Gary board approves contracts, another apocalyptic movie filming
By Michael Gonzalez Post-Tribune correspondent July 13, 2012 1:24PM
Updated: August 15, 2012 6:06AM
GARY — City officials will become project managers, of sorts, for security upgrades at the Gary Housing Authority after Friday’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.
The board also approved two sizable insurance contracts related to employees and another post-Apocalyptic movie project.
Thanks to an intergovernmental agreement signed at the meeting, parks department and police department personnel will take the lead on a $3.2 million federally funded project to improve lighting and security at the Delaney and Dorie Miller housing developments.
One city attorney said the two city departments will act as “project managers” to install camera systems, improve perimeter fencing and lighting and even install playground equipment at the two sites in a two-year project.
An assessment of the two developments’ needs is due at the GHA board by late September, with work expected to commence by January.
The board of works also approved a $97,526 contract with United Healthcare to continue offering vision insurance to employees. That amount includes employee contributions, through payroll deductions, of $24,771, with the city picking up the balance.
The city also increased its excess loss coverage with Western Reserve Life Assurance from $200,000 to $300,000 annually. After paying the contracted amount, the plan provides financial padding against Gary getting slammed with excessive health insurance and other claims, explained Laura Loomis, an employee with Professional Claims Management.
“This is just in case you guys get hit with large claims or multiple large claims,” said Loomis, whose company brokers most of the city’s insurance policies.
The board also renewed Mary Cossey’s $40,000 contract to work as head of constituent services, a position Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson created in January.
Gary’s dilapidated City Methodist Church and Gary Screw and Bolt Co. again will be in scenes for another movie about death and destruction. The board approved Chicago-based movie company Glass City’s request to shoot a trailer for a feature film, called “Chrysalis,” later this month, with taping for the full-length feature scheduled for December.
The movie will follow two human survivors who seek others, and face “creatures” along the way, 25 years after a cataclysmic bio-terror attack wipes out most of the Earth’s humans.
The board approved the trailer filming shortly before awarding Ben Clement, head of Gary’s Office of Film and Television, a 90-day, $10,000 contract to continue his work through the Empowerment Zone.
Clement has led the charge to bring dozens of videos, movies, documentaries and other projects to the Steel City.
