11292017 - News Article - Free speech, fair trials collide at ex-Lake County sheriff's sentencing

Free speech, fair trials collide at ex-Lake County sheriff's sentencing
The Indiana Lawyer
Marilyn Odendahl
November 29, 2017
https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/45474-free-speech-fair-trials-collide-at-ex-lake-county-sheriffs-sentencing
With Lake County seemingly awash in political corruption, a local newspaper is trying to uproot the culture of kickbacks and payouts by putting the spotlight on those who speak in favor of the latest elected official to be convicted.

The Times of Northwest Indiana columnist Marc Chase points out he has a constitutional right to call out public officials and community leaders who “carry water” for John Buncich, the former Lake County Sheriff found guilty of federal bribery charges, who’s scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 6.

However, local attorneys view the paper’s actions as inhibiting the judicial process and possibly creating reversible error, giving an appellate court grounds for overturning whatever sentence is imposed, or even the entire conviction. Moreover, it could set a precedent for media outlets and bloggers to pick winners and losers in court proceedings.

“It’s well beyond editorializing,” said Crown Point attorney Geoffrey Giorgi. “It’s judicial interference.”

Giorgi has been warning about the potential consequences since he read Chase’s column in August. He has talked with other attorneys as well as a constitutional law scholar and garnered the support of the Lake Court Bar Association, which took the unusual step of issuing a statement criticizing the paper’s intentions.

‘Apologist watch’
The controversy started when Chase, a longtime investigative reporter and now editorial page editor for the Times, started the “apologist watch.” After Buncich was found guilty of accepting checks and cash payments in exchange for awarding towing contracts to certain businesses, Chase wrote a column announcing the newspaper will publicize the officeholders and prominent citizens who write letters asking Northern Indiana District Judge James Moody for leniency when imposing a sentence.

Chase promised to report in future columns on the people who take the “misguided approach” of supporting Buncich.

He explained that the individuals and politicians who vouch for the disgraced former sheriff in court are giving an “atta boy!” to their friend and reinforcing the culture of acceptance around corruption. Chase wants the supporters to know the public is watching those propping up the person who betrayed the voters’ trust.

Giorgi, of Giorgi & Bebekoski, LLC, and the bar association maintain the column might squelch participation in the sentencing procedure. People could decide not to tell the judge things that might mitigate Buncich’s sentence for fear they will be put under the microscope by the newspaper.

As a consequence, the ex-sheriff could have his constitutional rights compromised. He will not be able to prepare a comprehensive defense and present his complete case to the judge.

The bar association’s statement read, in part, “It is the height of hypocrisy for a news outlet to discourage individual citizens from exercising their rights to make their voices heard for fear of being publicly shamed, depriving a defendant of resources that our Constitutional system provides.”

Yet, as Gerry Lanosga, assistant professor of journalism at Indiana University Bloomington, noted, the newspaper is not doing anything unlawful. The letters written in support of Buncich are public record and the First Amendment gives the newspaper columnist the right to opine on the contents.

He was also dubious of the attorneys’ concerns about the column deterring people from participating in the proceeding.

Courtrooms and trial proceedings are intimidating by themselves, he said. Add to that the circumstances in Lake County, where the ex-sheriff may now be considered toxic. The media will likely be putting television cameras and reporters in the courthouse for the sentencing, and colleagues and friends might have second thoughts about speaking up because they do not want to be publicly linked to a convicted felon.

“The cost of having an open trial proceeding is you’re going to get public scrutiny,” Lanosga said.

Chase is unapologetic.
“If a sitting office-holder refrains from offering support to a convicted felon, I fail to see how that is a bad thing,” he said, arguing his right to free speech is not impinging on anybody’s right to submit a letter to the court asking for leniency. “They have every right to write a letter. I have every right to call them into question for doing so.”

Stopping the corruption
Giorgi concedes the level of corruption in northwest Indiana is disheartening. Highlighting the most recent news of Merrillville Town Councilman Thomas Goralczyk being indicted and pleading guilty to federal bribery charges also involving towing contracts, Giorgi dejectedly noted public officials on the take seem to be business as usual.

Since September 2016, a township assessor, a former mayor and a former township trustee have either been found guilty or pled guilty to illegally taking money. Also, Portage mayor James Snyder, indicted with Buncich, has been charged with accepting a bribe of $13,000 and not paying his taxes.

Ultimately, all the unlawful acts erode the public’s trust, Chase said. The taxpayers elect a leader they believe has integrity only to have that faith trounced when a federal indictment gets handed down. Something needs to be done to stop the perpetual cycle of corruption, he said.

Adam Sedia, president of the Lake County Bar Association, does not dispute Lake County has a great deal of corruption. Certainly, the media is justified in reporting on that activity, but in regard to the newspaper attempting to reduce public misdeeds by exposing who stands up for the accused and convicted, he noted, “… the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Both Giorgi and Sedia, associate at Hoeppner Wagner & Evans, LLP, argued criminal defendants could have their right to defend themselves curtailed because the media’s focus discouraged supporters from taking part in the proceeding. Conversely, defendants who the media favors could get softer treatment because their friends and colleagues are not being put under the harsh spotlight.

Lanosga said if he were writing the column, he would have waited until after the proceeding to point out those who wrote letters of support.

Still, he noted, the Constitution protects fair comment about public officials and columnists can try to influence policy. “I have trouble with the concept of a newspaper threatening to do its job is unlawful,” Lanosga said. “I think that’s problematic if we come to that.”

Giorgi disputed that what the Times column did is covered by the First Amendment. He characterized it as threatening people, which is not protected speech.

Had Chase not announced the “apologist watch” until after the sentencing, Giorgi and Sedia said they would have had no concerns. Likely supporters would not have been intimidated about coming forward and the defendant would not have been denied a fair hearing.

“They shouldn’t be creating the news,” Giorgi said. “I don’t want my newspaper to be in the news-making business. I want my newspaper to be a source of information of what’s happening in the community.”




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MARC CHASE: Don't tolerate officials carrying water for Buncich
Marc Chase
NWI Times
August 26, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/opinion/columnists/marc-chase/marc-chase-don-t-tolerate-officials-carrying-water-for-buncich/article_21a300b7-894a-5b94-9ad3-21af88f675d0.html
The felony bribery conviction of now former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich Thursday ushers in a crucial period in which all Region residents should be paying particularly close attention.

