LAPORTE — Mayor Tom Dermody vowed during his annual State of the City speech to be just as aggressive during his next term in trying to get the city where it needs to be as he was in his first term.
During his half-hour presentation Thursday night, Dermody touched largely upon what he cited as achievements this year in areas like new housing construction, infrastructure upgrades, code enforcement and quality of life.
Dermody, elected to a second term in a landslide on Nov. 7, also promised no let up on the gas pedal to keep narrowing a wide gap on what he said needs addressing.
“We’ve accomplished a lot but we are not done. I believe we have restored hope and confidence in what LaPorte can be and if we all are relentless we will succeed. Together we are LaPorte proud,” he said.
Dermody said the accomplishments of his administration this year included over five miles of new sidewalks, separating storm water and sewer lines on I Street, filling 5,600 pot holes, compared to 3,800 in 2022, along with additional new housing construction at all price ranges to draw more residents.
Dermody referred to a study showing just 20% of current homes in the city were built after 1980.
“We need a minimum of 900 for-sale market-rate housing units and at least 750 rental housing units. We have work to do but we are making progress,” he said.
Among the new housing construction scheduled to begin in 2024 is a development called Beechwood Lakes consisting of 100 or more high quality homes surrounding municipally owned Beechwood Golf Course, he said.
Another 28 housing units will be constructed soon by Steiner Homes on 18th Street.
He also revealed work to convert a former Coca-Cola bottling plant on Rumely Street into 16 housing units for people transitioning from homelessness is scheduled to begin in May.
The industrial and commercial successes this year cited by Dermody included another spec building under construction at the Thomas Rose Industrial Park and the openings of Biggby Coffee, Pizzeria Uno and a restaurant overlooking Pine Lake called The Drift.
Dermody said other highlights this year included access throughout the city to higher speed internet through a partnership with provider Surf Internet and hiring more police officers doing things like cracking down on drug dealers.
“We will continue to make drug traffickers in our community uncomfortable and unwelcome,” he said.
Dermody said 3,500 citations were written this year for code violations, which reflects his ongoing commitment to improve the appearance of shabby looking homes and other structures.
He also praised code enforcement and the police for working together to shut down the former LaPorte Pantry convenience store at 102 Lincolnway.
He described the business as a longtime “crime hot spot” before shutting its doors several months ago.
“We will not look the other way,” he said.
Dermody also gave high marks to the city’s annual dumpster program, which is free to the public for discarding unwanted items like old mattresses and furniture.
“We have dumped almost two million pounds of trash this year,” he said.
After the speech, LaPorte County Councilman Randy Novak praised Dermody for the speed at which positive things are happening in the city.
He said other mayors have tried but fell short of the pace of change that is needed.
“When he talks LaPorte proud, there’s no better champion for that. He really, really talks the talk and walks the walk. He’s got things going. He puts LaPorte first in everything,” he said.
About 200 people attended the speech at the LaPorte Civic Auditorium.
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