge Julia Jent.

The committee, he said, will provide the city’s own Kernan-Shepard-type report, referring to a 2007 report suggesting ways to streamline state government.

Snyder also renewed the call for Porter County to construct a county building in the city’s downtown district and called on residents to contact their county commissioners and councilmen.

“It is imperative to get that county courthouse downtown between the Fire Department and Police Department,” he said.

He also defended the city’s recent proposal to increase sanitary sewer rates, saying the city has done everything in its power to become as efficient as possible, but there is a need to raise the funds “for the sustenance and critical care of the city we love.”

Snyder also announced that Portage Police Detective Sgt. Joe Mokol has been hired as the city’s new street and sanitation department superintendent. Mokol will replace long-time superintendent Steve Charnetzky, who retired at the end of January. Mokol will start the new position Monday. He also announced the hiring of John Kolb as assistant superintendent of streets with Randy Reeder remaining the assistant superintendent of sanitation.

Snyder also said the city will be implementing a general services division that will provide maintenance operations across city properties.

He also promised those in attendance an ordinance review to change regulations that are “outdated and cumbersome,” implement an online permitting system for residents and build a “robust” code enforcement system to keep the city clean.

02162016 - News Article - Former E.C. councilman is shown the door - ROBERT CANTRELL

Former E.C. councilman is shown the door
NWI Times
Feb 16, 2016
nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/former-e-c-councilman-is-shown-the-door/article_a5152969-8f2b-50c5-b2b8-9b2bee7ff41e.html
EAST CHICAGO — A former East Chicago city councilman is crying foul after his attempted comeback from a decade-old sidewalks scandal was recently cut short by his firing.

Randall Artis said last week the loss of his City Hall job earlier this month as a Clerk I, a full-time position with an annual salary of $10,840, "was totally a political vendetta ... not supporting the people he wants," referring to newly elected City Clerk Adrian Santos.

Santos said last week, "Randall Artis was terminated because he cannot be trusted to handle the public's money. It's just that simple."

Artis said his real sin was refusing to show deference to Robert Cantrell, a convicted felon and political activist with long ties to the city's old Democratic machine, and those Cantrell favors in upcoming elections.

"Me and Bobby Cantrell don't see eye to eye. I think Bobby kind of persuaded Adrian to fire me," Artis said in noting that Santos now employs John Cantrell, Robert's son, as attorney for the clerk's office.

Robert Cantrell recently finished a 78-month federal sentence for his 2008 conviction of illegally taking secret cash kickbacks from a contract between the North Township trustee's office, where Cantrell was an employee, and a counseling service and hiding the profits from the IRS.

Santos denied he takes orders from Robert Cantrell. "His son is representing the city clerk's office as an attorney and an attorney only," Santos said. "(Artis) was fired because he was a felon. If Randy hadn't been a felon, he would be working here. Anything other than that, Randall Artis is a liar."

John Cantrell said of Artis' complaint, "That's stupid."

Artis pleaded guilty in 2005 to a theft count and was sentenced the following year to prison.

The East Chicago city employee handbook states, "When an employee commits a deliberate action that is deemed inexcusable, that employee will be subject to immediate dismissal. Such actions include ... conviction of a felony."

However, hiring practices are at the discretion of elected officials. No state law prohibits employing convicted felons, Thomas Dabertin, a human resources specialist for several local government agencies, said.

Artis was caught up, like a number of city officials and vendors, in a corruption probe directed by the U.S. attorney's office into the misappropriation of more than $24 million to pave new sidewalks, curbs, private driveways and parking lots and, in at least one case, an entire backyard, as well as tree-trimming in return for residents' votes in 1999.

He said he was released from prison and supervised release and has remained law-abiding since then, and has worked part-time jobs for the county surveyor and the county Sheriff's Department without incident.

Artis said, "I'm human. I made a mistake. I served my time. My model was to make a comeback greater than my setback. I felt my big break in life came in August 2015 when the former City Clerk Mary Morris Leonard believed in me enough to offer me employment in the city clerk's office."

Leonard, who left office Dec. 31, couldn't be reached Tuesday for comment. Artis said the city did a background check last year.

"My felony came up, but there was no problem," he said.

Artis said he and Santos served a couple of years together on the City Council before Artis left for prison. He said he renewed acquaintances when Santos was running for clerk last year. "Adrian said he needed help in the black community. He knew the people in (East Chicago's) Calumet still respected me," Artis said.

Artis said once Santos took office last month they quarreled over who to support in this year's elections. He said he didn't expect to get fired until he was called into Santos' office Feb. 1 when he was confronted by Santos and John Cantrell, who announced Artis was the only office employee in violation of the no-felony rule Santos was enforcing.

Artis said he told Santos, "I said I had enough integrity to take you door to door in the community, but now I'm not good enough to work for you?"