Let's call it "apologist watch": a period when we all should keep eyes peeled for the ill-advised public officials who run to the disgraced sheriff's defense before sentencing.

For those keeping score, an apologist is one who offers an argument in support of something controversial. In Buncich's case, it likely will mean folks who profess admiration and support for his character even though he's shown himself completely undeserving.

Such behavior happens with impunity around here, but the public figures and officials who show support for those who've committed crimes against taxpayers are really doing us all a favor.

They're showing us who to shun at the polls in upcoming election cycles.

Keep watch for the folks who vehemently argue Buncich got a bum deal from the jury. They're the ones who will say the government didn't prove its case when, in fact, eyewitnesses, informants and video backed up nearly every facet of the allegations that Buncich shoved wads of money in his personal pocket and then handed out business to the tow truck companies that bribed him.

They also will be the public officeholders, and other prominent citizens, who are sure to write letters of support for Buncich to U.S. District Court Judge James Moody, seeking a more lenient sentence.

If history is any guide, Moody isn't likely to entertain misguided attempts at heart-string pulling for a corrupt top cop. He's one of the most no-nonsense judges on the bench of a historically no-nonsense federal court system.

Region residents shouldn't buy the pleas for sympathy and leniency, either.

I promise to help take stock of the names and positions of public officials or other community leaders who carry water for Buncich by petitioning the court for leniency. Any letters filed into the public record seeking leniency for Buncich will be reported in my future columns, along with the names and positions of the writers.

Buncich's friends have a right to petition the court on his behalf. We have a right to withhold support for them if they take this misguided approach.

Region political outsiders no doubt are asking themselves, "Who would be so foolish to publicly proclaim such support for a federally convicted felon? What public official would brand themselves as supporting a corrupt politician, in this case who had sworn to uphold the law?

"In fact, wouldn't it be a scarlet letter for such public officials to cast their lot in this fashion?"

We need only look at past federal cases to realize this wrongheaded behavior is likely forthcoming.

Remember former elected Lake County Surveyor George Van Til and his felony conviction for essentially stealing from taxpayers by appropriating government property and employees for his own personal benefit?

After the former surveyor pleaded guilty in 2014, Van Til's defense attorney, Scott King, filed more than 100 pages worth of letters in open court, all written in support of Van Til. The letters generally vouched for Van Til's character and sought leniency at sentencing.

Dozens of the letters were written by political friends and allies, including a number who currently held political office.

Fast-forward to 2017 and Buncich's scheduled Dec. 6 sentencing hearing, and taxpayers have an opportunity to write some letters or make some phone calls of their own.

We all must remind our public officials that behavior like that perpetrated by Buncich won't be tolerated. More importantly, we should be telling them we won't stand for them espousing an apologist attitude.

In times of great violations of public trust by one public official, the others should be concentrating their efforts on repairing that trust and doing right by citizens — not on standing up for crony friends who just brought yet another disgraceful stain on local governance. That stain is enumerated in the 70-plus public corruption convictions of Region officeholders, government employees and vendors since the late 1970s.

If we as voters fail to provide consequences for officials who carry water for their corrupt friends, we're aiding in the spread of our Region's ongoing plague of corruption.

We’re also ignoring the resonating warnings from the apologists themselves — folks who are more keen on defending a crooked former colleague than the voters who elected them.










MARC CHASE: Officeholders carry water for felon Van Til in court letters
Marc Chase
NWI Times
Jan 10, 2015
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/marc-chase/marc-chase-officeholders-carry-water-for-felon-van-til-in/article_d14abc51-68ab-53c7-99fc-a5ad3f292ea0.html
It's amazing the causes for which some folks are willing to extend their necks into the paths of potential legal or social axes.

And in our justice system, it's important to remember even when evidence against a defendant appears overwhelming, we still have a process separating us from mob justice.

But why run to the defense of an individual who's already stood in open court and declared guilt to a particular charge?

It's even more perplexing when politicians engage in this sort of apologist attitude for a fellow officeholder caught with his or her hand in the taxpayers' cookie jar.

More than a year ago, disgraced former Lake County Surveyor George Van Til pleaded guilty in Hammond federal court to felony wire fraud that occurred while he held public office.

For those unfamiliar with the terms or legal score on that one, it means he admitted to stealing from taxpayers, in this case using county government employees and resources to further his campaign, which is a legal no-no.

Van Til awaits sentencing in the case, and one might expect fellow county politicians, at least, to steer clear of a convicted felon for their own reputations' sake.

But Van Til's attorney, Scott King, filed more than 100 pages worth of letters Thursday in open court, all written in support of Van Til. The letters generally vouch for Van Til's character and seek leniency.

Dozens of the letters were written by political friends and allies, including a number who currently hold political office.

Longtime Van Til friend and Highland Clerk-Treasurer Michael Griffin, who I've often admired for his honesty and integrity, wrote one of the letters.

Griffin asks presiding Judge James Moody to "weigh the whole" and consider the "genuine good that has been rendered" from Van Til's political life before the crime was committed.

Indiana state Reps. Charlie Brown and Vernon Smith, both Gary Democrats, also wrote letters, imploring Moody for mercy and leniency.

Smith's letter also questions why disgraced former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett never faced federal charges after being accused of engaging in activity similar to Van Til's criminal charges.

I have the same questions in the Bennett case, but it shouldn't hold any sway over the sentence Moody prescribes in the Van Til case. Neither should the words of close political friends, waxing philosophical about the other "great deeds" of Van Til's life.

In the end, Van Til stood in an open courtroom and admitted guilt. So why apologize for him, acting as if being a good guy during other periods of his life absolves him from facing the full force of the law?

The question isn't whether these sitting elected officeholders had the right to file letters of support for Van Til. In our system, they certainly have that right, as do all citizens.

But the question is, should they have done so?

The soft-pedaling of responsibility continues to color Lake County politics.

