Kimberly Anderson

The City of East Chicago's FY 2018 Annual Action Plan, as amended, outlines the allocation of federal funds to address housing and non-housing needs for the program year July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. It focuses on key strategic priorities: Housing, Homeless, Other Special Needs, Community Development, and Administration, Planning, and Management. The plan details reallocations and new projects, including housing rehabilitation, acquisition, and resale, primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income persons within the city.

The Board acknowledged the integrity and dedication of Fire Department and ambulance personnel during an emergency response. The board also recorded the 2026 Merit Commissioner election results, in which Diane M. Perez was elected. Regarding building safety, the board discussed an emergency demolition order for 4848-50 Alexander and reviewed unsafe building reports for 413 Broad Street, 3938 Catalpa, 4228 Drummond Street, 4010 Drummond, and 4116 Drummond. The board affirmed demolition orders for most properties, though the case for 3938 Catalpa was tabled for status review, and they approved a notice to rescind and release an order to demolish for 417 Spring Street.

The key discussions during the meeting included an announcement from the Law Department regarding the upcoming election for the Police Merit Commission scheduled for February 18, 2026. Under Old Business, the Board considered an appeal process request related to employment termination. Based on legal advice received, the Commission determined that the reason for termination did not fall under its jurisdiction for affording an appeal or public hearing, affirming the decision made by Human Resources.

The Board conducted a regular meeting addressing numerous contractual and service agreement matters. Key discussions included the approval of a Nyhart Service Agreement for HR actuarial services, specifically for GASB 75 evaluations. The Board also approved three IT-related proposals: two 36-month addendums for AT&T internet and backup services, and a 12-month support and maintenance contract with EC Cyber Solutions for web security filtering, which resulted in significant savings. Approval was granted for a Gateway Maintenance Agreement for black and white and color usage. Furthermore, the Board rescinded a previous approval for Sophos monitoring software and approved a replacement with the Xerox Endpoint XDR Solution at a lower cost. Several Public Works service rate schedules and maintenance agreements were approved, including Alert Alarm for various locations, NWI Property Preservation, Myers Builders, and Martinez Construction. A five-year extension for the Schindler Elevator maintenance contract was approved with a condition regarding contract language. Service agreements for cleaning services (A Touch of Glory) and fencing (Hammond Fence) were accepted. The Board approved six previously overlooked late invoices from various departments, detailing explanations for the delays. Police Department matters included approving an MOU with Latin Media for community outreach vendor coordination, funding for psychological evaluations, and a contract with Casa Lupita's for prisoner meals. Approval was also given for the renewal of the ShotSpotter Connect patrol management software. The Controller's Office printer maintenance agreements with Gateway Business Systems were approved, as was the Alert Alarm proposal for City Hall security and fire monitoring. Engineering consulting services were approved for A & Z Engineering and First Group Engineering, alongside a consulting contract with Short Elliott Hendrickson for construction inspection of the Marquette Greenway Trail segment. Permit applications were approved. Under Other Business, the Board approved a three-year administrative service agreement with JWF for law department claims administration, contingent upon defining a not-to-exceed amount. The 2026 newsletter production contract with Idea Factory was approved. Finally, the payment for ServiScape's golf course maintenance agreement was approved, conditional upon the Park Department Board formally approving the underlying proposal.

The meeting addressed several key items, including the retention of the previous year's slate of officers. Numerous proposals for services and contracts were approved, such as rate schedules for Johnson Control, Gluth Brothers Roofing Company, Nu Kreations, and Overhead Doors. The Board accepted a donation report for Public Works covering October to December 2025 and approved service contracts with TruGreen and Interstate Power Systems for Fire Department emergency repairs. Emergency repairs for a Fire Department air compressor from Mechanical Concepts were retroactively approved. Contracts for pest control with The Bug Guy were approved. The Board approved five late invoices, noting two from Konica/Minolta require follow-up. Approvals were granted for a Notice-to-Proceed for demolition projects and a plumbing contract with Slayer Plumbing related to demolitions. A significant discussion involved the extension of the Homeowners Incentive Program contract with the Redevelopment Commission, detailing participation statistics since 2012. A $20,000.00 donation check from NIPSCO for economic development resources was accepted. Multiple legal service contracts were approved, including those for Eduardo Fontanez, Jewell Harris, Jr., Tolbert & Tolbert, Smith Sersic (for general city matters and Port Authority), and Shana D. Levinson (for Public Works/Safety and Police Merit Commission). Resolutions were passed to continue the use of Lexis Nexis and Lexis Nexis Relix for research and background checks, respectively, and to authorize payment for Gateway Business Solutions copier services. Further approvals included decorative light replacement at Block Stadium by Midwestern Electric, the 2026 rate schedule for Austgen Electric, a net decrease Change Order #2 for a project with Rieth Riley, and thirteen right-of-way applications for the Engineering Department.