Council proclaims June National Cancer Survivor Month; member urges follow-up on pollution reports in Gary

The Lake County Council adopted a resolution recognizing June as National Cancer Survivor Month and celebrating cancer survivors; the resolution passed 6–0 with one absence recorded.

During discussion after the resolution, a council member said a news report about a “young lady” in the Gary area cited doctors linking pollution to cancer and urged the county to take a leadership role in pursuing research into pollutants in water or air from US Steel and other industry.

“I don't think it should be something swept under the rug because we do see a high number in Gary and this area being high number across The United States,” the council member said in public remarks recorded after the resolution. The speaker added that they had not heard any follow-up from Gary leadership and asked the council to “take a leadership role in pursuing to see what far and what research have come out on pollutants that have been put into the water or the air.”

The resolution itself — read into the record — defined “survivor” as anyone living with a history of cancer from diagnosis through the remainder of life and cited American Cancer Society statistics on survivorship. The motion to adopt the resolution was recorded as passing with a tally of 6–0 and one absence.

Councilors did not record a formal motion directing staff to investigate pollution reports or to open an environmental review; the comments after the resolution were in the form of a council member asking for follow-up. The transcript does not include responses from county public-health staff, records of any environmental testing, or a formal referral to an oversight body.

The transcript records the resolution text and the post-resolution public comments but contains no subsequent motion to investigate or any departmental reports on pollutant measurements or epidemiological findings.