11292017 - News Article - Former Sheriff Buncich wants to push back sentencing to prepare to challenge new allegations of wrongdoing

Former Sheriff Buncich wants to push back sentencing to prepare to challenge new allegations of wrongdoing
NWI Times
Nov 29, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-sheriff-buncich-wants-to-push-back-sentencing-to-prepare/article_85a9b5f8-eb46-5070-8a96-19b99e2ad835.html

HAMMOND — Lawyers for former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said Wednesday the government has new allegations of wrongdoing it plans to reveal at his Dec. 6 sentencing.

Valparaiso attorney Bryan M. Truitt asked U.S. District Court Judge James Moody, in a memo made public Wednesday night, to delay the proceedings "a week or two" to better prepare for such a broadside.

Truitt doesn't detail the government's new allegations, which Truitt said federal prosecutors intend to use to oppose any leniency for the 71-year-old law enforcement veteran, now facing a lengthy prison term.

A U.S. District Court jury found Buncich guilty Aug. 25 of six counts of wire fraud, honest services wire fraud and bribery.

The government presented evidence over a 14-day trial that Buncich solicited and accepted bribes from two towing firm owners — Scott Jurgensen, a former Merrillville police officer, towing firm owner and undercover informant for the FBI, and William "Willie" Szarmach, a Lake Station towing firm owner who was charged with Buncich and then took a deal to testify against the former sheriff.

It included their testimony, the testimony of the sheriff's former second-in-command, Timothy Downs, and hours of FBI video and audio recordings.

Jurgensen and Szarmach said they bribed the sheriff to receive more lucrative towing assignments from county police. Downs said he sold Buncich's political fundraising tickets on public time to them and other county towing vendors, who Buncich had the power to hire and terminate.

The sheriff took the witness stand over three days to deny wrongdoing, saying he never promised nor delivered favors for political donations.

Truitt states he only learned Nov. 14 that "the government makes numerous new allegations against the defendant ... yet the defense has received no documentation or (FBI reports)," and "the government has indicated it intends to call several witnesses at sentencing to support the allegations."
Truitt said he has received dozens of letters in support of leniency for Buncich, "despite the intimidation of the NWI Times to prevent the same."

That is a reference to an Aug. 26 column by Times columnist Marc Chase promising the paper would publish the names and positions of public officials or other community leaders "who carry water for Buncich by petitioning the court for leniency."

Neither the U.S. attorney's office nor Moody has responded to Truitt. Moody earlier declined a defense request for more time to prepare for Buncich's trial.

11282017 - News Article - Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial

Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial
NWI Times
November 28, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-mayor-james-snyder-seeks-another-continuance-in-federal-corruption/article_e88ddca7-6f2a-5f4f-8d0e-a0b6faa0c76a.html
PORTAGE — Mayor James Snyder is seeking another continuance in his federal corruption trial.

In a filing Monday in the U.S. District Court in Hammond, Snyder, via his attorney Jackie Bennett, of Indianapolis, has asked the trial be pushed back to no sooner than June 4.

According to the filing, the latest request to delay the trial includes a conflict with Bennett's schedule and the need for adequate time to prepare for the trial.

Snyder chose Bennett as his new attorney early last month after his former attorney, Thomas Kirsch, was confirmed as  U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.

Snyder and co-defendant John Cortina had been set to go to trial on Jan. 29. The trial had originally been set for January 2017, but Snyder and Cortina have received several other continuances.

According to the most recent filing, Bennett writes that the government does not object to the requested continuance for Snyder due to his change in attorney, but will file a separate response to any continuance requested by Cortina.

Snyder was indicted on Nov. 18, 2016, on two counts of bribery and one count of tax evasion. Cortina also was indicted at the same time on one count of bribery.

Snyder is alleged to have corruptly solicited and received two checks totaling $12,000 from Cortina in exchange for a towing contract in the city of Portage, according to information from the U.S. Department of Justice. Cortina is charged with corruptly offering those checks to Snyder.

Snyder is also charged with a second violation of the federal bribery statute. That count alleges that between Jan. 1, 2012, and Jan. 10, 2014, Snyder corruptly solicited and agreed to accept a bank check in the amount of $13,000 in connection with Board of Works contracts, a Redevelopment Commission project and other considerations, according to federal documents.

The final charge against Snyder alleges obstruction of internal revenue laws. This count alleges a scheme, undertaken by Snyder between January 2010 and April 2013, to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Service’s collection of personal taxes he owed and payroll taxes owed by his mortgage business.

11282017 - News Article - Statement from Portage Mayor James Snyder - Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial

Statement from Portage Mayor James Snyder
Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks another continuance in federal corruption trial 
NWI Times
November 28, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-mayor-james-snyder-seeks-another-continuance-in-federal-corruption/article_e88ddca7-6f2a-5f4f-8d0e-a0b6faa0c76a.html

Statement from Portage Mayor James Snyder, who has been indicted on federal bribery and tax charges. His trial is set to begin in January:

"There are distinct differences between the two cases, I have never taken cash; all of contributions are recorded accurately and holding an elected official accountable for the intent of a donor would indict all elected officials who are not independently wealthy and have to raise funds to get their message out.

The prosecutor's own arguments against the sheriff prove my defense and in no way complicated my case; it enforces my innocence.

I have been transparent, cooperative and honorable in my conduct with the federal government. My family, my staff and the City continue to prosper under this cloud and we are grateful to the outpouring of goodness we have received."

11252017 - News Article - Federal investigators question a Portage business's tax break

Federal investigators question a Portage business's tax break
NWI Times
Updated Nov 25, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/federal-investigators-question-a-portage-business-s-tax-break/article_a48774b8-152d-5ce7-853c-1318695ebc3f.html

PORTAGE — A recent federal inquiry may center on a significant tax break a local business received several years ago.

FBI and IRS agents visited Portage Township Assessor Alta Neri last week to ask questions about SRH LLC, which previously owned a multiacre real estate parcel at 5900 Southport Road on which Great Lakes Peterbilt trucks has been doing business for more than 20 years.

While the federal agents didn't serve a subpoena for records, they did ask about routine practices of the township assessor's office and took copies of documents related to a decision to reduce SRH's property tax assessments.

Neri said a tax representative for SRH filed appeals of its 2011-12 assessments.

She said properties usually are assessed at values, for taxing purposes, that follow the local real estate market. On this appeal, they used an alternate method of measuring the firm's business income and arrived at a lower value.

