Board approves personnel actions, licenses and multiple neighborhood event requests; denies one late-fee waiver

Hammond's board approved a range of routine correspondence and permit requests and set hearings on several regulatory matters during its Aug. 21 meeting.

In personnel correspondence, the board received a memo from Chief William Short noting that Officer Devon Pineda was placed on paid administrative leave effective Aug. 16 and was reinstated Aug. 19; other adjustments included specialty-pay changes for evidence technicians and a K-9 handler reallocation. The board approved the personnel actions.

Licenses and event approvals included renewal of amusement-device licenses for Calumet Laundromat, Fantasy Gentlemen's Club and The Pines Lounge; approval of a Purdue University Northwest "family moving night" on Sept. 13 with university police present; and multiple block-party and street-closure requests (Tapper Avenue, Maywood Street between Kane and Summer Street) with signatures attached. The board referred a request for yellow curb paint to engineering for review and approved right-of-way permits to replace two poles at 60 Fifth and Montana.

The board set a hearing on a gas station exemption for 4508 Calumet Ave. for Sept. 4 and scheduled hearings on rental registration and late-fee appeals for Sept. 4. The board denied a waiver of a late rental-registration fee for 4603 Sheffield after the owners failed to appear.

A public commenter raised a concern about notice for cutting two empty lots (1531 and 1533); staff said they would coordinate with the inspector and verify key numbers before any lien action. The board adjourned after handling these routine items.