11132011 - News Article - New Portage mayor-elect begins transition on the fly
New Portage mayor-elect begins transition on the fly
Post-Tribune (IN)
November 13, 2011
Jim Snyder’s life has gone from super busy to crazy super busy, literally overnight.
The new Portage mayor-elect had a roller-coaster, bittersweet Election Day on Tuesday, eventually ending in jubilation with his close victory over incumbent Mayor Olga Velazquez.
But hours earlier, Snyder was stunned to hear of the death of 19-year-old Ashley Burbee of Portage, who was killed that morning in a traffic crash on Indiana 49. Burbee was a volunteer in his campaign, and Snyder was asked to break the news to members of her family who were working at Portage polling sites for his election.
“It was very rough for them,” Snyder told me Friday morning at his Central Avenue office during a brief break in his busy schedule.
There, his phone is constantly buzzing or ringing. His list of office guests is growing. He’s already leaning on his mayor mentors for guidance. His receptionist, Amanda Lakie, is swamped with coordinating his future. And prayers are welcome, he often tells supporters.
But he loves it all, and he appears giddy at the task ahead of running this region’s third-largest city, beginning Jan. 1.
These days, Snyder is reassessing the city’s strengths, weaknesses and employees. By Thanksgiving, he plans on notifying any city employees who may not be retained after he officially gets into the mayor’s office.
“Otherwise, it’s not fair to them to drag it out for a long time,” he explained.
After months of rumors that Police Chief Mark Becker will be one of those fired or demoted employees, Snyder still maintains that Becker’s position is up for review along with other city workers.
A transition team has already been created, and no one on this team has a financial interest in city business, Snyder said.
“Each person is each going to be assigned a different department to help me make those important decisions regarding the evaluation of all department heads,” said Snyder, who has hit the ground running.
“(Former) Mayor (Doug) Olson brought me to reality, telling me the day after election that he had five months to plan his transition and I have only six weeks,” he said. “But we’re humbled and excited.”
His broad goal over the next four years is to get as many Portage residents into city government as possible.
“There’s no city in Indiana with the opportunities as this city,” he said while donning a suit jacket to leave his office. “I feel we have a good plan in place.”
All of Snyder’s efforts and energy were focused on getting elected, he said, up until Wednesday morning when he started looking to Jan. 1.
“Hopefully in the next couple of years, people of this city are going to say that I meant what I said and I did what I said I would do.”
He has his critics, and they will surely keep close watch of his actions, decisions and campaign promises. And so will I.
And across the county line ...
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay routinely calls the mayoral position in his city the “toughest mayor’s job in the country,” and I don’t doubt it.
But regardless of what you think about the city, its leaders and its past reputation, you have to admire and appreciate the new buzz since Karen Freeman-Wilson was elected mayor.
Yes, she faces a daunting task. And yes, that buzz may fade when things settle down. But I find it refreshing for my hometown’s residents to once again have an opportunity to believe in something more tangible than rusted promises.
From a columnist’s standpoint, I’m looking forward to writing about this renewed attempt to change the city’s reality and, almost as important, its perception from outsiders.
I certainly don’t wear rose-colored glasses with this issue, but it would be nice to focus on a new vision for realistic change.
Listen to Jerry’s new radio show “Casual Fridays” on Fridays at noon on WLPR 89.1-FM or www.thelakeshorefm.com.
11122011 - News Article - Snyder picks transition team, begins evaluations
Snyder picks transition team, begins evaluations
NWI Times
Nov 12, 2011
PORTAGE | Just days after his victory in the Portage mayoral race, James Snyder has begun to put together a transition team he says will help him evaluate and offer advice in decision making prior to taking office Jan. 1.
Snyder, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Mayor Olga Velazquez last week by 238 votes in a sometimes contentious race for the city's top seat.
Jim Fitzer, a retired NIPSCO official, will head the transition team, Snyder said. Additional members will be Dave Fagan, a former Republican Portage City Council member and financial secretary for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150; Susan Kelly-Johnson, a local attorney and member of the city's Redevelopment Commission; and Dave Kasarda, director of the Portage Township YMCA.
Snyder said he intends to appoint a fifth member to the committee, but the individual has not yet committed.
He said he also is drawing on advice from Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, former Portage Mayor Doug Olson and Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold.
"They will help me evaluate each department head and each department," adding it is not his intention at this point to "clean house" of present city employees.
"It is my priority not to be emotional, but to also be firm," he said.
Police Chief Mark Becker became an issue during the election. Snyder said he has not decided whether he will ask Becker to continue to serve.
He does, however, believe the police chief should be a resident of the city. Becker lives in Union Township.
"The police chief should go through what we go through on a daily basis," he said.
