By VICKI URBANIK

Robert Poparad of Burns Harbor and William Carmichael of Chesterton will lead the Porter County Council in 2008.

At their annual reorganization meeting Monday, county council members unanimously elected the Democrat-Republican duo of Poparad and Carmichael as their top officers and unanimously retained Dave Hollenbeck as attorney.

Poparad, who served as council president in 2004 and ’05, said his top priority will be to avoid a repeat of last year’s tax bill problems, when bills went out far behind schedule, forcing taxing units to borrow more than usual.

Toward that end, Poparad announced a special meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. to hear updates on the 2008 tax work from the township assessors and other officials. Following the public meeting Monday, the council also convened an executive session, at which personnel was the stated topic.

Though the selection of council officers was unanimous, a few split votes were cast on several appointments and other council matters Monday.

By a 4-3 vote, Dan Whitten, D-at large, was appointed the council’s representative to the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, replacing Michael Bucko, D-4th. Rita Stevenson, D-2nd, nominated Whitten, while Jim Burge, R-at large, nominated Bucko.

No one seconded either motion, and the matter was settled when council members voted by naming their preferred appointment.

With both Whitten and Bucko voting for themselves, Whitten won the coveted post with the support of Stevenson, Poparad, and Carmichael. Bucko was backed by Burge and Matt Murphy, R-3rd.

In another split vote, the council named James Perkins to the Porter County Park Board, replacing Harold Erwin, who did not seek reappointment. Another park board member whose term has expired -- Richard Maxey, who has served as the Extension Service appointee -- applied for Erwin’s council appointment. But Perkins won the seat with the backing of all council members except for Burge and Stevenson.

A 4-2 vote made the council’s appointment to the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission.

The post went to out-going council member Murphy, who is resigning his council seat due to his new job as the city of Valparaiso’s economic development director. The council’s previous tourism appointee, David Canright, did not seek reappointment.

Council members noted that they received other applicants for the PCCRVC post, but Murphy got the appointment, after only Poparad and Stevenson voted no and Murphy abstained.

Murphy’s appointment could tip the balance on at least one hot topic involving the tourism bureau: Its position on the extension of the South Shore commuter service to Valparaiso. At the PCCRVC’s December meeting, two board members, one of whom was Canright, raised concerns about the entire South Shore extension, and the board deferred taking a stand until new board members are named.

On another appointment, some discussion took place after Burge nominated Luther Williams as the council’s representative on the Porter County Board of Zoning Appeals to replace Greg Simms. After his appointment to the BZA last year, Simms was appointed state representative.

Simms resigned the BZA post earlier on Monday. At first, Whitten suggested that the council be given more time to make the BZA appointment, but then withdrew his motion after he noted that it’s very difficult to get people to serve on the BZA. Williams’ appointment then passed unanimously.

Other Appointments

In other reorganization matters, the council unanimously retained Carmichael as its representative to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and Stevenson as its appointee to the Porter County Plan Commission.

Bucko and Poparad were appointed as council liaisons to the Emergency Management Agency, while Carmichael will represent the council on Porter County Community Services.

The council also agreed that its appointment to the Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction District will be whoever the Republican Party caucus appoints to replace Murphy.

The council also reappointed Barbara Wiggins and James Looft to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals, Jim McGee to the Burns Harbor Economic Development Commission, and Michael Scott to the Portage EDC.

The council also agreed not to hold a regular monthly meeting in January, originally set for Jan. 22.

In a final matter, Poparad presented Murphy with a clock as an appreciation gift from the council for his service.

Posted 1/8/2008