A bill requiring the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission to submit an annual budget to the Lake County Council passed out of the Senate Tuesday.
Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, and Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, authored Senate Bill 40 which would require the commission to submit an annual budget before Sept. 1 of each year for a nonbinding review.
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The bill would also require the commission to submit an annual expenditure and activity report to the council before Nov. 1 of each year. The bill would go into effect July 1 if signed into law.
The Senate Committee on Local Government amended the bill to change language stating the council should approve the commission’s budget to nonbinding review of the budget. The bill was then reassigned to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy, which also approved the bill.
Dernulc said Tuesday that in Lake County many entities, like libraries and townships, present their budgets for review by the council. Dernulc said he was appointed to the board by Gov. Mitch Daniels and the whole commission is appointed.
“We do have money coming in, and I do think an elected board should review that,” Dernulc said.
Niemeyer said the commission oversees a $6 million budget. While the current commissioners have done a good job allocating the funds, Niemeyer said a future makeup of the commission may not be as fiscally responsible.
“They’re not going to be there forever, so as time goes on, all it is is a nonbinding review,” Niemeyer said.
Sen. Randolph, D-East Chicago, who co-authored the bill, said it will give the county authority to oversee the commission’s budget.
“They’re not going to reject or bid anything of that nature, it’s just a check and balance,” Randolph said.
Dan Repay, the executive director of the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission, previously said the commission understands “that people want to see what’s going on and we don’t have an issue with doing that.”
The Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission manages a flood control project and works with the communities along the watershed to make sure the water stays and moves where it is supposed to, Repay said.
The commission has been transparent, Repay said, with meeting videos posted to its website. Repay said the commission will track the bill as it moves through the legislature, and if it becomes law the commission will follow it.
“We’re watching it, but we’re still remaining focused on what we have to do here. It’s not going to change what we do on a daily basis,” Repay said.
The bill passed out of the Senate in a 49-0 vote. It will move forward for consideration by the House. State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, and State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, will sponsor the bill in the House.