The same residency requirement may not have to be met for other department heads. Portage Fire Chief Tom Fieffer lives in Chesterton.
"We will take it on a case-by-case basis," Snyder said.
He did not hint last week as to which department heads may be asked to stay or leave. He said those department heads who will not be asked to remain with his administration will be notified by Thanksgiving.
Snyder said he also hopes to meet with the City Council to review goals and learn what residents told them during the campaign.
"I want to create a plan of what we can do quickly, and they will be a part of that," he said, adding he also hopes to sit down with Velazquez at some point to facilitate a smooth transition.
One top priority, he said, will be to begin discussions on modernizing city trash collection. Snyder proposed mechanizing trash pickup to make it more efficient and save money.
He also pledged last week to "do everything we can to make the University Center a success." The building under construction on Central Avenue was an issue of debate during the mayoral race.
Snyder said, once in office, he will conduct a survey of the community about City Hall operations and to evaluate customer service. He has not determined how the survey will be conducted.
He also added that he plans on being a full-time mayor with no plans of hiring a deputy mayor.
"My office has run well for the last six months (while running for the mayor's office) and it will do well when I take office," he said of his mortgage business.
"No city in Indiana has the opportunities that we have here. There is so much we can do here to have a direct effect on jobs recovery," Snyder said.
"I will be the mayor for everybody. I want to make the people who worked so hard to elect me proud. I am not perfect. I will make mistakes. I am a listener. I want to listen to people," he said.
11082011 - News Article - Snyder defeats Velazquez in Portage mayoral race
Snyder defeats Velazquez in Portage mayoral race
NWI Times
Nov 8, 2011
nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/snyder-defeats-velazquez-in-portage-mayoral-race/article_c37e690e-b0fb-58ab-9940-27f55348ce11.html
PORTAGE | James Snyder said he was at a loss for words as he garnered handshakes and hugs from supporters Tuesday night.
Snyder, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Mayor Olga Velazquez in a contentious campaign by a margin of 238 votes. It was a repeat of a race between the two from four years ago. Back then Velazquez defeated Snyder by about 300 votes.
The campaign focused on public safety issues, the University Center building and job creation among other things.
"I am just humbled and honored that the citizens gave me this opportunity and I am going to work really hard not to let them down," said Snyder, who met with supporters at Islamorada restaurant inside Bass Pro Shops.
Across Ind. 249, at the Portage Yacht Club, the mood was much more somber as vote totals were announced precinct by precinct. When one was won by Velazquez, supporters cheered. When she lost, they were silent.
Velazquez, however, remained upbeat in her concession speech.
"What a journey. It has been a roller coaster ride," she said, thanking her supporters.
"I always made the decision based on what's right for the community," she said, adding many of the precincts she lost were in the Stone Avenue project area which has undergone a two-year stormwater redevelopment project.
"Should I have waited another four years?," she said about the project, adding "that's not me, that's not who I am."
Velazquez, who urged her supporters to remain involved in the city, said she believes she's left the city better than it was four years ago.
Snyder said his organization worked hard and had the city's streets and sanitation, fire and police unions and workers backing him.
"It took an enormous amount of people to make this happen," said Snyder, adding despite any divisions caused by the election, "I want the people of Portage to know that I am going to be all of their mayor."
Snyder said his victory was tinged by tragedy, however. One of his volunteers, 19-year-old Ashley Burbee, was killed in a car wreck Tuesday morning.
"It reminds us during these times how small these elections are compared to our lives. Our hearts are with (her) family," Snyder said.
11062011 - News Article - EDITORIAL - ELECTION 2011 ENDORSEMENT: We pick Velazquez in close call
EDITORIAL - ELECTION 2011 ENDORSEMENT: We pick Velazquez in close call
NWI Times
Nov 06, 2011
The slugfest between Portage mayoral candidates Olga Velazquez and Jim Snyder has given validity to the term "grudge match" for a second contest between political candidates. The bitter campaigns made our decision in this race difficult — much more so than any other mayoral race in Northwest Indiana.
Democrat Velazquez, the incumbent, has made campaign fundraising blunders that caused us to question her judgment. When the first fundraising controversy arose, she should have immediately addressed it by saying she was returning the money inappropriately given by the nonprofit donor — on whose board she sits — and that she was giving extra scrutiny to other donations to make sure any other money given inappropriately was returned to the donors. Instead, the public endured waves of criticism against her.
But we have to give Velazquez credit, too, for results. It is under her watch that Fronius announced it would relocate to Portage, bringing vital jobs with it.
And while the Stone Avenue reconstruction project was rocky, she brought not just repaving but entirely new infrastructure to a part of the city that needed it most.