Santos countered that Artis never was part of his campaign. "We were in Calumet with a group; all were walking the same beat. I was walking for my election, and he was walking for Robert Coop Battle's election."

Battle, the current 3rd District city councilman, won re-election last year, but has since been in federal detention on federal drug and homicide charges that Battle denies.

Artis also questioned why Santos waited a month to fire him, unless it was about their political disagreement. Santos said he was awaiting Cantrell's research on Artis' conviction before acting. He said Artis asked for more time to get his conviction expunged. Santos said there would be no exceptions to the rule. 

02142016 - Happy Birthday In Heaven, Abbi Mae

No one will ever be held accountable for your death -  And there will never be justice. It breaks my heart every day. Love you baby girl, with all my heart.

02102016 - News Article - Proposed Portage rate increases move past first reading - News Article

Proposed Portage rate increases move past first reading
Joyce Russell joyce.russell@nwi.com, (219) 762-1397, ext. 2222
Feb 10, 2016
NWI Times
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/proposed-portage-rate-increases-move-past-first-reading/article_7acc4f2d-cb6e-5a60-8f94-eda4eada00dd.html

PORTAGE — The Utility Services Board and City Council both moved forward proposed rate increases in sanitary sewer and trash collection fees Wednesday.

In a joint meeting, the Utility Services Board approved a favorable recommendation to raise rates by $9 per month on sanitary sewer fees to the council. The rate increase would support a nearly $10 million bond issue.

The City Council then held first readings of both the $9 sanitary sewer increase and a $6 monthly increase in trash fees. The council will hold a public hearing on the rate increases at its March 1 meeting and consider passage of both items.

Together, the increases would move a homeowners monthly trash/sewer/stormwater bill from $47 to $62 per month. Each also has an annual increase built in, totaling $1 per month per year.

Director of Administration Joe Calhoun gave a nearly 90-minute presentation to the approximate dozen residents who attended the meeting.

Calhoun outlined the proposed projects, ranging from improvements at the sanitary sewer plant to moving a ditch along Airport Road, improvements to Central Avenue from Hamstrom Road to Scott Street, improvements to City Hall and drainage projects throughout the city.

He also outlined the city’s rationale for the proposed rate increases.

“Some of us just don’t have the money,” said resident Jeff Brooks.

A few other residents asked questions, but didn’t object to the proposed projects or rate increases.

Emerito Beltran, president of Portage Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 145, read a letter of support for the projects, saying the plans would support repair and modernization of infrastructure in the city, improve traffic and remove hazards.

A letter from Firefighters Local 3151 President Mark Vittetoe was also read in support of the projects.

“We have a city that is aging. With the trash, the city is losing money. It’s not easy for anybody to sit up here and raise rates. It has to (do) with a lot more than salaries, it’s the aging city and a city we haven’t done a lot with over the years,” said City Council President Mark Oprisko, also a member of the Utility Services Board.

“Property tax caps have strangled us. You think that’s all covered in your taxes and it’s not,” added Councilman John Cannon.

02102016 - News Article - Former North Township official wants off court supervision - ROBERT CANTRELL

Former North Township official wants off court supervision
NWI Times
February 10, 2016
nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/former-north-township-official-wants-off-court-supervision/article_6b013361-0faa-5501-b4fe-e9cafbe4aa11.html

HAMMOND — Former North Township supervisor Robert Cantrell is requesting early release from the three years of supervised release he began serving after spending time behind bars on federal fraud and income tax convictions.

Cantrell, through his attorney Kevin Milner, argues he has already served 13 months of his three-year supervision period, which legally enables him to petition for early termination.

Cantrell says he is 74, retired, and spends the bulk of his time with his wife and grandchildren.

“He has been 100 percent compliant in every aspect of his supervision without incident,” the motion reads.

Milner says neither the probation department nor prosecutors oppose the request.

Cantrell was sentenced in 2009 to 6.5 years in prison for using his position in public office to steer contracts to a substance abuse counseling company in exchange for cash kickbacks. He also was found guilty of insurance fraud for “deceptively procuring” township-funded health insurance coverage for two of his children and filing false income tax returns.

02092016 - News Article - Animal shelter retains no-kill status

Animal shelter retains no-kill status

Post-Tribune

February 09, 2016 - 3:02PM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-porter-shelter-no-kill-st-0210-20160209-story.html

The Porter County Animal Shelter released animal intake and outcome data for 2015 on Tuesday that confirms their continued status as a no-kill shelter.

The shelter also announced the launch of a new website.

Of the total 1,135 animal outcomes in 2015, just over 7 percent resulted in euthanization. That total was 80 animals, and 26 were euthanized for aggressive behavior and 54 for medical reasons.

