Council president says he could take on trustee’s role

Ryfa plans to fill position if Griffith becomes township

If Griffith is allowed to become its own township, its council president plans to add trustee to his resume.

Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd, insisted at the Town Council meeting on Tuesday that the town’s ideal situation remains joining an already established township. The latest legislation that passed out of the state Senate and now in the House adds Ross Township to the places Griffith can land.

When a resident asked whether Ross is interested in absorbing Griffith, however, Ryfa wasn’t enthusiastic.

“It doesn’t look like it,” he said of the resolution the town sent to Ross Township recently. “We’ve met with the (Indiana) Township Association and they want to protect townships, so our first choice would be to join a township, and I would be comfortable joining Ross. They have a very well run township.”

But the legislation also says says that Griffith would have one year to assume township duties and responsibilities itself if either of the adjacent townships Griffith petitioned don’t accept Griffith.

In that case, Ryfa said the town “won’t form our own township,” but would provide “temporary relief ” for Griffith residents.

“It would be a lot more work for the Town Council and staff, but we’ve already established pretty good relationships with the United Way and our churches,” he said. “We also have a social worker in the police department, so we have a plan in place.”

And Ryfa would lead the charge.

“I would assume the Trustee’s duties,” he said.

Ryfa thanked state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Cedar Lake, for imparting to the Senate that the 3,301 residents who voted to secede shouldn’t be ignored. Now, state Re p s. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron, and Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, have signed on to sponsor the bill in the House, Ryfa said.

The Town Council last month approved a more than $35,000 raise for Ryfa because of the work he already does for the town.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the PostTribune.