City Council - Regular Meeting

His allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

If you would please remain standing for a moment of silence of two longtime public servants. Jimmy Lambert passed away a couple of weeks ago. She was on redevelopment for many years. And Bobby Costa, Among her many accomplishments, she was the second female elected to the Hammond City Council and the first female to serve as the council president. Thank you. Mr. Golick, roll call, please.

Alexander.

Present.

Spitali. Here. Kalwinski.

Here.

Salinas. Tyler. Here. Emerson. Here. Warple.

Here.

Rakos. Here. Vanes.

Here, let the record show six in chamber. Is that correct? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven in chamber, one virtually, and one absent. Mayor's address. Hi, Mayor. Hi, Councilwoman.

It's good to see you all. Welcome back. This is my report on September 14th. If you'll remember, three weeks ago, the last time we met, it was all about storm recovery. I'm happy to say that we're past most of the damage phase, and now we're just dealing with piles of rubbish. If you take a drive over to Turner Park or you take a drive over to Hammond Sportsplex and look in the parking lot, you'll see about a 20-foot pile of rubbish. That came from all of our front yards, all of our parks, from trees that were laying on our cars. And because we declared a state of emergency, including the council's designation in the last council meeting, it gave the city abilities we've never been able to use. Namely, to go onto your property and pull trees off your property. We were one of the first cities to do that. I thank the council for your work with me on that. If you look at a lot of the initial things that we did in Hammond, we all declared emergency right around the same time. But what we did that was real smart at that point was we hired that company out of Mississippi to come here and to start helping our public works crews. And once we got our streets open, we started helping the homeowners. If you look at other cities and how they responded to the power outage, most of them followed suit almost exactly with what we did, including you know going on proper private property they did it after us including hiring a company that we already hired a lot of the city's a simply followed our lead on that so i want to thank the council for working with us getting that emergency declaration declared i want to thank my staff for working so hard to clear our streets. And obviously, it was up to NIPSCO when we get turned back on, but I think we did just about everything you could do as a city to put ourselves in a position to get turned back on. For me, it took five days, my house. I know some people were shorter. I know some people were longer, but... I thought it was good that I was in the dark with everybody else. I wouldn't have wanted to have been the only house on the block with lights that time. Anyway, like I said, I've had somewhat of a normal schedule for the past three weeks, so I'll go through some of the highlights. Right after all that occurred, right after our last city council meeting in Hammonds Third District, right here by Hammonds City Hall, I attended the ribbon cutting for Swanell Beverages. in their new 24,000-square-foot facility. The company was founded in 1941. It's marked its 85th anniversary as a business. It's 50th year in the city of Hammond. They just built our corporate headquarters right by Hammond City Hall. Multi-million dollar investment, all union labor going into it, and it's a good neighbor. Helps us in a lot of ways. So thank you to Swanell Beverage. Congratulations to Councilman Berry and the 3rd District. I met with Councilman Emerson to catch up on issues with the 4th District. Appreciate him coming in. Dave Fagan, the business manager for the Operating Engineers Local 150, had some people he wanted to introduce to us, had that meeting. It's always good to be on the same page as our operating engineers. If you see right now, driving into Hammond City Hall on Calumet Avenue, they're in the middle of Calumet Avenue putting in new infrastructure for our U-Haul facility that's going there right now. So it's sort of a pain in the butt getting around right now. But Local 150 is out there working hard for us. So I appreciate Dave Fagan and the men and women at Local 150. met with the fourth district business owner, with a fourth district business owner, who owns the building 175th and Calumet, about plans they have for that location. We've had a history with this location, and it's good to get on the same page. We have a new generation talking to us right now. We're hoping that maybe we communicate better with some of the younger generations. So we're hoping to move forward with a business that we've had a long history with. As I do every month, I met with the chief and the captains of the Hammond Police Department for our regular monthly meeting. These meetings are very important for me, very valuable. We go through crime stats, we go through community policing, obviously any discipline issues. It's something I've been doing for years. It's always great to get together with the Hammond Police Department. I appreciate Councilwoman Van Ness recognizing two losses that we've held recently. I attended the wake of a former Hammond resident, the mother of a retired Hammond police officer, Bob Gatling, Jimmy Lambert. She was a friend to all of us. She was my appointee on the Redevelopment Commission. She was a friend. She was out there when I first started running for mayor, just a good person, good Hammond resident. She moved out of Hammond in her retirement years and moved to Orange County, French Lick, where she spent most of the rest of her days. But she still has a lot of family up here, and she's a big part of the city of Hammond, a big part of why I'm your mayor. So you'll be missed, Jimmy Lambert. Also, let me jump ahead while we're talking about it, attended the celebration of the life of Bobbi Costa, who is a constant fixture in my career. 