[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=44344.66

Meer: Walus retaliated for IDEM call

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Ron Meer, Third Ward councilman and Sanitary District employee, said it was his duty as a councilman to inform the Indiana Department of Environmental Management about sewer overflows earlier this month onto Lake Shore Drive.

Meer said he felt it was in the interests of the health and welfare of Michigan City residents to contact IDEM, even though it was not his responsibility, because he didn't think Sanitary District officials were taking the overflow seriously.

That's the explanation Meer gave to Al Walus, Michigan City Sanitary District general manager, in a May 15 letter. But the bulk of the letter addresses what Meer sees as retaliatory behavior by Walus subsequent to the IDEM call.

Meer said Walus pulled him over on the street, while he was working, and "interrogated me in a very rude, accusatory and insulting manner." Walus told The News-Dispatch Meer's view of the incident is "not accurate."

Meer mentioned in the letter he told his field supervisor, Ed Gonzalez, he was going to contact IDEM. Meer pointed out that Gonzalez is Walus' brother-in-law, since Walus is married to Cindi Gonzalez-Walus, who works for Mayor Chuck Oberlie.

Under the circumstances, Meer said he's reluctant to report to Gonzalez because, as he stated in his letter, he's heard Gonzalez say on several occasions he can get Sanitary District personnel policies changed by having dinner with Walus.

According to Walus, he first heard about Meer's contact with IDEM in the May 15 letter, which he received three days later.

Meer gave council members a copy of a letter sent to him by William Nelson, attorney for the Sanitary District, who urges Meer to "be more sure of your facts and information" and refers to "incorrect allegations." Meer questioned whether the Sanitary District board had a meeting about Meer's letter, since Nelson appeared to be speaking on behalf of them.

Walus said Nelson represents the Sanitary District, not himself personally. Since Meer's May 15 letter pertained to Walus' actions as general manager, Nelson responded on behalf of the Sanitary District. Walus said the attorney can write letters without board approval to protect his client.

The Sanitary District board hasn't met to discuss Nelson's actions, according to Walus.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie said Meer should take his concerns to the Sanitary District board because they are the policy makers and make hiring and firing decisions. Walus said the district has a personnel policies handbook that outlines the procedures for filing employee complaints.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=44344.66

Meer's accusations toward boss surface at council meeting

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - A Michigan City councilman accused his boss - the general manager of the Sanitary District of Michigan City - of mismanagement in a statement he made at the City Council meeting Wednesday.

Ron Meer, 3rd Ward councilman and Sanitary District employee, said Al Walus has failed to report sewer system overflows to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in a timely manner.

Meer said the latest overflow happened Tuesday, May 5, on Lake Shore Drive in the area of Washington Park Zoo, the Water Works and B&E Marine. The overflow continued into Wednesday, more than 24 hours after the overflow started.

Meer said overflows must be reported to IDEM within 24 hours. He's not the person in the Sanitary District responsible for reports, but he said he felt compelled to call IDEM. And he said he told Ed Gonzalez, Meer's field supervisor and Walus' brother-in-law, about the phone call.

Sanitary sewer overflows have occurred in that same location over the past few years, according to Meer, and he believed the incidents were being reported to IDEM.

IDEM investigator Mike Kuss was in Michigan City on Wednesday and interviewed Meer as well as other unspecified persons in the Sanitary District, Water Department and B&E Marine.

Walus told The News-Dispatch that Mike Hoffman, collection superintendent, reported the sewer overflow to IDEM in the afternoon on May 6, after being told about it by staff members that morning.

Walus provided a copy of the IDEM report to The News-Dispatch. He said the overflow "did not enter either the stream of Trail Creek or Lake Michigan."

In the report, Hoffman said the sewer system was plugged in multiple places, resulting from fish cleaning that took place during three consecutive weekends of fishing tournaments. However, the report also says a fish grinder at the Port Authority fish cleaning station used by tournament participants was in good working order. The grinder pump at the nearby lift station was working as well, the report said.

Walus said he reviewed sewer system records kept since 2002, and found no other instances of blockages caused by fish parts. In its report to IDEM, the Sanitary District said it would try to head off a recurrence by asking the Port Authority to notify fishing tournament participants about proper disposal of fish cleaning residue.

Tim Frame, harbormaster for the Port Authority, said it appears the cause of the blockage is "a bit of a mystery."

"The theory is somebody dumped fish down a manhole somewhere," Frame said. "I can't believe anybody would go to the trouble of pulling up a manhole cover and dumping fish in there. It's easier to put them in the Dumpster."

Frame said the sewer system could have started plugging well before the three fishing tournaments, and it happened down the line from the Washington Park Marina.

