02162019 - News Article - James Snyder's legacy leaves a mix of scandal and progress

James Snyder's legacy leaves a mix of scandal and progress
NWI Times
February 16, 2019
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/james-snyder-s-legacy-leaves-a-mix-of-scandal-and/article_b92909d0-b26e-5694-8aaa-ce8d0f1c24e1.html

PORTAGE — Former Mayor James Snyder's legacy likely will be most remembered for how he left the office.

The nearly four-year-long investigation into alleged wrongdoings led to a November 2016 indictment on three charges in federal court. That led to 26 months of court proceedings that often put the city into a negative regional light.

The investigations, allegations and political maneuverings also often resulted in open bickering between Snyder and members of the City Council.

His alleged attempt to use $93,000 in utility funds to pay legal fees resulted in council members stripping him of his authority as the head of the city's utility board. That action led to Snyder suing the council to regain control, costing taxpayers more than $300,000 in legal fees.

Despite Snyder's felony bribery and tax obstruction convictions in federal court last week, Snyder, who left office about 10 months short of finishing his second term, left other marks on the city.

Positive progress and programs
Under his administration's leadership, the city saw the construction of a new fire station on Central Avenue and the renovation of the underutilized University Center into a new police station.

The adjacent Founders Square Park also was completed with the addition of a splash pad and pavilion. A handicapped-accessible playground also was constructed on the park property, thanks to a partnership between the city and local nonprofit Hannah's Hope.

Surrounding the park, the city saw one of the largest private investments in the city come to be. Promenade at Founders Square, an apartment/commercial development by Holladay Properties, launched to continue Snyder's administration's efforts to develop a viable downtown-like area in the city.

The administration also instituted an "all-call" system that would reach out to residents via telephone calls, emails and/or text messages to warn them of an emergency situation, changes of city services or upcoming programs of interest in the city.

The city constructed a new $6.5 million street and sanitation multi-building facility.

Progress also was made on the development of the city's north side. While Lakefront Park and Riverwalk, owned by the National Park Service and managed by the city, continued to suffer from erosion, the city's Redevelopment Commission, under Snyder's leadership, funded a project that extended the park southward, adding parking and trails and converting a former steelworker training center into an open air pavilion.

Mixed results
Despite successes in the city's downtown, Snyder failed to persuade county officials to construct a new combined county building/City Hall on Central Avenue adjacent to the police station. Some county officials balked at the partnership at the time, citing Snyder's legal entanglements. Instead, the county chose to renovate and add to its present facility on Willowcreek Road.

A major mark Snyder left on the city — and one that led to one of his felony convictions — was the conversion of the city's garbage pickup services from the traditional slinging of cans of trash into a truck to an automated system, which saved the city money and worker injuries.

The switch to the automated service became tangled in charges that Snyder accepted a bribe of $13,000 from former Great Lakes Peterbilt owners Bob and Steve Buha to steer contracts their way. Snyder was convicted on that charge and could face 10 years in federal prison.