Schererville, Indiana, is facing pushback from neighboring towns Dyer and St. John over a contentious dispute regarding the management of the Tri-Town Safety Village. Both towns have set a deadline for Schererville to resolve the issue by next week or risk further action.
On a recent Friday, leaders from Dyer and St. John gathered for a scheduled meeting at the Safety Village, located at 1350 Eagle Ridge Drive. Participants included St. John Police Cmdr. Dave Rybicki, proxying for Police Chief Steve Flores; Fire Chiefs Shane Adams and Joe Martin; Police Chief Bill Alcott; and Town Managers Bill Manousopoulos and Dave Hein. The absence of a Schererville representative forced the meeting to be held on the patio of the village, along with discussions about a letter sent by Dyer’s Town Attorney Adam Sedia, addressing an earlier communication from Schererville.
Schererville’s recent assertion of sole ownership of the Safety Village drew criticism from Dyer officials. Starkey expressed disapproval of Schererville’s claim, drawing a parallel to a hypothetical situation where officials arbitrarily claimed control over independent organizations. He underscored that Dyer and St. John are operating as a 501(c)(3) entity, emphasizing that they are not bound to Schererville’s interpretation of ownership.
Members of the meeting discussed Schererville’s accusations regarding violations of the interlocal agreement and bylaws, arguing that changes made over the years—such as allowing remote attendance during the pandemic—do not constitute a breach. Manousopoulos affirmed that Schererville had a representative at the board’s May 7 meeting, where discussions were held about a new candidate for a leadership position.
Sedia has given Schererville until June 20 to respond, after which Dyer and St. John may consider legal options. Neither Starkey nor Manousopoulos provided a comment regarding Sedia’s letter ahead of the Friday deadline.
The dispute between the towns initially intensified last December when Schererville claimed authority over the Safety Village, citing Dyer’s and St. John’s lack of participation in operations. Schererville asserted that both towns had failed to meet their financial obligations outlined in the existing bylaws and interlocal agreement.
The conflict reached a turning point when board members from Dyer and St. John demanded the resignation of Safety Village Executive Director Bill Jarvis, who ultimately agreed to retire by the end of May. Following his departure, Schererville proposed new bylaws intended to alleviate Dyer and St. John’s previous financial responsibilities tied to the Safety Village.
For 2024, the financial contributions for both Dyer and St. John are set at $36,400 each, which Schererville confirmed had been received. Jarvis noted that the financial contributions change yearly. Meanwhile, Schererville had paid off the village’s mortgage in 2021.
As the search for a new Executive Director unfolded, the board received about a dozen applications. However, St. John and Dyer conducted the interviews without Schererville’s involvement and made their selection in April. Their actions could only be validated if new bylaws had been approved by all three towns.
Schererville indicated that the Safety Village would remain closed to children until September, providing the town sufficient time to have its Parks and Recreation Department take over its management.
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