"We honestly did our job," she said. Neri was the chief deputy assessor at the time. She was elected assessor in 2014.

Neri said the documents federal investigators asked questions about are confidential.

But public records kept by the Porter County assessor's office indicate the assessment of SRH's parcel was reduced in value by at least 35 percent — to $1.6 million from $2.5 million in 2011, and to $1.6 million from $2.6 million in 2012.

Neri said that reduction accounts for SRH's 2012 tax bill dropping by nearly $22,992. The Porter County treasurer's office records indicate SRH's taxes went to $42,170 from $65,162.

Stephen Buha, listed as SRH's president in state business records, said this week no federal agents have questioned him about what he considers to be a routine tax appeal. "I was the president who filed it, but I didn't do it personally. I cannot speculate what this is about."

Valparaiso attorney Russell Millbranth, who has represented SRH, said he is baffled. "People quite often find their assessment is steep. There are a lot of companies that perform appeals of tax matters."

Spokespersons for the FBI, IRS and the U.S. attorney's office in Hammond declined to comment, saying federal law prohibits them from commenting on investigations.

Neri said she suspects the federal inquiry may be connected to the long-running investigation of Portage Mayor James Snyder, who is awaiting trial next year on bribery, extortion and tax evasion charges the U.S. attorney's office filed a year ago.

Snyder is pleading not guilty to all counts. Reached Wednesday by text message, the mayor said he would respond but did not. His defense attorney could not be reached for comment.

Business records kept by the Indiana secretary of state indicates SRH was first organized as a limited liability company in January 2003 and has remained active.

SRH's principal office was listed at the Southport Road address until 2015 when it moved to the Valparaiso residence of Robert Buha, who is listed as the company's secretary.

County records indicate the property at Southport Road sold in 2015 to Larson Properties LLC for $5.3 million. Neri said that will require her office to readjust the property's value upward in future tax cycles.

In September 2014, FBI agents visited Portage's street department and requested documents related to the purchase of automated garbage trucks from Great Lakes Peterbilt, Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham said at the time.

City Attorney Gregg Sobkowski also had confirmed the FBI issued a subpoena at the time for all bid packages received by the city for garbage trucks purchased from 2012 to the present.

In August 2015, FBI agents visited the offices of Porter County Assessor Jon Snyder to inquire about property tax appeals from 2012 and 2013. The county assessor is a brother of the Portage mayor.

11172017 - News Article - FBI and IRS visit Portage Township assessor seeking tax appeal records

FBI and IRS visit Portage Township assessor seeking tax appeal records
NWI Times
Nov 17, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/fbi-and-irs-visit-portage-township-assessor-seeking-tax-appeal/article_390ed5d4-6985-55d4-8a3b-e24b00c9cb75.html#utm_source=nwitimes.com

PORTAGE — Agents with the FBI and IRS visited the Portage Township assessor's office Tuesday afternoon seeking tax appeal records involving the Great Lakes Peterbilt property at 5900 Southport Road in Portage, according to the assessor.

The agents were interested in an appeal involving SRH LLC, which had owned the property during 2011-12, Assessor Alta Neri said.

The office was working on compiling the requested files Friday afternoon, she said.

Federal agents visited other offices in Portage over the past several years leading up to the November 2016 indictment of Mayor James Snyder.

Snyder, a Republican in his second term, is charged with bribery, extortion and tax evasion. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial, which is set to begin in Hammond district court on Jan. 29.

During a visit to the city's street department in September 2014, FBI agents requested documents related to the purchase of automated garbage trucks from Great Lakes Peterbilt, Clerk-treasurer Chris Stidham said at the time.

City Attorney Gregg Sobkowski had also confirmed the FBI issued a subpoena at the time for all bid packages received by the city for garbage trucks purchased from 2012 to the present.

11172017 - Former Merrillville Councilman Thomas Goralczyk - INDICTED

11172017--Former-Merrillville-Councilman--Thomas-Goralczyk--Indictment

11172017--PLEA-AGREEMENT--INDICTED--Former-Merrillville-Councilman--Thomas-Goralczyk

Former town council president Thomas 'Tommy' Goralczyk pleads guilty in Merrillville towing bribery
NWI Times
Jan 31, 2018
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-town-council-president-thomas-tommy-goralczyk-pleads-guilty-in/article_487437e0-7afa-52b2-b218-f70320cd0d53.html

A former Merrillville town councilman pleaded guilty to felony bribery Wednesday for his role in an influence-buying scheme in government towing work.

Thomas "Tommy" Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Hammond to admit he accepted bribes in return for promises of a lucrative contract he made five years ago to an undercover FBI informant.

"How do you want to plea?" U.S. District Judge Joseph S. VanBokkelen asked Goralczyk after questioning him extensively about his understandings of the court proceedings.

"Guilty, your honor," Goralczyk replied, his defense attorney, Russell Brown, standing closely to his left. 

The court deemed him not a flight risk or danger to the public, and allowed Goralczyk to await his sentencing hearing outside the confines of jail. 

Goralczyk on Wednesday became the fourth person convicted in what promises to be a growing federal investigation into public corruption in local government.

Former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich was sentenced earlier this month to 188 months in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in towing bribes.

Timothy Downs, Buncich's former second-in-command, pleaded guilty to receiving bribes as Buncich's bag man, and William Szarmach, a Lake Station towing firm owner, pleaded guilty to paying Buncich bribes.

And it is far from over.

Portage Mayor James E. Snyder and John Cortina, owner of a Portage towing firm, are now set to stand trial June 4 in U.S. District Court — Snyder for allegedly soliciting and receiving $12,000 in exchange for a Portage towing contract and Cortina for allegedly offering the money. They are pleading not guilty.

FBI Special Agent Nathan Holbrook testified at Buncich's sentencing the federal towing investigation extended beyond the Sheriff's Department and Merrillville.

U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II recently said he is forming a new task force "to root out public corruption wherever it exists in the Northern District of Indiana."

Unlike Buncich, who continues to protest his innocence and tested the credibility of the government's evidence during a 14-day trial last summer, Goralczyk began cooperating with federal authorities even before his indictment last fall and signed an agreement to plead guilty in return for a more lenient sentence.

