Members of the Lake County Council paused their official business Tuesday to honor their late colleague, Councilman Clorius Lay, D-Gary, who died Monday at age 83.
The new collective bargaining agreement between Lake County government and the correctional officers union increases pay for new probationary officers to $43,412 a year — a 7% boost.
CROWN POINT â The Lake County Council will not jump the gun and establish a purchasing agent for the sheriff s department until its legal dispute with the Lake County Commissioners over control of county government purchasing is resolved.
Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. asked the seven-member council to speed up its takeover of county purchasing because he said the continuing refusal by the three commissioners to consent to all his purchase requests is endangering officer and public safety in Lake County.
Martinez specifically cited his department s need for blue light technology used to detect blood and other bodily fluids at crime scenes, vehicle antennas that connect to satellite internet service, and a new boat for Lake Michigan water rescues.
CROWN POINT â Members of the Lake County Council are suing the state of Indiana, claiming its vehicle emissions testing requirement that applies only to Lake and Porter counties is unconstitutional.Â
Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita are listed as the suit s defendants, according to a copy of the complaint. Spokespersons for the two offices declined to comment, citing pending litigation. Â
Lake County Council President Ted Bilski and members Charlie Brown, Christine Cid, Daniel Dernulc, David Hamm, Christian Jorgensen and Alfredo Menchana are listed as plaintiffs. They are filing the suit as residents and taxpayers of Lake County, Indiana, the filing states.Â