Gary legislators to discuss construction dump site and school board bills
Contributed By:The 411 News
Public meeting for residents to ask questions about current legislation
Midway through the 2018 Indiana General Assembly, Gary’s Democratic house and senate members will host a public meeting Wednesday to discuss current legislation.
Two pieces of legislation, one originating from Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and the other from downstate Republican House member Tim Brown are being closely watched.
The mayor wants to amend state law to permit the location of a dump site for construction debris, the woods and bricks from the city’s demolition projects. Current state statue stipulates that a dump site must be at least one-half mile away from a residential area. HB 1318, introduced by State Rep. Earl Harris, would allow the dump site to be placed closer to a residential area.
The construction debris site would eliminate the transportation and disposal fees that the city currently pays, the mayor said, and the site would be available to other communities that would pay a fee to use it. “The site would generate an additional revenue stream that will allow the city to supplement a challenged budget.”
Rep. Brown’s bill, HB 1315, targets the two school districts under state control – the Gary Community School Corporation and Muncie Community School Corporation. The bill eliminates the Gary Board of School Trustees and would replace it with an elected advisory board that would only meet 4 times a year.
In Muncie, the school board would be replaced by a 7-member panel, five appointed by the Ball State University Board of Trustees and two appointed by the Ball State president.
Mayor Freeman-Wilson will join state representatives Vernon Smith, Charlie Brown, Earl Harris, Jr. and state senators Eddie Melton and Lonnie Randolph, Wednesday, February 7 at 6 p.m. at The Glen Theater, 20 West Ridge Rd., Gary.
Story Posted:02/06/2018
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