02072017 - News Article - Snyder removed as chair of Portage Utility Service Board

Snyder removed as chair of Portage Utility Service Board
NWI Times
February 07, 2017
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/snyder-removed-as-chair-of-portage-utility-service-board/article_99c4d9de-7a82-533a-bb51-0a7710e06d49.html
PORTAGE — The City Council on Tuesday removed Mayor James Snyder from his job as chairperson of the Utility Service Board.

The pay, which is $30,000, will go back to taxpayers, City Council President Mark Oprisko said.

In addition, the budget of the Utility Service Board was replaced with the name "finances" with any future expenditures having to go before the clerk-treasurer's office and the City Council.

Oprisko said the ordinance, which was unanimously approved by the council, was a way to put more checks and balances in place and to return finances back to taxpayers.

"Myself and the City Council will do whatever it takes. We have your backs," Oprisko said.

Snyder, who wasn't at the meeting because he was at a Chicago hospital visiting a friend, issued a statement through a staff member.

The statement was as follows: "I intend to stay high while others go low. The facts in Portage government are that we have saved the city millions of dollars in waste, fixed more roads, buildings and infrastructure than any administration and have rejuvenated the pride in Portage. Council members are focused on normal city operations that will be approved and substantiated by the State of Board of Accounts. The council is behaving in a way of presumption of guilt, which is the opposite of what American, Indiana and any decent citizen believes."

Council members, who were applauded several times for their measure, said the action was due to two events. First, the mayor sought reimbursement for $93,000 of his personal legal fees prior to his indictment without seeking approval from the Utility Service Board. Secondly, Snyder took a recent trip to Washington, D.C., for a mayor's conference and to attend the presidential inauguration, taking two police administrators and his family.

Snyder was indicted on three counts in federal court in November including bribery and tax evasion. His trial is set for April 10.

Snyder, along with his wife and four children, traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting and the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

In addition to the Snyders, Police Chief Troy Williams and Assistant Chief Ted Uzelac Jr. and Uzelac's son also attended the conference and inauguration.

In a written answer to Clerk-Treasurer Christopher Stidham, Snyder denied "ordering" the administrators to attend the conference and inauguration. He said he "granted them permission" based on the content of the conference. He also denied collecting any reimbursement from the Utility Services Board.

Although many of those residents who attended the council meeting applauded the efforts of officials, at least one resident, Edna Maturkanich, questioned why officials had gone around the mayor's back.

"I feel like you are roasting the mayor and he wasn't even here. Isn't a person considered innocent until he goes before a court of law?" Maturkanich asked.