Republican Snyder, who was narrowly defeated four years ago, promises department heads will not campaign or raise money on his behalf. He also said the right things about supporting regional efforts involving other communities.
Snyder has a strong focus on making Portage a business-friendly environment. At the same time, he is sensitive to Portage's union-heavy population and has bucked his party in opposing right-to-work legislation in Indianapolis.
But then he seems to undermine the leadership of the city's highly respected Police Chief Mark Becker by siding with rank-and-file police officers from whom he is getting support.
Snyder raised the possibility of undoing the 911 dispatch consolidation Velazquez accomplished. Despite the state law that forces consolidation, Snyder said Portage could serve as a backup to the county and vice versa. But Porter County already has backup, in a neighboring county.
That stance on 911 consolidation is a red flag. But Snyder's position on patrolling apartment complexes and mobile home parks, which have private roads but high population density, is appalling.
Velazquez's administration has made arrangements for police to patrol two of those private areas. That effort should continue.
Snyder wants those developments to hire private security to patrol those areas. Portage police still would respond to reports of emergencies.
Since when does the Portage Police Department not serve and protect apartment dwellers and mobile home residents, often low-income areas, as well as as it does residents in single-family homes?
What is that saying to the drug dealers and other criminals? Come here. That's the wrong message.
Embracing the police union's desires and going against Becker's leadership is a fatal flaw.
If Snyder is elected, we hope he reconsiders his position on this issue.
It is a close call, but we endorse Velazquez. Snyder's position on the police issues was the tipping point for us.
We urge the voters to re-elect Velazquez.
11042011 - News Article - Snyder needs to say if he would replace qualified police chief
Snyder needs to say if he would replace qualified police chief
Post-Tribune (IN)
November 4, 2011
It’s time for Jim Snyder to man-up.
Snyder is the Republican candidate for Portage mayor.
And he and his followers are becoming more obsessed with Portage Police Chief Mark Becker by the day.
A month or so ago, I wrote that Becker — who retired from the FBI to take the chief’s job in Portage — would be ousted if Snyder won the mayor’s race.
I went on to say that it would be a shame because Becker has more law enforcement knowledge than any chief in Northwest Indiana — perhaps even the entire state.
Becker, quite simply, is that good at what he does, except for the fact he is a Green Bay Packers fan.
Snyder had a fit, saying he had never said he would fire Becker if elected mayor.
Well, then, I said, if that is the case, tell me that you will keep Becker as your chief if elected mayor.
Nope, can’t do that, Snyder said.
So that means you are going to fire him, I said.
Nope, it doesn’t mean that at all, Snyder roared back.
If you won’t say that you will fire Becker and you won’t say that you will keep him, then how are you going to select a police chief, I asked.
By committee, Snyder said.
By committee, I wondered to myself. Just what Portage needs is a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker picking the city’s police chief.
OK, so there will be one former law enforcement guy on the committee.
Then it made me think about that sign that read, “God so loved the world that he didn’t send a committee.”
Anyway, Snyder reiterated the fact that he thought I was a fairly despicable person because I said he would fire Becker, and he said he hadn’t said that. But yet, he couldn’t say he would keep him either.
Then Snyder said something that almost tipped his hand.
He said there are rumors that Becker is going to run for Porter County sheriff and that he would have to start campaigning for that at the first of this coming year.
The point being that he’d be campaigning almost full-time and wouldn’t be much of a police chief.
I don’t know if Snyder made that up or someone whispered in his ear.
The point is that he was off by a couple of years. Porter County won’t elect a new sheriff until 2014, with the winner taking office in 2015.
But, what the heck, there’s no sense in letting the facts get in the way.
But now the worm has turned.
Now the Snyder supporters are the ones saying their candidate never has said he would oust Becker.
Some of those Snyder folks are writing letters and telling anyone who will listen that he won’t fire Becker.
Nope, he won’t have to. What the backers now are saying is that Snyder has said the police chief will have to be a resident of Portage.
I guess the thinking is that if you don’t wake up in Portage you wouldn’t have a clue about Portage crime, or how to go about fighting it.
I guess that means burglaries in Portage are totally different from, say, burglaries in Chesterton.
And, I guess it doesn’t matter that the chief doesn’t have the best crime-fighting mind available, as long as he or she lives in Portage.
There’s no light at the end of that tunnel.
You’ve probably figured it out by now. Becker doesn’t live in Portage.
Apparently that hasn’t been a handicap over the last four years.
Man-up, Snyder.
Just admit you don’t want Becker as police chief.
It’s really not that hard to say.
And if Mayor Olga Velazquez is re-elected, Snyder won’t have to say anything.
Rich James’ column appears on Friday.
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