MUNSTER, Ind. (AP) — The embattled executive director of a commission that oversees levee construction along the Little Calumet River has resigned only days after U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky called for his ouster following damaging floods in Munster.

Dan Gardner submitted his resignation Friday from the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission in a letter to its chairman, William Biller.

His departure came just days after Visclosky, D-Ind., demanded his dismissal in the wake of floods caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ike that damaged at least 1,000 homes in northwest Indiana, including 300 homes that were either heavily damaged or destroyed.

In his letter, Gardner said that completing construction of a levee along the full length of the Little Calumet River will require that confidence be restored in the commission.

“That effort and the work to restore it will require a full-time executive director,” Gardner’s letter said. “To that end, I submit my resignation,” effective immediately.

Failure to complete the levee after more than 20 years of work has been blamed for the floodwaters that poured over the river’s banks and onto streets and highways following a deluge of rain on Sept. 13 and 14.

Visclosky, who earlier this week called Gardner “obstinately ineffective,” said in a prepared release on Friday that Gardner “has acknowledged the need for change in leadership” of the commission and has decided to step down.

“I am confident that new leadership will reinvigorate the project and accelerate its completion,” Visclosky’s statement said.

He called for the prompt hiring of a new executive director with construction management and contracting experience. Visclosky said the recent flood must put an end to “business as usual” and mark the start of an era of “working with a sense of urgency and purpose.”

The 22-mile levee system is planned to stretch from Gary west to the Illinois state line.

It has been completed to the east end of Munster, which remains protected by an old system of levees that has proven inadequate.

The 11-member river commission plans to meet in a special session Monday to consider Gardner’s resignation, Biller said. He said the panel could begin laying the groundwork for hiring a replacement at a regular meeting on Wednesday.

“I would hope we can move quickly,” Biller said.

Gardner’s resignation will do little to help Munster neighborhoods where flooding forced thousands of people out of their homes and destroyed many of their homes and belongings, said Munster Town Councilwoman Helen Brown.

Brown said she’s concerned that finding Gardner’s replacement, and possibly reorganizing the commission — as Visclosky has recommended — will only further delay the levee’s completion.

“Whether Dan is there or not it’s not going to clean out anybody’s basement,” Brown said. “We need higher levees now.”

Posted 9/29/2008