The Port Authority installed a new fish grinder at its fish cleaning station recently and Frame said it's the same kind the Sanitary District uses to protect its lines from clogs. Signs are posted at the fish cleaning station indicating how to operate the grinder, Frame said, and a Port Authority staff member is always present at fishing tournaments to help process the cleaning waste.

Randy Russell, superintendent of the city water department, said the sewer system that overflowed was designed at least 10 years ago.

"It's in bad shape and not able to handle the volume going in there," Russell said. "It was considered for replacement but wasn't done. Over the years, the sewer has gotten worse and worse."

He said the Sanitary District chose to put "slip line" in the sewer to seal the joints and keep groundwater from infiltrating. Russell said the sewer "doesn't have a true flow pattern because it's in unstable soil."

Russell said the Water Department had nothing to do with the sewer overflow.

The city council's utility committee has scheduled a meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 1 in the council chamber and Walus said he plans to attend. Committee chair Phillip Jankowski, 6th Ward, said the meeting has been called to review alleged sewer overflows in the area of Washington Park and what is being done to address the problem.

Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Dave]

This could get interesting.

[Ang]

Sewer problems aside, I knew this nepotism thing was going to come back as a haunt. If I read the first story correctly, I get the impression that Meer went over Walus' head because Gonzalez left him with the impression that Walus will do whatever Gonzalez wants and nevermind what Meer thinks.
Did anyone else get that out of it? If not, what is your opinion?

[Dave]

That's pretty much what I got out if it too.

If someone at the News-Dispatch would assign a reporter to get a list of all the employees of the city and research all the connections amongst them, and do a nice family tree-type graphic, I think they'd be doing the community a great service in addition to possibly winning themselves some kind of journalism award. Then they could update it annually.

And after the next election cycle, presuming the, well, for lack of a better term, cabal running city hall is displaced, I'd love to see the new administration hire Bob and Bob from Office Space to interview every city employee and evaluate their job performance.

[Southsider2k12]

That's pretty much what I got out if it too.

If someone at the News-Dispatch would assign a reporter to get a list of all the employees of the city and research all the connections amongst them, and do a nice family tree-type graphic, I think they'd be doing the community a great service in addition to possibly winning themselves some kind of journalism award. Then they could update it annually.

And after the next election cycle, presuming the, well, for lack of a better term, cabal running city hall is displaced, I'd love to see the new administration hire Bob and Bob from Office Space to interview every city employee and evaluate their job performance.

"So what exactly is it that ya do here?

[Homey]

On the flip side of the nepotism that runs rampant in city government, it's probably not a good idea for a council person having a city job. JMO

[JHeath]

On the flip side of the nepotism that runs rampant in city government, it's probably not a good idea for a council person having a city job. JMO

Isn't this the case with at least two of our current Council members?

[Homey]

Yep, but for some reason, Mr. Milsap doesn't create controversy. Maybe he's too busy trying to perform more positive programs. Mr. Meer is using his seat to go over his bosses head and take it to the media...not a good idea.

[Dave]

Yep, but for some reason, Mr. Milsap doesn't create controversy. Maybe he's too busy trying to perform more positive programs. Mr. Meer is using his seat to go over his bosses head and take it to the media...not a good idea.

Doesn't that depend on whether Mr. Meer's concerns have merit? I don't have personal knowledge of the matters involved, but if Mr. Meer's superiors at the Water/sewer department are ignoring or trying to cover up stuff that could effect the health of the public, good for him for whistle blowing. On the other hand, if what's involved is inconsequential and trivial and Mr. Meers is grandstanding, I can see where his supervisors might put him up for some kind of disciplinary action.

I do agree that city employees holding elected office can raise some issues. However, as long as elected officials fully disclose their situations, e.g. an elected official working for an entity that does business with the city or receives city funds in any way, there probably isn't a legal issue. Nondisclosure, on the other hand, or improper use of or theft of government funds should result in felony convictions and jail time.

[Homey]

This should have been handled better than grandstanding at a council meeting or going to the media. The Sanitary District has a board that could address problems. Did Mr. Meer go to Mr. Walus first? I guess we won't know how it all went down, but putting his superiors in a negative light won't bode well for his poitical future. There are boundaries and when you don't follow the chain of command the results can be tricky. I'm not taking anyone's side here...it smells like sour grapes or a political move in Mr. Meer's eyes.

[Dave]

This should have been handled better than grandstanding at a council meeting or going to the media. The Sanitary District has a board that could address problems. Did Mr. Meer go to Mr. Walus first? I guess we won't know how it all went down, but putting his superiors in a negative light won't bode well for his poitical future. There are boundaries and when you don't follow the chain of command the results can be tricky. I'm not taking anyone's side here...it smells like sour grapes or a political move in Mr. Meer's eyes.

