The Michigan City Common Council Finance Committee approved a claims docket totaling $11,253.93 at its Dec. 2, 2025 meeting and reviewed a series of year-end budget transfers and ordinances scheduled for the full council.

The committee approved the Riverboat claims docket for Dec. 2, 2025, which included a $7,053.93 payment to La Porte Chrysler Inc. and a $4,200 payment to AquaLab Water Treatment Inc. “All those in favor by saying aye,” the moderator asked; members answered “Aye,” and the moderator said there were no opposing votes. The motion to approve the claims was recorded as made by Doctor Cora and seconded by Mister Beatry.

Mary Lynn of the controller’s office told the committee the proposed appropriations are internal transfers that move money between line items — for example, reductions in salaries and wages to cover repair, maintenance, equipment, gasoline and contractual services — and do not increase any department’s bottom-line budget for 2025. “Because we’re at the very end of the year, … we are not increasing any of the bottom line budgets. We are just moving money within the budgets,” Mary Lynn said.

The committee also reviewed several ordinances and resolutions that the full council will consider that evening. Items on first reading include ordinances establishing salaries for the Michigan City Fire Department and the Michigan City Police Department for calendar year 2026. Items on second reading and additional appropriations include payments of remaining salaries and benefits for police and fire, additional appropriations from the public safety local income tax fund, a Board of Works general fund appropriation for utility expenses, a general-fund appropriation for medical claims, personnel department salary adjustments, and a rainy day fund appropriation for demolition of the Millennium Plaza Fountain.

The moderator opened and then closed public comment with no speakers recorded. A motion to adjourn passed and the moderator closed the meeting at 6:11 p.m.

Next steps: the listed ordinances and appropriations will appear before the full Michigan City Common Council for consideration and formal votes; committee members asked that Mary Lynn clarify line-item movements when the measures are presented to the council.