GRIFFITH - The Town of Griffith administration is still hoping to be accepted into a new township before the end of the year, even though 2019 is running out. Rick Ryfa, Griffith Town Councilman for Ward 3, told Lakeshore Public Radio's Sharon Jackson that the matter is still pending.
If Griffith is not accepted into St. John Township or North Township in 2019, the town still has until November of 2020 to get it done. If that doesn't work out, Ryfa says the town will immediately pursue legislation that would allow Griffith to form its own township, or the town administration would seek to provide the township services on it own.
Ryfa says the town of Griffith offered St. John Township $1 million dollars in addition to the revenue it would bring into the township to offset any costs. Ryfa said St. John Township would be doing its own assessing and getting all the Griffith properties into its inventory.
In the case of North Township, Ryfa says the county would be doing the assessing because the people of North Township voted to eliminate its assessor.