25 years I've been dealing with Bobbi Costa. She's been an outstanding leader. you know shattered the glass ceiling ran for city council when women didn't do that became the city council president when women didn't do that ran for county council when women didn't do that got elected to county council she's always been a leader in our city she'll be missed very much she has a lot of family still in northwest indiana and in hammond so two great hammond women we lost over the last few weeks so i appreciate you all recognizing both of them they'll both be very much missed Had lunch with Mayor Spibar from the city of Whiting, catching up with Mayor Spibar. He wanted to introduce me to some representatives from Macaulay Real Estate concerning future developments in Hammond. It's exciting to be the mayor of Hammond right now, to see how excited people are about developing our city. And I imagine we all know why suddenly a lot of people are excited. But these types of meetings are coming on the regular with me, where I get together with corporate CEOs, where I'm getting together with people that want to sell real estate for us. So we're all just waiting for the big checkmark. And once that happens, I have a feeling it's going to be a flood for us. We're going to have a lot of opportunity here that we don't have currently. Held the first biweekly installment of virtual morning with Mayor Tom. This came from the power outage. We set up at the bear's recommendation. They thought that I should have like a little studio in City Hall so that when I do a lot of these, I don't do it in front of my computer screen like I've been doing it for years so we have a little area set up in my office where we got a camera and during the power outage it was very handy to have that little studio set up there so we jumped on and we talked to the Hammond residents about what we knew was going on with the power outage uh... that morphed into Sort of like a mayor's night out called Virtual Morning with Mayor Tom. Rolls right off the tongue, but we do it every two weeks and it's about a half hour, 45 minutes long. So I hope to have guests, like maybe I'll have you guys on one day, have one of the council people when things are going with your district, but we're going to run with that and see how long it goes. Tended the summer concert series to see Led Zeppelin cover band, Cashmere. It's a band out of Chicago, famous Led Zeppelin band before them. It was a great night, about a thousand people out there. Anybody that loves Led Zeppelin, they sure missed it. That was a great night. We still have this last weekend of the summer concert series. We have the band Rico playing on Friday. They're a cover for Santana. And then the next day we have local band night. And I wish I knew their name off the top of my head, but I don't. But it's going to be great. I know I didn't sell it very well, but we still have this last weekend of the summer concert series. It's free, free parking, free everything. So please come out with Hammond Port Authority. met with representatives from United Steelworkers Local 1-2775-12775 in regards to a proposal they had pending before the IORC. This is the local that was locked out by NIPSCO. The steelworkers, we saw them picketing. It lasted, I don't think it lasted more than a month. Barry, do you remember, Councilman? No, I think like four to five weeks ago. four to five weeks. That's what I thought it was, too. Obviously, NIPSCO and steelworkers cleaned that up. Thankfully, they cleaned it up in time for our power outage, because I can only imagine if they were locked out during the power outage, that would have been a disaster. So thankfully, the steelworkers were back on the job. But steelworkers had some interesting points they wanted to make. It was interesting to hear their perspective on who got turned on first and why they got turned on first and how NIPSCO prioritized. So it was an interesting meeting. I appreciate them coming in. It's good to have a relationship with steelworkers. I met with representatives from Hammond's Economic Development Department regarding the development of the Indiana building in downtown Hammond. I see Councilman Salinas isn't here right now. We had an RFP out. We went through the RFPs about people that want to take over that building. We chose a local developer, and I think there's going to be an announcement on that soon. So it's exciting. As well as a potential development of City Hall's south parking lot. That lot over there, interest from another... restaurant type of development. And we already did Chick, not Chick-fil-A, what's, Zaxby's. Zaxby's is gonna be on the north end. We have the south end available right now, and there's a lot of interest, which is wonderful. It's always nice to have options. I met with Council President Vanez regarding multiple issues pending between the council and the mayor's office. Always good to get it together with your council president. Hosted Indiana Secretary of State candidate Beau Bayh. I'm not getting political, this is just a fact. I hosted Bobai. He's a candidate. His father was the governor of Indiana. He's running for Indiana Secretary of State. The reason I'm telling you that it's important is because it was at the Hammond's last marsh at the Emerald Green, and Hammond was showing really well that day. It was a beautiful day at the golf course. There was tons of people from all over the state of Indiana that came here. It was very impressive. And then everybody's asking about the Bears, and we're like, Yeah, they're looking over there. It was a good day. I thought it was great. I appreciate everybody that supported that. Obviously, we all feel different about who's going to run in that office. I'm sure we have many different opinions, but I thought it was cool that Hammond got to host a big event like that. It was nice to see everybody in Hammond. Guest speaker at the Hammond Optimist Club monthly dinner. Spoke about the Bears pretty much the entire time. I don't know what I'm going to talk about if this thing falls apart. Nobody's going to want to hear from me anymore. Guest speaker at the Northwest Indiana Mortgage Bankers Association monthly luncheon, along with Mayor Costas from Valpo and Mayor Huddleston from Hobart. Interviewed by Fox Business Channel over the potential impact the Chicago Bears would have on the city of Hammond if they chose us as their home field. The city of Hammond held a 9-11 25-year remembrance at the Hammond Sportsplex. It was a great idea. I appreciate you all and your participation, participation of the police and fire. I know we don't do them annually anymore, but 25 is a big number, and we had a real good turnout. I think it makes us look good as a city. So I know that's quite a bit, but it's been three weeks since we've seen you. I know there's other issues coming up. If you have any questions, I'm available to answer them. So thank you, Councilwoman.