A shelter must maintain a euthanization rate below 10 percent to achieve no-kill status. The shelter had 1,139 intakes for the year, with 1,135 outcomes. In all, 92 percent of the animals that came into the shelter were adopted, reclaimed by their owners, or placed with rescue organizations. About 1 percent of the animals were brought to the shelter after they were dead or died after they got there.

"It was a good year for the shelter and our animals," shelter director Toni Bianchi said in a news release. "We were able to make these achievements because of the support of the public, our partner rescue organizations, and a committed shelter staff. But we have more work to do."

Last year, 82 percent of the animal intakes were strays, yet only 24 percent of the outcomes were returned to the owner. Another 5.7 percent of the intakes were owner surrenders and 6 percent were adoption returns.

"We took a hard look at these numbers and found a need to better educate the public about resources to find and reclaim their lost animals, alternatives to owner surrenders, and helping potential adopters truly understand that adopting an animal is a serious, lifelong commitment," Bianchi said in the news release. "That was a big part of our decision to develop a new and more comprehensive website, so that we could try and reduce the number of animals coming into the shelter."

The new website includes categories for help in finding and reclaiming lost animals, as well as alternatives to the most common reasons for owner surrenders. It also has information for those thinking of adopting, including the cost of owning an animal, the supplies needed, choosing the right animal for their lifestyle, and planning the animal's homecoming.

Groundbreaking for a new shelter on Indiana 49, just north of the Porter County Expo Center, is slated for May. The new shelter will replace the current one at 2056 Heavilin Road, which county officials have long said is outdated and too small for the number of animals it handles.

"During Toni's short tenure as director, we've seen amazing progress at the shelter and it is fantastic that she is now proactively trying to reduce animal intakes through public education and awareness," said Porter County Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, in the news release.

During the website development process, shelter staff compiled lists of the most commonly asked questions by the public, and identified areas where the public can be engaged in supporting the shelter's mission. There are also more than 80 subpages that include adoption success stories; volunteering; upcoming events; becoming a foster; the shelter's wish list; updates on the new shelter; low cost spay/neuter programs; and more.

"We've tried to develop a website that is user friendly and offers information that is truly educational and useful," Bianchi said.

The new website can be viewed at www.porterco.org/pcas.

02072016 - News Article - Portage mayor proposing $10 million bond

Portage mayor proposing $10 million bond
Joyce Russell joyce.russell@nwi.com, (219) 762-1397, ext. 2222
February 07, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/portage-mayor-proposing-million-bond/article_d34a6891-14f4-5854-b4bc-d0ce28bb20b2.html

PORTAGE — The city's Utility Services Board and City Council will hold a joint meeting Wednesday to discuss a $10 million bond issue and rate hikes for sanitary sewer and trash services that may increase homeowners bills a total of $15 per month.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at Woodland Park and is likely to be the only public hearing on the issues.

Last month, Portage Mayor James Snyder proposed to the Utility Services Board a $10 million bond issue to accomplish several infrastructure projects in the city. He also proposed a $9 per month increase in the sanitary sewer bill to fund the bond issue.

Snyder said last week he will also ask for a $6 per month increase in the trash fee, increasing it from $12 to $18 per month.

The City Council, in addition to the Utility Services Board, must approve both the bond issue and the sewer rate increase. The City Council must approve the trash increase.

At the City Council meeting this past week, Snyder asked for a joint meeting of the two boards to discuss the proposed bond and rate increases.

If approved, a homeowner's monthly combined sanitary sewer/trash/stormwater bill will increase from $47 to $62 per month. The rate hike proposals also have a built in inflater which, with the inflater on the stormwater portion of the bill, would increase the overall bill by $1 per month each year.

Seniors will continue to receive a $3 per month discount.

Snyder said the proposed increase in sanitary sewer fees will still keep Portage's proposed rates of $32.50 per month the lowest in the state.

"We have done everything we can to get costs under control," Snyder said, regarding the proposed rate hike in the trash fee.

He also defended the proposed rate increases.

"We've chosen to be a union community and we will continue to pay union rates," Snyder said.

Snyder said the move to automated trash and recycling pick-up has saved Portage $1.2 million and the number of employees has been reduced from 25 to 19 in an effort to cut costs. He said they have negotiated lower landfill fees and made other moves for efficiency.

Snyder said by raising the monthly trash fee to $18, it will make the department financially self sufficient. In 2015, the sanitation department found itself running about $800,000 in the red.

Clerk/Treasurer Chris Stidham agrees current rates should be reviewed and increases implemented.

"I do think this is a great conversation to have regarding the rates. Given property tax caps, fee reviews like this one are inevitable," he said.

He said he agrees with the goal of making the Sanitation Department self-sufficient "from a fee stand point."

"Every property tax dollar we spend on garbage pickup is a dollar we aren't using on other important needs that don't have their own revenue stream," he said.

