Municipal councils in Northwest Indiana met this week to discuss development, municipal fees and employee pay.
Here is a look at some of what was discussed.
Hammond Common Council, Date of meeting: Monday, Dec. 22
Key takeaways:
Hammond's city council voted to extend a Dec. 30 contingency deadline in its tax abatement agreement with the developers of a $7 billion data center expansion on the city's lakeshore. The The Chicago-based Decennial Group will now have until Mar. 2 to finalize deal with NIPSCO to provide the new facility with electricity. The company's co-founder told The Times that the parties are most of the way there.
The body also voted to approve a salary ordinance that will grant the city's elected officials, including the clerk, city council members and Mayor, a 2% raise in 2026.
Watch the video on Hammond's Facebook page.
Highland Town Council, Date of meeting: Monday, Dec. 22
Key Takeaways:
The Highland Town Council commended Detective Kenneth Norsweather, whose actions helped saved the life of a shooting victim in September. After a woman with multiple gunshot wounds drove herself to the Highland Police Department, Norsweather worked to stop her bleeding while medics raced to the scene.
The council also gave final approval to an employee handbook change that will expand longevity play for Highland police officers. Under the new scheme, the town will deliver a $10,000 bonus to officers who reach 20 years with the department. The change comes in lieu of a raise for the town's officers in 2026.
Councilman Alex Robertson, D-3, explaining that he would prefer to grant a raise, was the sole vote against the ordinance.
The council narrowly rejected a bid by Robertson to remove a town council pay raise from Highland's 2026 salary ordinance. He was joined by Councilman Tom Black, R-4, in supporting the amendment, but Councilmen Philip Scheeringa, R-5, and George Georgeff, R-1, voted against it. Doug Turich, R-2, abstained.
The council did accept a proposals from Robertson to axe an automatic council pay increase for future years and to increase pay ranges for seasonal public works employees, but it shot down plans to end longevity pay for elected officials and to reduce stipends for town boards.
Watch the video on Highland's website.
Merrillville Town Council, Date of meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 23
Key takeaways:
The Merrillville Town Council opened its meeting by congratulating planning & building director Sheila Shine, who recently received a Service to Labor Award from the NWI Building & Construction Trades Council, and the Andrean High School football team, which recently won the 2025 Indiana Class 2A State Championship.
The council re-elected Council Members Rick Bella, D-5, and Rhonda Neil, D-1, to their respective roles as council president and vice president for 2026.
The body also approved a zoning exception that will allow a a Tire Service Facility to open on West Lincoln Highway on the former site of a Lumber Liquidators.
The council gave final approval to a series of ordinances that will raise event fees charged by the Parks Department, adjust the city's vehicle excise tax, and allowing the town's Stormwater Management Board of Directors to implement a new fee structure.
Watch the video on Merrillville's Youtube channel.