The Porter County Council has one appointment to make to the Indiana Dunes Tourism board of administrators. Now the council needs to place two individuals on that board.

The council voted 5-1 Tuesday to ask the county Board of Commissioners to revamp the board to permit the additional appointee. Council President Mike Brickner, R-At-large, forged the only no vote. Andy Bozak, R-At-large, was absent.

There have been 4 candidates for the emptiness created when Mitch Peters resigned from the tourism board amid controversy over the sudden resignation of former Government Director Lorelei Weimer and paying her a $225,000 settlement.

The council had voted towards forcing Peters off the board.

The 4 candidates for his substitute had been Councilman Andy Vasquez, R-4th; Cameron Wild; Ryan Peters; and George Romero.

Councilman Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd, requested why Vasquez utilized.

“I feel we wish some engagement,” he mentioned. If the council needs to nominate one in all its personal, maybe it ought to ask the commissioners to rewrite the ordinance, he mentioned.

Councilman Ronald “Pink” Stone, R-1st, prompt including a council member in addition to a citizen.

“We’ve liaisons too that may very well be a communications bridge,” Councilman Gregg Simms, D-Third, identified.

“Our liaisons didn’t do an excellent job of speaking,” Stone mentioned.

Stone mentioned if he had been a commissioner, there would have been adjustments made to the board.

“Citizen participation is important, particularly for one thing like this,” Rivas mentioned.

“I feel it’s necessary to have enter from somebody from the general public on these boards,” Councilwoman Sylvia Graham, D-At-large, mentioned.

Any council member can attend board conferences however being on the board would enhance participation within the course the board takes, Vasquez mentioned.

“I used to be on the tourism board years in the past, and we made quite a lot of progress throughout that point,” Graham mentioned.

Rivas prompt asking the commissioners to permit the council president or a proxy to serve on the board.

Council lawyer Harold Harper mentioned six members of the tourism board will need to have some trade expertise. If any of the council members is certified and desires to serve, it’s Vasquez, Stone mentioned.

Vasquez, an natural farmer, is a member of the Duneland Chamber of Commerce and participates within the Portage farmers market in addition to two in Lake County.

“I personally wish to get this carried out,” Brickner mentioned. “I don’t know who we’re going to seek out to serve extra successfully than Councilman Vasquez.”

Graham responded she thinks it’s necessary for residents to be part of authorities.

“I don’t dispute that. I don’t disagree with it in any respect,” Brickner mentioned.

“Mitch greater than any board member in Porter County got here earlier than us” any time there was a problem involving the tourism board and its company, Rivas mentioned.

Harper mentioned he reviewed each state legislation and the council ordinance concerning the tourism board and didn’t see something that stops a council member from serving on it. “I feel it’s extra of a political query.”

State statute provides the council 30 days to make a substitute. If not, the tourism board is allowed to select on the council’s behalf.

New tourism board lawyer Patrick Lyp has indicated the board doesn’t intend to step on the council’s toes, Harper mentioned. He promised to ask for an extension.

“There’s that slim risk that in the event that they get a wild hair that we may lose our appointment,” Harper mentioned, however he doubts that can occur.

Doug Ross is a contract reporter for the Submit-Tribune.