Goralczyk admitted in the plea agreement that he accepted two vehicles from a witness cooperating with the FBI on the promise he would use his influence as a councilman to steer the town's towing contract to the informant's towing company.

That individual has been identified as Scott Jurgensen, a former Merrillville police officer and owner of a Merrillville tow firm who complained to the FBI special agent that he couldn't get towing work because he refused to pay bribes.

Holbrook recruited Jurgensen to help the FBI by accepting bribes as an undercover informant.

Goralczyk received bribes between February 2013 and August 2014, Goralczyk's agreement states. He accepted a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the informant for $400, when he knew the vehicle's value exceeded $2,500.

Goralczyk also accepted a 2008 Ford Focus, valued at more than $5,000, for which he paid nothing, the agreement states. He also was provided four camper tires and free storage for a personal motorcycle as part of the deal. 

The former councilman attempted to hide the bribes by presenting false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles representing he paid $1,000 for the Jeep Cherokee and $2,750 for the Ford Focus, the agreement states.

Goralczyk is agreeing to forfeit $7,500 before sentencing as part of the plea deal.

Goralczyk was first elected as a Merrillville town councilman in 2007 and took office in January 2008. He was re-elected in 2011 and began his second term as 4th Ward councilman in January 2012.

He served as president of the Town Council in 2011 and 2015.

He also held various other positions on the Merrillville Redevelopment Commission, Lake County Solid Waste Management Board and the governing board of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, according to the agreement. 

He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release, though prosecutors have recommended the court impose a sentence at the recommended guideline range.

By pleading guilty to the felony offense, Goralczyk loses his right to vote, serve as an elected official or own a handgun, VanBokkelen said. 

Goralczyk's sentencing hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. May 16.

Ex-Merrillville councilman pleads guilty to bribery; swapped towing contract for 2 vehicles
Chicago Tribune
Jan 31, 2018
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-tom-goralczyk-sentencing-st-0201-20180131-story.html

A former Merrillville councilman formally pleaded guilty Wednesday to accepting vehicles and other items in exchange for a municipal towing contract.

Tom Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, filed a guilty plea with Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen Wednesday after he was indicted in November for soliciting bribes during his tenure on the Town Council, according to court documents, and struck a plea agreement to the charges the same day the case was unsealed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Benson said Goralczyk accepted two vehicles from a confidential informant who wanted to get on Merrillville's tow list. Benson said Goralczyk took the vehicles and used his influence in the town to get the confidential informant on the list.

Van Bokkelen asked how Goralczyk wanted to plea.

"Guilty, your honor," Goralczyk said.

The charges said that Goralczyk "did knowingly and corruptly solicit demand, accept and agree to accept" a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee; a 2008 Ford Focus; four new camper tires; and free storage for a motorcycle from "Individual A" in return for a towing contract from Merrillville, according to court documents.

"The purpose of this was to buy your influence?" asked Van Bokkelen.

"Yes sir," Goralczyk said.

Goralczyk presented false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which he obtained for $400 though the value was in excess of $2,500, and for the Ford Focus, which he accepted for free though it was valued in excess of $5,000, according to court documents.

"I obtained both of these vehicles for my own personal gain, in exchange for my promise to engage in official conduct by using my influence and power as a Merrillville town councilman to obtain a Town of Merrillville towing contract for the FBI 'cooperating individual's' towing company," Goralczyk said, in the plea agreement.

Van Bokkelen set a May 16 sentencing hearing for Goralczyk.

Goralczyk, who represented Ward 4, was seeking his third term on the Merrillville Town Council when he lost to Marge Uzelac, a longtime activist in the town, during the May 2015 Democratic primary. He had served as council president twice during his two terms.

Goralczyk's indictment came almost a year after the U.S. Attorney's Office filed charges against former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and Portage Mayor James Snyder for allegedly soliciting bribes from tow operators.

The FBI's investigation into potential pay-to-play towing began in 2012, according to testimony in federal court during Buncich's trial. The investigation first looked at town officials in Merrillville and Schererville, according to testimony, but did not lead to any charges at that time.

A jury in August convicted Buncich of bribery and wire fraud, according to court documents, and Judge James Moody sentenced the former sheriff to 15 years and eight months in prison.

Snyder pleaded not guilty, according to court documents, and is scheduled for a June trial.

See the documents: Former Merrillville town councilman Thomas Goralczyk indicted, pleads guilty to bribery charge in towing scandal
NWI Times
November 17, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-merrillville-town-councilman-thomas-goralczyk-indicted-pleads-guilty-to/article_33a4a59a-1358-5bfe-a3ab-7f985395ff83.html
CROWN POINT — A former Merrillville town councilman admitted Friday he took bribes from a federal police informant in exchange for a vehicle towing contract, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Thomas Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Hammond of felony bribery. He admitted Friday he was guilty of the offense in a plea agreement with prosecutors.

A date for a plea hearing has not yet been scheduled, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Goralczyk, contacted at his home in Merrillville, declined to comment.

Merrillville Town Council President Richard Hardaway said his heart goes out to Goralczyk's family.

Hardaway said he worked with Goralczyk on the council for eight years, and he had believed the former councilman was beyond reproach.

"It's another tough day for the town of Merrillville," Hardaway said.

Goralczyk admitted in the plea agreement he accepted two vehicles from a witness cooperating with the FBI on the promise he would use his influence as a councilman to steer the town's towing contract to the informant's towing company.

The bribes were made between February 2013 and August 2014, the agreement states. He accepted a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the informant for $400, when he knew the vehicle's value exceeded $2,500.

He also accepted a 2008 Ford Focus, valued at more than $5,000, for which he paid nothing, the agreement states. He also was provided four camper tires and free storage for a personal motorcycle as part of the deal.

The former councilman attempted to hide the bribes by presenting false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles representing he paid $1,000 for the Jeep Cherokee, and $2,750 for the Ford Focus, the agreement states.

Goralczyk agrees to forfeit $7,500 before sentencing as part of the plea deal.

“Public officials, like Mr. Goralczyk, elected and entrusted to do the public's work, are required to do that work free from self-dealing and graft,” U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II said Friday in a statement. “This is not optional. The public demands and is, in fact, entitled to honest public servants.”

