City of Hammond holds another successful Mayor’s Night Out

City of Hammond holds another successful Mayor’s Night Out

The City of Hammond continues to power on in the right direction. On Wednesday, March 29, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. led another fantastic Mayor’s Night Out at the Lost Marsh Clubhouse. Hammond residents, city officials, and McDermott gathered to talk about all things Hammond and work as a community toward an even brighter future. 

City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023

City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023 22 Photos
City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023City of Hammond Mayor Night Out 2023

At the meeting, McDermott wasted no time – he immediately jumped into a conversation about the environment and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a topic that he knew was weighing heavily on many people’s minds. Many asked questions, concern evident on their faces. McDermott did his best to ease their minds but was also extremely transparent.

“We do have a lot of work that needs to be done. This could end up being a positive, but it’s going to be a very long haul,” said McDermott. 

Of course, when people start talking, disagreement can arise, but that’s what these meetings are all about. McDermott thanked everyone for sharing their thoughts and opinions and encouraged them to say what they had to say even if he didn’t agree. 

“I want you to know that, even though we may not agree on an issue, I'm not upset with any of you. Some people come to Mayor’s Night Out and rip me a new one, and I’m not mad at them. I’m just doing the best that I can,” said McDermott. 

When an audience member asked a specific question or wanted a bit more detail, McDermott happily let the different department representatives jump in to give more in-depth explanations. Ron Novak, director of the Department of Environmental Management, was on top of it, backing up many of McDermott’s explanations with extra information. 

“He’s like our encyclopedia,” laughed McDermott. 

The night was a great opportunity for audience members to bring up challenges they’ve been facing. McDermott was able to tackle many of these issues right away. Some problems, such as a few bad roads, are already slated to be fixed in the near future, and McDermott was able to share the good news. There were several other issues that McDermott asked his team members to take note of so they could be fixed as soon as possible. 

The night was also a good opportunity to boost morale. Several audience members commended McDermott and the other city officials on all the hard work they’ve done. McDermott explained that without teamwork and coming together, everything they’ve accomplished wouldn't have been possible. 

“I think the reason why we’re doing so well is that the council and I work well together. We really do. I see gridlock in so many cities, and that’s not good. Cities will be given millions of dollars to spend and they argue about how to spend it, and it ends up never getting spent because they’re so dysfunctional. That’s not happening in our city right now,” said McDermott. 

It was ultimately very moving to see people get passionate about the things happening in their city and actively get involved. Questions were answered, issues were brought to attention, and problems were resolved. The night couldn’t have been a bigger success. 

If you missed tonight’s Mayor’s Night Out, don’t worry. There will be plenty more opportunities to get involved throughout the year. The five remaining meetings will take place monthly from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

May 17 

2nd District 

HUB of Innovation 

5233 Hohman Avenue 

June 21 

3rd District 

Hammond Sportsplex Community Room

6630 Indianapolis Blvd

August 23 

4th District 

Edison School 

7025 Madison, Hammond, IN

September 27 

5th District Jefferson

Elementary School 

6940 Northcote Ave, Hammond, IN 46324

November 15 

6th District 

Scott Middle School 

3635 173rd St, Hammond, IN 46323

To learn more about the City of Hammond and keep up to date on its upcoming events, visit gohammond.com.