Yeah, hi, Councilman.

The biweekly virtual meeting, what time do you do that?

Good question. This is my first one. I think we did it at 10 o'clock, 10.30 we did it. Yeah, on Go Hammond.

On what day of the week?

Fridays, thank you. But it's, because sometimes things happen. So as I was talking on there, we do this and it's advertised online. So if we change it, we'll change it online. But right now it's tentatively 10.30 biweekly on Fridays. Got it. I think it's a good idea, and I'll be honest. We had, I don't know, 150 people tuning in live at one time. I thought that was pretty good. A lot of people watch it after it's already up, so it's always good to communicate, I think. And I think it's good to get you all on there, too. And I'm not going to be able to do everyone, and if I can't, I can get one of you in there. You just go to the little studio in City Hall, and it's a good thing, I think, for all of us to get in front of the public. Any other questions? Thank you, Councilwoman. Good to see you all. Have a nice day. Thank you, Mayor.

Moving on to approval of minutes.

Madam President.

Councilman Warpel.

Make a motion we accept and approve the minutes of the last meeting.

Second. Motion by Councilman Warpel, second by Councilman Emerson to approve the minutes of the August 24th meeting. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Aye. Motion carries. Moving on to approval of claims.

Madam President. Yes, Councilman Rapos. Move to accept claims beginning and any with claims dated 9-9-26. Claim number 6782 through claim 7289, that's 7289 inclusive, in the amount of $16,053,174.04. Second.

Motion by Councilman Rakos, second by Councilman Tyler to approve the claims. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? Clerk Ollick, roll call vote, please. Alexander.

Yes. Smith-Talley. Yes. Kalwinski.

Yes.

Salinas. Tyler?

Yes.

Emerson?

Yes.

Warple? Yes. Rakos? Yes. Vanes?

Yes. Motion carries, seven in favor, one virtually, and one absent. Moving on to public hearings. There are none. Ordinance third reading, final passage. There are none. Hold it. Communications. Did I miss that? Okay. Thank you. Any communications? Any communications? Any communications? Communications is now closed. Thank you, Clerk Golick. Committee reports. Any report from Economic Development? Councilman Tyler?

No, nothing to report.

Any report from Plan? No plan. Thank you, Councilman Spitali. Finance?

Madam President, as we go along with the Capital Improvements Board, Report two.

Okay, so no report on finance? Both. Okay, thank you.