Goralczyk was first elected as a Merrillville town councilman in 2007 and took office in January 2008. He was re-elected in 2011 and began his second term as 4th Ward councilman in January 2012.

He served as president of the Town Council in 2011 and 2015.

He also held various other positions on the Merrillville Redevelopment Commission, Lake County Solid Waste Management Board and the governing board of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, according to the agreement.

The investigation into Goralczyk was first revealed in August at the trial of former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, who was convicted of wire fraud and bribery for taking cash bribes to steer the county's towing work to favored companies.

Nathan Holbrook, an FBI special agent, testified Aug. 8 at trial the investigation into Buncich began initially with an investigation in 2012 into whether Scott Jurgensen, who was working undercover for the FBI, bribed Goralczyk to get towing work from the town.
Jurgensen, owner of Samson's Towing, had complained to the FBI special agent he couldn't get towing work because he refused to pay bribes.










Former Merrillville councilman charged with bribery, pleads guilty
Craig Lyons
Post-Tribune
November 17, 2017 - 11:40AM
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-former-merrillville-councilman-indicted-st-1118-20171117-story.html

A former Merrillville town councilman indicted Friday on bribery charges has already pleaded guilty.

Thomas Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, was charged for soliciting bribes in exchange for awarding towing contract during his tenure on the Town Council, according to court documents unsealed Friday morning, and filed a guilty plea, admitting he accepted motor vehicles and other items from a tow operator cooperating with the FBI.

"Public officials, like Mr. Goralczyk, elected and entrusted to do the public's work, are required to do that work free from self-dealing and graft. This is not optional," said U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II in a statement. "The public demands and is, in fact, entitled to honest public servants. Mr. Goralczyk violated this trust for the purpose of enriching himself. This will not be tolerated at any level of government."

The Post-Tribune has reached out to Goralczyk for comment.

The charges allege that Goralczyk "did knowingly and corruptly solicit demand, accept and agree to accept" a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee; a 2008 Ford Focus; four new camper tires; and free storage for a motorcycle from "Individual A" in return for a towing contract from Merrillville, according to court documents.

Goralczyk allegedly presented false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which he obtained for $400 though the value was in excess of $2,500, and for the Fort Focus, which he accepted for free, according the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"I obtained both of these vehicles for my own personal gain, in exchange for my promise to engage in official conduct by using my influence and power as a Merrillville town councilman to obtain a Town of Merrillville towing contract for the FBI 'cooperating individual's' towing company," Goralczyk said, in the plea agreement.

Federal authorities allege that during the time these items were accepted, the town had received more than $10,000 from a federal grant program.

The case also seeks the forfeiture of the items Goralczyk allegedly accepted as a bribe, according to court documents.

Goralczyk, who represented Ward 4, was seeking his third term on the Merrillville Town Council when he lost the 4th Ward seat to Marge Uzelac, a longtime activist in the town, in the May 2015 Democratic primary.

He had served as council president twice during his two terms.

Goralczyk, during his tenure, helped the town receive a U.S. Department of Energy grant to install 30 solar panels on the roof of town hall in 2010 and led a nearly $1 million renovation of town hall in 2013.

When he was defeated, the town was ready to begin a $3.4 million road project at Taney and Whitcomb streets to improve drainage there.

A few weeks after the 2015 primary election, the town council moved to join the Shared Ethics Advisory Committee.

Goralczyk has been a Merrillville resident for 30 years and works for Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District.

Goralczyk's bribery indictment comes almost a year after former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and Portage Mayor James Snyder were indicted for soliciting bribes from tow operators.

The FBI's investigation into potential pay to play towing began in 2012, according to testimony in federal court during Buncich's trial. FBI agents spoke with Scott Jurgensen, owner of Samson's Towing in Merrillville, and asked why he didn't get more towing work.

"You don't pay, you're not going to tow," Jurgensen said, during his testimony.

The investigation first looked at town officials in Merrillville and Schererville, according to testimony, but did not lead to any charges at that time.

A jury convicted Buncich in August for using his role as sheriff to assign towing territory to solicit bribes, in the form of campaign contributions. Buncich is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 6, according to court documents, and his attorneys vowed to appeal the verdict.

Snyder pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to court documents, and is tentatively scheduled for a January 2018 trial.










Ex-Merrillville councilman faces federal bribery charges
Chron
November 17, 2017 - 11:13AM
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Ex-Merrillville-councilman-faces-federal-bribery-12365824.php
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges.

The Post-Tribune reports court documents unsealed Friday show 51-year-old Thomas Goralczyk of Merrillville was charged for soliciting bribes between February 2013 and February 2014 in exchange for awarding a towing contract during his time on the Merrillville Town Council.

Court documents say Goralczyk accepted two vehicles, four new camper tires and free motorcycle storage from someone identified as "Individual A" in exchange for the Merrillville contract. The case seeks forfeiture of the items that the 51-year-old Goralczyk is accused of accepting as bribes.

Goralczyk served on the council for two terms but lost a re-election bid in 2015. A message seeking comment left at a Merrillville phone listing for Goralczyk wasn't immediately returned.











Ex-Merrillville Councilman Faces Federal Bribery Charges
Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges
US News
November 17, 2017
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois/articles/2017-11-17/ex-merrillville-councilman-faces-federal-bribery-charges
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges.

The Post-Tribune reports court documents unsealed Friday show 51-year-old Thomas Goralczyk of Merrillville was charged for soliciting bribes between February 2013 and February 2014 in exchange for awarding a towing contract during his time on the Merrillville Town Council.

Court documents say Goralczyk accepted two vehicles, four new camper tires and free motorcycle storage from someone identified as "Individual A" in exchange for the Merrillville contract. The case seeks forfeiture of the items that the 51-year-old Goralczyk is accused of accepting as bribes.

Goralczyk served on the council for two terms but lost a re-election bid in 2015. A message seeking comment left at a Merrillville phone listing for Goralczyk wasn't immediately returned.
___

Information from: Post-Tribune, http://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/

11172017 - News Article - Former Merrillville councilman charged with bribery, pleads guilty

Former Merrillville councilman charged with bribery, pleads guilty
Post-Tribune
November 17, 2017 - 11:40AM
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-former-merrillville-councilman-indicted-st-1118-20171117-story.html
A former Merrillville town councilman indicted Friday on bribery charges has already pleaded guilty.

