Council takes over data processing, purchasing

Lake members turn to a nearly 40-year-old state code to assume authority from commissioners

The Lake County Council is moving ahead with taking authority over purchasing and data processing from the Lake County Board of Commissioners based on an Indiana Code from the 1980s.

Councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, said in September that he and Councilman Dave Hamm, D - Hammond, would like to co-sponsor ordinances that would allow the council to oversee purchasing and data processing.

Jorgensen said the ordinance to take over data processing is needed because the county’s software systems were hacked last summer. The Lake County Sheriff ’s Department facing challenges from commissioners when requesting purchases, “which has been an embarrassment, I think, to the county and probably negatively effected safety of the people,” Jorgensen said, is an example of why the council should oversee purchasing.

“The sheriff (department) should be able to procure what it needs, within a reasonable basis, to protect the citizens,” Jorgensen said.

During the Thursday study session, Jorgensen said that the state legislature “gave the council jurisdiction over purchasing and data” years ago. The council, a seven-member board, is “a more diverse body” that more “accurately” represents the county than the Board of Commissioners, which is a three-member board, Jorgensen said.

“It’s laid dormant now since the 1980s, but it is a mandate from the state legislature,” Jorgensen said of the law, which was written specifically for Lake County. “At best, the commissioners have been utilizing power over purchasing and data without authority since that time. But again, we can get more into that later on, but that seems to be the conclusion.”

After the study session, the council met in executive session to discuss litigation. Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said the council discussed potential litigation that could arise “if we don’t do that” — referencing the transfer in authority of data processing and purchasing.

During the Tuesday meeting, Bilski and Jorgensen said they plan to further discuss the ordinance. Jorgensen said he hopes to approve the ordinances on Tuesday.

Board of Commissioner President Michael Repay, D-3rd, said he hasn’t been approached by council members about the shift in authority. Typically, the council and the commissioners meet together to discuss litigation because the commissioners oversee liability funds, Repay said.

“I don’t know what litigation the council would be considering without the commissioners being i nvolved,” Repay said. “We haven’t had any communication.”

At the Wednesday Board of Commissioners meeting, the sheriff ’s department had 11 purchases on the agenda, ranging from remote area lights to Dodge Durango vehicles.

Repay voted against the sheriff ’s department’s request to purchase two waverunners for $26,516; a four-person ATV for $19,355; a two-person ATV for $16,775; and Dodge Durango vehicles. But, the votes for those items were 2-1, so the purchases were approved, he said.

The sheriff did not give the commissioners a reason for purchasing waverunners and ATVs, and the department could’ve bought less expensive vehicles, Repay said.

“I don’t think its an appropri

ate use of taxpayer funds,” Repay said about his votes. “I t ’s just absolutely not necessary.”

During the commissioner’s meeting, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said the purchases are from the department’s budget and has to be spent by the end of the year.

Some of the purchases, like the WaveRunners, police cars and remote aerial lights, will replace old equipment, Martinez said.

As the council moves forward with shifting the authority of purchasing, Martinez described the move as “great and good for government.”

“There has been difficulty with all departments with regard to purchasing,” Martinez said. “I commend and applaud the Lake County Council for its action in making government more transparent.”

Repay said he is “more concerned how that affects every department” if the council has authority over purchasing because the council appears to be most concerned about having authority over the sheriff ’s department ’s purchasing.

During his time serving Lake County, Repay said he has remained consistent in questioning purchases by the sheriff ’s department, funded by taxpayer dollars, and he asked tough questions of the previous sheriff as well.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate then, and I don’t think it was appropriate now,” Repay said.