Councilman Miles Jay Tolliver convenes town hall, touts FedEx jobs and pledges blight, lighting and school attention

Miles Jay Tolliver, councilman at‑large for Gary, opened a community forum and asked residents to identify priorities the city should carry to local and state officials.

"FedEx is coming to Gary," Toliver said, adding, "20% of 600 full- and part-time job opportunities are gonna be for Gary residents." He also highlighted planned blight removal and infrastructure work, saying the city will repair or replace about 2,000 streetlights with a $3,400,000 investment and continue demolition of vacant buildings, including removal of the old St. Mary’s Hospital structure attached to the public safety building.

The forum followed a gallery‑walk format: residents placed sticky notes under headings such as environment, public safety, roadways, education and economic opportunity. Toliver said he will compile the input into a spreadsheet, share it with council colleagues and state representatives and follow up on tasks identified during the meeting.

Residents used the session to press several recurring concerns. One attendee urged stronger code and zoning enforcement and proposed a volunteer code‑enforcement pilot to generate revenue for the city. Another called for a locally focused lending solution, saying, "We need a black bank in Gary" to help minority entrepreneurs access credit. A participant who spoke about public safety said the city should plan for 24/7 police coverage in summer months to sustain recent reductions in violent crime.

Attendees also raised education and school‑property issues. Multiple residents urged the city to map and plan reuse of abandoned school sites, meet with adjacent neighbors before rezoning, and ensure the Gary Housing Authority (GHA) lays out plans for properties it controls. Toliver noted a planning event on May 15 for community input on abandoned schools.

Environmental concerns surfaced, including a call for US Steel to address local air pollution and suggestions for mandatory sustainability features and clean‑up requirements for developers. Speakers urged practical roadway fixes — pothole repairs, clearer lane markings and repainting bike lanes — and proposed using fines and towing of derelict vehicles to fund demolitions.

Toliver responded to service‑delivery complaints, asking residents to forward unresolved 311 requests to his office so he can follow up. He also announced two near‑term community events: a food bank distribution on Tuesday, May 20 at 10 a.m. and a program providing 20 free haircuts for Gary high‑school students ahead of prom.

The forum closed with Toliver giving contact information and reiterating a pledge to pursue the issues raised: "I work for you," he said. He asked residents to hold him accountable and said he will carry the compiled priorities to the council and state officials for follow‑up.