Thomas Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, was charged for soliciting bribes in exchange for awarding towing contract during his tenure on the Town Council, according to court documents unsealed Friday morning, and filed a guilty plea, admitting he accepted motor vehicles and other items from a tow operator cooperating with the FBI.

"Public officials, like Mr. Goralczyk, elected and entrusted to do the public's work, are required to do that work free from self-dealing and graft. This is not optional," said U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II in a statement. "The public demands and is, in fact, entitled to honest public servants. Mr. Goralczyk violated this trust for the purpose of enriching himself. This will not be tolerated at any level of government."

The Post-Tribune has reached out to Goralczyk for comment.

The charges allege that Goralczyk "did knowingly and corruptly solicit demand, accept and agree to accept" a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee; a 2008 Ford Focus; four new camper tires; and free storage for a motorcycle from "Individual A" in return for a towing contract from Merrillville, according to court documents.

Goralczyk allegedly presented false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which he obtained for $400 though the value was in excess of $2,500, and for the Fort Focus, which he accepted for free, according the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"I obtained both of these vehicles for my own personal gain, in exchange for my promise to engage in official conduct by using my influence and power as a Merrillville town councilman to obtain a Town of Merrillville towing contract for the FBI 'cooperating individual's' towing company," Goralczyk said, in the plea agreement.

Federal authorities allege that during the time these items were accepted, the town had received more than $10,000 from a federal grant program.

The case also seeks the forfeiture of the items Goralczyk allegedly accepted as a bribe, according to court documents.

Goralczyk, who represented Ward 4, was seeking his third term on the Merrillville Town Council when he lost the 4th Ward seat to Marge Uzelac, a longtime activist in the town, in the May 2015 Democratic primary.

He had served as council president twice during his two terms.

Goralczyk, during his tenure, helped the town receive a U.S. Department of Energy grant to install 30 solar panels on the roof of town hall in 2010 and led a nearly $1 million renovation of town hall in 2013.

When he was defeated, the town was ready to begin a $3.4 million road project at Taney and Whitcomb streets to improve drainage there.

A few weeks after the 2015 primary election, the town council moved to join the Shared Ethics Advisory Committee.

Goralczyk has been a Merrillville resident for 30 years and works for Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District.

Goralczyk's bribery indictment comes almost a year after former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich and Portage Mayor James Snyder were indicted for soliciting bribes from tow operators.

The FBI's investigation into potential pay to play towing began in 2012, according to testimony in federal court during Buncich's trial. FBI agents spoke with Scott Jurgensen, owner of Samson's Towing in Merrillville, and asked why he didn't get more towing work.

"You don't pay, you're not going to tow," Jurgensen said, during his testimony.

The investigation first looked at town officials in Merrillville and Schererville, according to testimony, but did not lead to any charges at that time.

A jury convicted Buncich in August for using his role as sheriff to assign towing territory to solicit bribes, in the form of campaign contributions. Buncich is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 6, according to court documents, and his attorneys vowed to appeal the verdict.

Snyder pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to court documents, and is tentatively scheduled for a January 2018 trial.

11172017 - News Article - Ex-Merrillville councilman faces federal bribery charges

Ex-Merrillville councilman faces federal bribery charges
Chron
November 17, 2017 - 11:13AM
http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Ex-Merrillville-councilman-faces-federal-bribery-12365824.php
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges.

The Post-Tribune reports court documents unsealed Friday show 51-year-old Thomas Goralczyk of Merrillville was charged for soliciting bribes between February 2013 and February 2014 in exchange for awarding a towing contract during his time on the Merrillville Town Council.

Court documents say Goralczyk accepted two vehicles, four new camper tires and free motorcycle storage from someone identified as "Individual A" in exchange for the Merrillville contract. The case seeks forfeiture of the items that the 51-year-old Goralczyk is accused of accepting as bribes.

Goralczyk served on the council for two terms but lost a re-election bid in 2015. A message seeking comment left at a Merrillville phone listing for Goralczyk wasn't immediately returned.

11172017 - News Article - Ex-Merrillville Councilman Faces Federal Bribery Charges - Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges

Ex-Merrillville Councilman Faces Federal Bribery Charges
Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges
US News
November 17, 2017
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/illinois/articles/2017-11-17/ex-merrillville-councilman-faces-federal-bribery-charges
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Court records show that a former councilman for the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville faces federal bribery charges.

The Post-Tribune reports court documents unsealed Friday show 51-year-old Thomas Goralczyk of Merrillville was charged for soliciting bribes between February 2013 and February 2014 in exchange for awarding a towing contract during his time on the Merrillville Town Council.

Court documents say Goralczyk accepted two vehicles, four new camper tires and free motorcycle storage from someone identified as "Individual A" in exchange for the Merrillville contract. The case seeks forfeiture of the items that the 51-year-old Goralczyk is accused of accepting as bribes.

Goralczyk served on the council for two terms but lost a re-election bid in 2015. A message seeking comment left at a Merrillville phone listing for Goralczyk wasn't immediately returned.

11172017 - News Article - See the documents: Former Merrillville town councilman Thomas Goralczyk indicted, pleads guilty to bribery charge in towing scandal

See the documents: Former Merrillville town councilman Thomas Goralczyk indicted, pleads guilty to bribery charge in towing scandal
NWI Times
November 17, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-merrillville-town-councilman-thomas-goralczyk-indicted-pleads-guilty-to/article_33a4a59a-1358-5bfe-a3ab-7f985395ff83.html
CROWN POINT — A former Merrillville town councilman admitted Friday he took bribes from a federal police informant in exchange for a vehicle towing contract, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Thomas Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Hammond of felony bribery. He admitted Friday he was guilty of the offense in a plea agreement with prosecutors.

A date for a plea hearing has not yet been scheduled, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Goralczyk, contacted at his home in Merrillville, declined to comment.

Merrillville Town Council President Richard Hardaway said his heart goes out to Goralczyk's family.

Hardaway said he worked with Goralczyk on the council for eight years, and he had believed the former councilman was beyond reproach.

"It's another tough day for the town of Merrillville," Hardaway said.

