Gary officials vote to transfer funds to accommodate City Hall remodeling
Gary city officials are planning to spend just more than $1 million to remodel portions of City Hall, which officials say is necessary to accommodate additional employees whose jobs will be transferred there.
The workers have been assigned to offices in the City Hall annex, which is in the building at 839 Broadway that once was the Sears store downtown .
But the city has expressed an interest in selling off the annex, and they are moving city employees back to City Hall, at 401 Broadway.
Some alterations are needed to the structure built back in 1926, and the Council on Thursday created a Building Renovation Fund – which will have $1,040,385 to work with. Funds came from the onetime project to construct a new vehicle maintenance building – a project that since has been suspended.
The council voted 6-0 in favor of the transfer – with council members Michael Protho, Carolyn Rogers and LaVetta Sparks-Wade absent.
Mayoral chief of staff Dayna Bennett said the project will benefit city government operations while making the City Hall structure a more efficient place to work.
In other business, the council voted without opposition to lower the minimum age that someone can be hired by the Gary Fire Department from 21 to 18.
Council President Ronald Brewer sponsored the change, saying it will increase the potential for Gary residents to be hired by the Fire Department. He says that currently, the department tries recruiting high school students for jobs, but is thwarted by the fact they can’t actually be hired until several years after graduation.
The idea had council support, with Councilman Herb Smith, D-at large, saying, “I’m 101 percent behind this.”
The Common Council also approved a transfer of funds within the Community Development Department budget. Some $200,000 will be moved from the housing repair program to the senior repair program.
Bennett said the program will benefit elderly residents who need financial assistance with home repairs. “There are people who can use a new roof, or a new furnace,” she said.
Community Development Director Arlene Colvin said people can begin applying for assistance from the new funds beginning Jan. 1.
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.