The Capital Improvements Board allocated $250,650 at the last meeting, which leaves 2.2 million in the Capital Improvement Board fund. Of those allocations, Funding allocation 340 was a modification to Wolf Lake parking lot D in the amount of $88,000 that went to HWC engineering. There was a problem with the grass parking lot during the fest, and some engineering is being done on possibly fixing that to some sewer work. Allocation 341 is at US 41 in Calumet Avenue at the Eaton Street conversion right here. They're trying to make it, rather than a one-way street, a two-way westbound. to United Consultant for $59,800. That has to be done because of the Zaxby's going in and a way to get out of the parking lot in the correct direction when you leave there. Funding allocation 342 is a supplemental sidewalk program at Clark Field to J.J. Newell Concrete in the amount of $75,000 to put in sidewalks at the Clark Field subdivision going in. Funding allocation 343, supplemental work on Holman Avenue phase two, milestone contractors in the amount of $3,350 for the planting of trees in the allocated areas in the street. funding allocation number three forty four it's for a memorial park utility staking for american structure point where they in the amount of twenty five hundred dollars and that is to stake out the property that has been purchased to build on and funding allocation supplemental design a hundred and sixty fifth straight from kennedy avenue to kentucky and from Michigan Street to Holman, well it says and Michigan Street from Holman to Calumet. And added at the last minute because this is a community crossings grant and there was some money left over. Southeastern from 167th Street to White Oak. For the design portion of the projects, for community crossings, first group engineering in the amount of $22,000. Thank you.

Thank you. Next is the Crime Watch reports. Community Watch at Mount Zion Pleasant View Plaza will meet Wednesday, September 16th at 1 PM. Hammond Pullman Crime Watch will meet Tuesday, September 15th. That is at 6 PM at the Ophelia Steen Center. Edison Community Watch will meet Wednesday, October 7th, 6.30 PM at Edison School. Harrison Park Crime Watch will meet Tuesday, October 6th, 6 p.m. at the VFW on Homan Avenue across from Harrison Park. Hessville Crime Watch will meet Thursday, September 17th, 6 p.m. at the HC3 Community Center. Irving Community Watch will meet Tuesday, October 13th. There is a change on this one. We're going to alternate every other month to try and generate some interest in the neighborhood. So we will be meeting at 6 p.m. at Irving School on Tuesday, October 13th. South Holman Avenue Neighborhood Watch will meet Thursday, October 22nd, 6.30 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church on 173rd and Holman. Whiting-Robertsdale Crime Watch will meet Thursday, October 8th, 6.30 PM at Calumet College. And Jefferson Crime Watch will meet Wednesday, October 14th, 6 PM at Jefferson School. We have, with our community affairs department and the police department, we have a very nice network of crime watches throughout the city. And we make all of the information about your neighborhood available to you throughout the city. You just have to get off the couch and come. So I encourage everyone to come out, meet your community policing officer who does patrol your neighborhood and get some good information to protect you, your family and your property. Because community is not just about me, it's about us. Okay, moving on to, Ordinance third reading, final passage, there is nothing. Introduction of ordinances.

Item A, ordinance 26-23, sponsored by Councilwoman Veniz. An ordinance to appropriate funds in the hotel, motel, innkeeper's tax fund for the Hammond Park Department.

Madam President.

Yes, Councilman.

Since this is sponsored by you, I make a motion that it pass on first and second reading. Did we make a decision on if it's going in the committee? On what? Did we make a decision on whether we're going to put it in committee or not?

I don't think it's necessary to put in committee, but we do need to have a public hearing on September 28th. Is there a second?

Second.

Motion by Councilman Warpel, second by Councilman Spitali. Any discussion? Councilman Warpel, you raised your finger.

I was just exercising.

Okay. Okay. Just to be specific, this is $16,944.92 that is appropriated from the innkeeper's tax operating balance to the hotel motel fund that is primarily used for, or that is used for advertising.

Madam President.

Yes.

Now I know why I was exercising my finger. I was supposed to say that. Okay, thank you.

Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Clerk Golick, roll call.

Alexander? Yes. Spitali? Yes. Kalwinski? Yes. Salinas? Tyler? Yes. Emerson? Yes. Warple? Yes. Riekels? Yes. Vanes?

Yes. Motion passes, seven in favor in chambers, one in favor virtually, and one absent.

Item B, Ordinance 26-24, sponsored by Councilman Van Ness, an ordinance to appropriate funds from the operating balance for the Hammond Park Department.

Madam President.

Yes, Councilman.