(bolding mine)

Homey, you might think that it bodes ill for his political future, but personally I think it might make him my hero.

To you it might smell like sour grapes, and to some of us it may smell like certain officials not wanting to report overflowing sewers to the IDEM as required.

[huskers888]

THIS DISCLOSURE IS FOR THE PUBLICS HEALTH AND SAFTEY. MR. MEER IS NOT CAVING TO AL WALUS AND THE MAYORS POLITICAL PRESSURE. YOUR RITE HE DOES GIVE THE PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT ORDINARILY BE PRIVY TO. BUT WE SHOULD BE.

[Homey]

Maybe you are both right. He can join the ranks of another local whistle blower, Dennis Metheny! lol

[Dave]

Maybe you are both right. He can join the ranks of another local whistle blower, Dennis Metheny! lol

I suppose you may be right, Homey. It's probably just better for Meers if he does STFU like his politically connected bosses tell him to, and not bring the overflowing sewers to the attention of the IDEM and the general public. I suppose he could just make sure that his family and close friends stay off the nearby beaches and that they take precautions that ordinary folks like us just wouldn't know about.

It would be better for his political career, right? What could be more important to him than that?

[Homey]

I would hope that was his motivation.

[huskers888]

SANITARY DISTRICT OFFICIALS HAVE NOW ADMITTED TO KNOWING OF PAST SEWER OVERFLOWS THAT WERE NOT REPORTED TO IDEM. SOME THAT HAVE DRAINED DIRECTLY INTO TRAIL CREEK. THESE OVERFLOWS HAVE OCCURRED FOR SEVERAL YEARS SENDING BACTERIA INTO MICHIGAN CITY WATER WAYS. AND OUR LAKE FRONT. SANITARY DISTRICT MANAGEMENT HAD FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THESE OVERFLOWS AND SPILLS. BY THERE OWN ADMISSIONS.

[Southsider2k12]

I wonder if those kind of activities also explain the high number of beach closings we have had relative to our neighbors beaches?

[Ang]

Gives new meaning to the black sludge from the bottom of Trail Creek that was poured all over the beach last year, huh?

[Southsider2k12]

Turns out Ron Meer was on to something....

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=24170

Report: District must improve safety
MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Sanitary District needs to improve worker safety.

That's according to the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration, whose June 18 report was presented to district commissioners Wednesday by Mike Hoffman, Sanitary District collection superintendent.

The report said IOSHA found the Sanitary District needs to improve employee training related to proper procedures for operating in manholes and performing manhole rescues, as well as training in using traffic-control devices to protect worker safety when in an overflow area.

IOSHA's report came after its investigation of five complaints made by Sanitary District employee Ron Meer, who also is a city councilman.

As of Wednesday, Meer had not seen the IOSHA report.

- Laurie Wink
District: More Overflows
Sewage troubles occur on Lake Shore Drive

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Sanitary District has experienced the second sewage overflow within six weeks on Lake Shore Drive.

In a report to Sanitary District commissioners Wednesday, Mike Hoffman, Sanitary District collection superintendent, said a sewer manhole overflowed at Lake Shore Drive and Lake Avenue between 7:30 and 8 a.m. last Friday. Another overflow took place on Lake Shore Drive in the area of Washington Park Zoo on May 5.

Last Friday, Hoffman said about 200 gallons of wastewater washed down Lake Avenue into a dry well.

"It looked like heavy rainfall caused the problem," Hoffman said. "The reason we went to that location was because we had a problem with overload before and put in a level detector alarm. We get a warning when things are going to go wrong."

In this incident, the alarm did not go off in time to prevent the overflow. Hoffman said that was because of the speed of rainfall accumulation. But the alarm tipped off district personnel faster than without the alarm, he said.

"We were able to use the vacuum truck to pull water out of the manhole," Hoffman said. "That bought us some time."

He said the overflow was reported to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, as required by state regulations.

An IDEM investigator was in Michigan City on May 20 to interview Sanitary District employees about the May 5 overflow. According to Ron Meer, an employee of the Sanitary District and Third Ward councilman, the overflow started on May 5 and continued for more than 24 hours. Meer said he reported the incident to IDEM because he believed Al Walus, district general manager, and other sanitary district personnel failed to report previous incidents in the same area.

Walus said Hoffman reported the sewer overflow in the afternoon of May 6 after he was told about it by staff members that morning. The overflow, Walus continued, appeared to have been caused by large fish parts that entered the sewage system following a weekend fishing tournament.

Walus said Wednesday after the commissioners meeting the Sanitary District had not yet received IDEM's report.

q

Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.