Henry schedules State of City address
NIKI KELLY | The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry s annual State of the City address will have a much smaller audience than usual.
Henry s 2021 speech, “Fort Wayne – It s Our Time,” is scheduled for noon Feb. 10 at Grand Wayne Center downtown. However, it won t be open to the public.
The speech will be aired live on local news channels and livestreamed on the city s Facebook page.
The mayor is expected to discuss the ongoing effects of the coronavirus and the city s response, 2020 accomplishments, and a look ahead.
Didier recognized
The City Council recognizing its president at the end of a year might be tradition, but there was nothing traditional about 2020.
Anger erupts on City Council
Arp, Hines get heated over talks of masks
DAVE GONG | The Journal Gazette
A discussion about Fort Wayne s COVID-19 employee and operations policy briefly devolved into a shouting match Tuesday between two City Council members.
The issue that sparked the heated confrontation related to the amount of time city employees are required to quarantine after being exposed to or contracting COVID-19.
It was the council s first meeting in a month.
During Tuesday s meeting, Councilman Paul Ensley, R-1st, was selected to serve as the council president for 2021. Councilman Russ Jehl, R-2nd, will serve as vice president this year. Both were elected in 5-4 votes along party lines.
Council s ire at city waste officials rises No confidence vote over trash fails
DAVE GONG | The Journal Gazette
A brief effort to declare a lack of confidence in the city s solid waste department came to an end Tuesday after accusations that Mayor Tom Henry s administration has been mismanaging the contract with the company hired to collect residential garbage.
The resolution sponsored by Fort Wayne City Councilman Russ Jehl, R-2nd, would have declared the council had no confidence in the solid waste department and its manager, Matt Gratz. However, the resolution failed in a 7-2 vote after an unsuccessful attempt to delay the discussion until the new year.