I make a motion to pass on first and second reading with no committee hearing. This is something we do every year. I make the motion that we pass on first and second reading with no committee hearing.

And there is a public hearing.

And there is a public hearing on September 28th.

That is correct. May I have a second? Second. Okay, motion by Councilman Werpel, second by Councilman Tyler. Any discussion? Madam President. Yes, Councilman.

I had that wrong. This isn't what we do every year, is it?

Yes, it is. Is it?

Yes. Having a bad night. It appropriates 862,000 from the park department to accounts such as special events, 219 day, key and clean up refunds, holiday parade, veteran parade, Dowling Park, Riverside Park, Irving and Columbia Park, Optimist Park, Hessville Soccer Complex, Sports Hall of Fame, Cinco de Mayo. OT, overtime for special events, part-time concession workers, FICA and Medicaid, payments and employer share allocations.

Thank you. I would like to point out that at Dowling Park, there is a substantial amount that was allocated to that. And there were several upgrades that were done at Dowling Park. The rest of the parks, it's general maintenance and upkeep. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? Glickolick-Rocco. Alexander.

Yes.

Vitale. Yes. Kowalski.

Yes.

Salinas. Tyler? Yes. Emerson? Yes. Warple? Yes. Rakos? Yes. Vanes?

Yes. Motion carries, seven in favor in chambers, one virtually, and one absent.

Item C, ordinance 26-25, sponsored by Councilman Warple. An ordinance creating new funds,

I think I put my glasses on for this.

3383 and 4685 for the city of Hammond.

Madam President.

Yes, Councilman.

I move for passage on first and second reading and set a committee hearing for council as a whole on September 28th at 5.15 PM.

Motion by Councilman Warple. Is there a second? Second. Second by Councilman Kalwinski. Any discussion?

Madam President.

Yes, Councilman.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts requires all municipalities to maintain proper fund accounting and identify sources and authorized purposes of revenues and account for expenditures. This is... setting up fund number 2504 which is the august 2026 emergency fund and it is to receive account for and track and expend revenues and other legally available monies received or made available to the city in connection with the storm that affected the region on august 11 2026 this also includes qualifying state and federal money Fund 3383, a public safety debt fund. It is to receive and account for and expend bond proceeds, debt service revenues, transfers, and other legally available monies associated with the city's 2026 public safety bond debt, including the payment, accounting, administration, and reporting of principal interest and insurance costs. Item number 46, or fund number 4685, the Police and Fire Equipment Fund, to receive, account for, and expend legally available monies for the acquisition, replacement, installation, improvement, and maintenance, and related costs of equipment purchased for the city's police and fire departments. Each one of these funds is created separately and there are no receipts or expenditures at this time to appropriate to these funds.

Thank you, Councilman. Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Clerk Golic, roll call vote, please.

Alexander.

Yes.

Spitali? Yes. Galwinski?

Yes.

Salinas? Tyler?

Yes.

Emerson?

Yes.

Warple? Yes. Rakos? Yes. Vanes?

Yes. Motion carries, seven in favor in chambers, one virtually, and one absent. Is there a committee report on that one?

Yes.

Council as a whole?

Council as a whole on the 28th at 515.

Do I need another roll call, clerk? No. It was introduced with that. Okay, that's just that. Okay. Okay, motion carries.

Item D, ordinance 26-26 sponsored by Councilman Tyler. Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Hammond, Indiana authorizing the city to issue its taxable economic development revenue bonds for the central allocation area project and approving other actions in respect thereto.

Madam President?

Yes, Councilman Tyler.

I make a motion that we pass Ordinance 26-26 on first and second reading, refer to Economic Development Committee for a committee meeting at 5 p.m. on September 28th? Correct. Second. Sorry, last piece, and with a public hearing on September 28th as well.

Okay, motion by Councilman Tyler, second by Councilman Emerson. Any discussion?

Madam President? Yes, Councilman. For everybody following along, this is for the proposed development at 6525 Indianapolis Boulevard. The amount of the payment is not to exceed $770,000. And there's also another public hearing tomorrow. Do you want to leave? Yes. I believe you said there's another public hearing tomorrow, too. So public has a couple opportunities to weigh in if they would like to. Thank you.

Any other discussion? Yes, clerk. Oh, did I hear a second?

Yes, second.

