Lake County surveyor Bill Emerson Jr. is mapping out a third full term in office, but faces a Democratic primary challenge from Reginald Tisdale, an East Chicago special needs teacher.
No Republicans are on the May 7 ballot.
“I feel like it’s the perfect office for me,” said Emerson who also serves as president of the Lake County Plan Commission. “I enjoy helping people and getting big projects done.”
The surveyor’s duties include maintaining county maps and survey markers and managing Lake County’s nearly 600 miles of legal drains or stormwater system.
The surveyor also reviews subdivision proposals in unincorporated areas for ordinance compliance.
Emerson’s office has about 15 employees, he said.
While it’s not required, Emerson is a civil engineer who earned his degree from Purdue University. Later, he went back to school and received a law degree.
“Although we don’t review every development in every community, we regulate drains and our goal is always to make sure water is free and flowing,” he said.
He pointed to a recent success story at the Ridgelawn Cemetery at 4401 W. Ridge Road, just west of Gary in an unincorporated area.
Emerson said the cemetery had serious flooding and there were no state or county storm sewers and some graves were underwater.
“We did research and found there was an old farm tile from the 1900s in the area. Emerson said his legal background was helpful in researching the title’s history and gaining authority for the cemetery to make repairs.
Emerson said his office is updating stormwater ordinances and hopes to do an update on rainfall intensity.
‘We digitized all the records in-house without taxpayer expense,” he said.
His department manages some septic and sanitary sewer projects, including one in the Lawndale subdivision near Crown Point on Cedar Lake-Crown Point Road. The subdivision’s failed septic systems generated raw sewage runoff into area ditches.
The county is using its Covid-19 relief funding to fund a sanitary sewer line to Crown Point’s sewage treatment plant. “It was a game changer for that area,” said Emerson.
Meanwhile, Tisdale said, via a text message, the surveyor’s office has had OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) violations and there’s little diversity in the office.
He also alleged unfair bidding in projects.
Tisdale said he worked his way through college working as a surveyor and he alleged Emerson missed work while building a law practice.
“I am more than qualified and promise to reform that office…” said Tisdale who said he’s been an officer with the East Chicago Federation of Teachers for 30 years. When asked for a photo to accompany this story, Tisdale declined to provide one.
In response, Emerson denied the allegations, saying OSHA hasn’t cited his office for violations. He said all bids go through the Lake County Drainage Board at public meetings.
In addition, Emerson said his chief deputy is an African-American woman from Gary.
Emerson said he’s a full-time surveyor who often does field work himself to save money for the county.
“I inspect jobs, and I design projects,” he said.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
