The Gary Common Council approved an amended budget ordinance on June 3 that revises the 2025 health department budget to permit the purchase of two trucks for health inspectors.

A city presenter said the revision moves funds from contractual machinery to purchase two vehicles that will help health inspectors perform duties such as mosquito spraying and field inspections. The presenter explained the department currently has four inspectors and only two trucks.

Why it matters: Council members said additional vehicles will expand inspectors’ capacity for routine code- and health-related field work. The item was amended by substitution before the final vote; the council recorded the amendment and then adopted the ordinance by roll call.

Vote and action: The amendment and passage were recorded in the meeting as carried by roll call (the transcript records the final vote as 9-0 on passage). Staff said specifics about vehicle models and procurement would be added to the packet and that fleet acquisition would follow standard purchasing rules.