Prince preparing for transition
Democratic Gary mayoral nominee moving to assemble team for process
Gary’s Democratic mayoral nominee has started to assemble a transition team ahead of a tentatively uncontested November election.
Jerome Prince, the current Lake County assessor, said he’s started to identify people who want to move Gary forward as he begins the process of transitioning to the city’s top executive. Prince won Tuesday’s primary election, unseating Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson as the Democratic nominee on the November ballot.
Prince, 54, pulled ahead of Freeman-Wilson and seven other competitors in the Gary Democratic municipal primary. Totals available Tuesday night had Prince pulling 48% of the vote and Freeman-Wilson with 37.5 %, with all precincts reporting.
Freeman-Wilson was first elected mayor in 2011.
Prince’s priorities as mayor would be to address public safety issues, mismanagement of city resources, problems with properties not meeting city code standards; education issues; and an overall lack of property valuation.
Prince previously sat on the Lake County Council and the Gary Common Council. Prince served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a graduate of Lew Wallace High School.
Prince said the primary issue is getting information on the present state of the city’s finances.
“That has to be priority No. 1,” Prince said.
Throughout the campaign, Prince said he articulated that three of his main areas of concern were straightening out the city’s finances, building up public safety and improving the city’s aesthetics. Prince said if he and his team can make progress on those issues it will encourage economic development and improve the lives of Gary residents.
“I firmly believe you have to take care of the basics first,” Prince said.
Prince said he and his team will have areas where they need infor
mation. He said there will be more needed as he gets information on revenues, expenditures and personnel.
“That’s what the interim period is about,” Prince said.
Freeman-Wilson said she and her staff are gathering as much information about the city and ongoing projects that will be shared with the Prince team.
“There are things we are certainly willing to do,” Freeman-Wilson said.
The city has several large projects underway, including moving the Majestic Star to a land-based location, redeveloping Buffington Harbor and moving forward with its financial plans.
“We are prepared to bring Mr. Prince up to speed,” Freeman-Wilson said.
Freeman-Wilson said she wants to make sure that the ongoing projects don’t lose momentum and get done.
“We’re not going to stop working,” Freeman-Wilson said.
Prince said he will continue to focus on seeing that residents are engaged with the city and have the confidence to work with city leaders.
“It’s all about the people,” Prince said.