Former mayor decides against Crown Point consulting contract

After initially agreeing to the deal, former Crown Point Mayor James Metros has decided against taking a $70,000, one-year consulting gig with the city.

At the end of 2018, the city’s Board of Works approved a task-orientated contract with Metros’ J & M Consulting to assist the city and the mayor’s office as well as working with outside developers regarding the town’s growth.

The position offered no benefits and was based on task — if things slowed down in the city, so would the contract. It would not have exceeded $70,000.

At the Jan. 9 Board of Works meeting, however, Mayor David Uran announced that Metros, after discussion with his family, decided he would not be able to fulfill the terms of the contract.

Metros is a municipal manager for Republic Services.

“I thought we had a pretty good opportunity there,” Uran said. “I was disappointed he had a change of heart. Our office will look to see if we can fulfill that position another way.”

Uran said that when he began his first term as mayor 12 years ago the city had an economic development director. But based on his own banking experience and working with residential and commercial growth, Uran said he saved the city “a ton of money” by doing it by himself. But with the growth of the city and more demands put on the department heads, it was becoming a daunting task.

The city is undergoing major projects including developments in the Inter- state 65 and U.S. Route 231 corridors, a new City Hall and police station, a new water system and is still finishing up the downtown’s new Bulldog Park.

“We don’t want anything to fall through the cracks,” Uran said. “Having someone with municipal government experience and knowing how to attract economic growth and who knew the history of our community was important so we can continue at this pace.”

Uran said something with Metros could be revisited down the road but they will move forward to fulfill the role.

Uran said Metros has been a big part of his success in Crown Point and that they consistently had a great working relationship.

Rob Earnshaw is a freelance reporter.