UPDATE: Porter County councilman calls for Portage mayor to resign
NWI Times
UPDATED - December 06, 2016 - 7:00PM
PORTAGE — A member of the Porter County Council has called on Portage Mayor James Snyder to resign following his indictment on federal public corruption charges.
Jeremy Rivas released a statement Tuesday calling for Snyder to step down.
Snyder was charged last month before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry on counts of felony bribery, extortion and tax dodging, which carry long prison terms if he is convicted. He pleaded not guilty.
Rivas, D-2nd, said in his statement that Snyder has "broken the public's trust."
He cites several ongoing projects, such as drainage issues along Willowcreek Road, consideration of a new North County Government Complex, allowing Portage to bring their stray animals to the new Porter County Animal Shelter and a new public radio system — between the county and the city — as reasons for Snyder to resign.
"There’s a lot going on that we need to partner with the city. ... I don’t know how anyone can do that with a guy under indictment," Rivas said.
"I think we pride ourselves on quality of life, good government, and this flies in the face of it," Rivas said.
Porter County Council President Dan Whitten, D-at-large, said Snyder, like all citizens, deserves his day in court, and he hopes the allegations are not true.
But, if they allegations are true, and only Snyder knows for certain, he should resign, Whitten said.
Whitten said elected officials are trusted by the public to conduct the public's business.
"If you're committing public corruption, you betray that trust, and you should resign," Whitten said.
Whitten said if someone is under federal indictment it makes it more difficult to have a bond of trust.
"I'm not going to say we're not going to do things to benefit the city of Portage, but we may have to change the way we do it," Whitten said. "We may have to work directly with the City Council."
Portage City Council President Mark Oprisko, D-at large, said he has and will continue to work with Rivas and Whitten on issues like the North County Complex and animal shelter.
"I won’t let (the) mayor's indictment get in the way of our dialogue with the county," Oprisko said.
Oprisko called the indictment an "unfortunate situation," but said Snyder deserves his day in court.
"I’m just trying to move the city forward as best we can," Oprisko said. "I’m not going to drop the ball with county.”
But Porter County Republican Chairman Michael Simpson said Snyder deserves his day in court and should remain in office.
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