He used road repairs as an example.

"There aren't currently any road fees available for cities and towns to implement. So we basically have to use the property tax revenue we already receive to cover roads. By freeing up property tax revenue from sanitation expenditures we can spend more on road repair."

He said he thinks the new fees are "reasonable and necessary for the projects outlined."

He also thinks the proposed fee for the trash pickup is "appropriate."

He does wonder if the increases should be completed over time.

"This especially makes sense given household budgets aren't always flexible enough to absorb cost increases like this immediately," he said.

Projects being proposed total $10.5 million, said Snyder, but they plan to keep the bond issue at or below $10 million and use cash to fund the remainder of the projects.

Snyder said the first reading for the bond and rate hike ordinances will be held Wednesday with the intention of the City Council giving final approval at its March meeting.

If approved, Snyder said the increases could be seen on bills in May or June. He estimated work on the projects would begin this year.

02052016 - News Article - Filing season ends with murmur in Region - ROBERT CANTRELL

Filing season ends with murmur in Region
NWI Times
Feb 5, 2016
nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/filing-season-ends-with-murmur-in-region/article_8ac9c948-87c7-57fd-b9dc-10becab0020d.html

CROWN POINT — "Is there blood in the water around here?" Lake County Recorder Mike B. Brown joked Friday as a parade of candidates filed to unseat him.

Brown was among the political observers shooting the breeze outside the county elections board as the 2016 filing season came to an end.

"It's going to be a stacked house," David Uzelac, a former Merrillville town councilman, said of the five Democrats and two Republicans running for an office that acts as an archive for public and private records.

Gregory Sanchez made it just under the noon wire to close out the 2016 filing season. He also filed against Brown, who was philosophical. "I had four opponents last time."

In Porter County, last-minute filing brought out several Republican candidates for commissioner and council.

Longtime county official John Evans, who currently serves as commissioner, and previously served as coroner, announced Friday he would not seek re-election for his north county seat. Vying for that seat are Republicans John Cannon, Jeff Trout and former Commissioner Jim Biggs. Jeff Chidester is the lone Democrat seeking that office. He will not have a Democratic opponent in the May primary.

Republicans running for three county council at-large seats are Travis Gearhart, Jeff Larson, Ralph Levi, Howard O’Connor and Rich Parks. The top three vote-getters will face Democrats Sylvia Graham, Bob Poparad and Dan Whitten in November’s general election.

In Lake County, dozens trooped through the elections office Friday morning. Observers called out the names of each new candidate for a major office as they were posted Friday as part of a traditional past time of guessing who was behind these new names.

Robert Cantrell's appearance during the final minutes did nothing to dispel his reputation for being a brilliant but mischievous political strategist. He supplied inactive candidates, whose primary value is their names, to attract the so-called "dumb vote" from serious candidates on the ballot.

When someone warned him of media interest in his presence, Cantrell shrugged, "I don't know of any law I'm breaking." He recently finished a federal prison sentence for tax fraud and a kickback scheme involving government contracts.

Not everyone made the final rush. A Winfield man wanting to run for county coroner withdrew after being warned by elections staff he could be challenged for failing to establish his residency and party affiliation by voting in earlier elections. A woman failed to turn in a statement of economic interest form.

The race for 3rd District seat of the Lake County Board of Commissioners drew several 11th-hour opponents to incumbent Commissioner Mike Repay.

They included County councilwoman Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, who apparently bypassed the crowd through an alternate hallway to deliver her candidate paperwork. "Cid came in like a ghost. She knows the building real well," laughed Brown.

Four Democrats are challenging Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey.

It is unclear whether everyone posted on the elections board Friday will still be there noon Monday, the deadline for withdrawing their name.

02052016 - News Article - Talking politics on Lake's last filing day - ROBERT CANTRELL

Talking politics on Lake's last filing day
NWI Times
Feb 5, 2016
nwitimes.com/talking-politics-on-lake-s-last-filing-day/image_cc2d2618-4f89-5b73-8f6d-d01abdffc0e4.html

David Uzelac, Robert Cantrell, Lake Recorder Mike Brown, Lake Surveyor Bill Emerson Jr. and New Chicago Town Councilwoman Sue Pelfrey talk politics outside the county elections board.

02052016 - News Article - Lake County's political scene - ROBERT CANTRELL

Lake County's political scene
NWI Times
Feb 5, 2016
nwitimes.com/lake-county-s-political-scene/image_0d228e81-e1e6-5275-bd3d-bdec1f47126a.html

Robert Cantrell and David Uzelac, left center, are among the political observers at Friday's deadline for the 2016 candidate filing season in Lake County.

Robert Cantrell, left and in the brown jacket, was among the political observers at the deadline for the 2016 candidate filing season in Lake County.