Goralczyk admitted in the plea agreement he accepted two vehicles from a witness cooperating with the FBI on the promise he would use his influence as a councilman to steer the town's towing contract to the informant's towing company.

The bribes were made between February 2013 and August 2014, the agreement states. He accepted a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the informant for $400, when he knew the vehicle's value exceeded $2,500.

He also accepted a 2008 Ford Focus, valued at more than $5,000, for which he paid nothing, the agreement states. He also was provided four camper tires and free storage for a personal motorcycle as part of the deal.

The former councilman attempted to hide the bribes by presenting false bills of sale to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles representing he paid $1,000 for the Jeep Cherokee, and $2,750 for the Ford Focus, the agreement states.

Goralczyk agrees to forfeit $7,500 before sentencing as part of the plea deal.

“Public officials, like Mr. Goralczyk, elected and entrusted to do the public's work, are required to do that work free from self-dealing and graft,” U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II said Friday in a statement. “This is not optional. The public demands and is, in fact, entitled to honest public servants.”

Goralczyk was first elected as a Merrillville town councilman in 2007 and took office in January 2008. He was re-elected in 2011 and began his second term as 4th Ward councilman in January 2012.

He served as president of the Town Council in 2011 and 2015.

He also held various other positions on the Merrillville Redevelopment Commission, Lake County Solid Waste Management Board and the governing board of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, according to the agreement.

The investigation into Goralczyk was first revealed in August at the trial of former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, who was convicted of wire fraud and bribery for taking cash bribes to steer the county's towing work to favored companies.

Nathan Holbrook, an FBI special agent, testified Aug. 8 at trial the investigation into Buncich began initially with an investigation in 2012 into whether Scott Jurgensen, who was working undercover for the FBI, bribed Goralczyk to get towing work from the town. 
Jurgensen, owner of Samson's Towing, had complained to the FBI special agent he couldn't get towing work because he refused to pay bribes.

11172017 - Plea Agreement - Federally Indicted Former Merrillville Councilman Thomas Goralczyk

11172017--PLEA-AGREEMENT--INDICTED--Former-Merrillville-Councilman--Thomas-Goralczyk

11172017 - Indictment - Former Merrillville Councilman Thomas Goralczyk - Federal Program Bribery

11172017--Former-Merrillville-Councilman--Thomas-Goralczyk--Indictment

11162017 - News Article - Portage ends 'lavish' leases for mayor, economic develop director vehicles

Portage ends 'lavish' leases for mayor, economic develop director vehicles
NWI Times
Nov 16, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage-ends-lavish-leases-for-mayor-economic-develop-director-vehicles/article_b795f9bb-096d-55d9-a0e1-2256018916ec.html

PORTAGE — Mayor James Snyder and the city's economic development director are going to be downsizing the city vehicles they drive after a decision to end leases on a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe and 2016 Ford Expedition.

The Utility Services Board last week approved terminating both leases. Snyder, in an email to city officials Thursday morning, said the two vehicles are parked and ready to be picked up by the leasing company. When contacted Thursday, Snyder declined further comment.

The issue of the leased vehicles has been debated by city officials for some time, but last week at a USB meeting, Chairman Mark Oprisko motioned for Snyder to "send back" the two vehicles to the leasing company.

"The cost of the vehicles is so lavish," Oprisko said Thursday, adding he brought up the issue because "enough is enough" and the USB has been trying to get things in order since the City Council took it over in March from Snyder's leadership.

The USB has been paying $3,624 per month for the lease of the Tahoe, two Expeditions and two Ford Explorers. The Tahoe, which Snyder drove, cost $860 per month; the Expeditions were $750 per month and the Explorers $470 per month, according to city records. The second Expedition was driven by the former city administrator and the two Explorers are driven by USB superintendents.

Clerk-treasurer Chris Stidham confirmed the cars had been parked Thursday and said he has contacted the leasing company to pick them up.

Stidham said that doesn't mean Snyder and Economic Development Director Andy Maletta, who drove one of the Expeditions, won't be driving city-owned or -leased vehicles. After meeting with Snyder on Thursday afternoon, Stidham said replacement vehicles will be acquired. He is uncertain if they will be purchased or leased.

"No one is saying they shouldn't have vehicles, but they should be appropriate vehicles," said Stidham.

Stidham said the Expedition driven by the former city administrator, who resigned in February, had been sitting in the city hall parking lot until last month when the USB terminated the lease. The lease termination cost the USB about $5,000, he said, adding terminating the lease early and paying the cost was less expensive than continuing the lease. There were four years left on the leases.











Mayor defends Portage SUV purchases
Chicago Tribune
December 28, 2017
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-ptb-portage-snyder-suv-st-1229-20171228-story.html
The Portage Board of Works approved the purchase of two new sports utility vehicles from a local auto dealership Wednesday, but the move fell flat for Common Council President Mark Oprisko and others at City Hall.

The board approved buying two 2018 Ford Explorers from Lakeshore Ford, in Burns Harbor, for $65,786, pending legal review by the city attorney. The move came after Oprisko used a travel policy passed by the city council in October to strip Mayor James Snyder and Economic Development Director Andy Maletta of their city-owned SUVs last month.

During the meeting, Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham, who has announced his intention to run for mayor in 2019, asked about the process city officials used in securing the quotes from Lakeshore.

According to Stidham, any quotes should've been received by city officials by Dec. 15. The Lakeshore quote had a handwritten receipt date of Dec. 12, but there was no date of receipt on a quote from Connor's Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, in Chesterton, which quoted two similar vehicles at $68,794.

Also, City Hall sources and Oprisko insisted Snyder has been using the Ford Explorer officially purchased Wednesday "for at least two weeks," and Oprisko complained Snyder has offered "zero communication" with the council on big ticket purchases, such as buying the vehicles.

Snyder called his critics' comments "senseless," and he insisted he has been using a number of city-owned vehicles and "loaner cars," including a newer model, while Ford Explorer owned by the parks department.

Snyder had leased a 2016 Chevy Tahoe for about $866 a month, while Maletta's leased 2016 Ford Expedition ran about $750 a month, officials said.

When asked if Wednesday's board purchase needed to be approved by the city council, Snyder said, "This board (of Works) purchases vehicles all the time."