Okay, yes, Councilman Emerson. I thought so. Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Any other discussion? Clerk Golic, roll call.

Alexander. Yes. Spitali. Yes. Kalwinski.

Yes.

Salinas. Tyler.

Yes.

Emerson?

Yes.

Warple?

Yes.

Rakos? Yes. Vanes?

Yes. Motion carries, seven in favor, seven in chambers, one virtually, and one absent.

President Vanes, that concludes the introduction of ordinances.

Thank you. Resolutions, there are none. No non-finished business.

Madam President.

Yes, Councilman.

I know it's early, but I make a motion that we move the October 12th meeting, which is on Columbus Day, to October 13th at 6 PM here in council chambers.

Second. Motion by Councilman Werpel, second by Councilman Kalwinski. Just to, no, I was thinking we had committee meetings that night, but no, that's the 28th. Thank you. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? Quick roll call.

Alexander.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Motion carries, seven in chambers, one virtually, and one absent. Any other new and unfinished business? Any other new and unfinished business? Any other new and unfinished business? New and unfinished business is now closed. Special zoning action adopted under Indiana Code 36-7, there is nothing. Public expression. First speaker, Mary Schoens on Wabash.

Good evening. Good evening. Just recently, one of the hosts of the Rabbit Hole of Research podcasts had a couple of the members of the Save Briar Eastwoods group on. And this person, this host, wasn't familiar with the issue. And so he's listening to her at 20 minutes. And then he goes, well, why don't they just build the bridge where the school is? And we're like, well, yeah. But then, so just to rewind a little bit for people unfamiliar with it, in February of this year, the city decided that they don't, they're gonna suspend the Grand Avenue Bridge project, but the city is going ahead or wants to go ahead with leveling Briar East Woods, a 32 acre old growth forest in Hammond, Indiana, the last of this high Tolleson Ridgeline. And we can't figure out, there's no rhyme or reason for it. So if we're not building a bridge, What problem are we solving other than the problem of maybe having too many trees in Hammond, right? So unless it's just to build townhomes, which was in the plans, the 68 townhome development and the two commercial lots, which would effectively wipe out Briar East Woods. And do we really need any more commercial lots in Hammond, Indiana? We are drowning. I mean, just drive home from Hammond and count how many commercial lots there are and then count how many empty spaces there are. We don't need any more. But we do need... this space that's next to two steel mills and an oil refinery, we need this green space. We need it for flood retention. We need it to help clean the air, really, essentially. I mean, we have, I don't know if we're going to, We have a lot of asthma and breathing problems, particularly in urban areas. And if we wipe this old-growth forest out, it's just going to get so much worse. Essentially, I wonder if the state and the feds ask you the same question. If the point of the project is to build a bridge so that kids can get to school safely, why don't you build it where the school is instead of wiping out Briar East Woods? which would have a catastrophic effect on our city. We already, as you know, obviously, and last month we had these terrible storms. These storms are getting worse because of climate change. And that's just a fact. We need... old trees to help soak up this water. And what we should do instead is to protect this area and make it an extension of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Front. Thank you.

Thank you, Mary. Come on. Okay. Wrong button. Okay. Next is Ulysses Cruz. And your address, Ulyssa?

939 Summer Street, Hammond.

Thank you. It is by ordinance. It is by ordinance, and I'll show you. Okay.

All right. Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Good evening, council members. My name is Julissa Cruz Moreno. I'm a lifelong Hammond resident, and this is my first council meeting. I'm really interested in becoming more involved. So ordinance 2626 caught my eye. The city is considering up to $770,000 in economic development bonds for the project at 6525 Indianapolis Boulevard. which is where Petro's used to be. I noticed that one stated goal is creating additional employment opportunities, and well, that matters to me. That made me wonder, when we make these investments, how can residents easily see the results afterward? I learned that the city already reviews jobs and salary information for projects that receive abatements. My ask is whether that information could be shared in a simple public report so residents can see what was invested, what was expected, and what was delivered. I support bringing new businesses to Hammond, and I just think making those outcomes easy to see helps residents understand how we benefit. Thank you for your service, all of you, and thank you for the chance to speak.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay, well, I don't know. Okay, anybody online? Okay, public expression is now closed. Motion to adjourn? Second. Motion by Councilman Morpals, second by Councilman Tyler. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed?