Indiana Record
Lake County
CB

Charlie Brown

Councilman, 3rd District2023-01-01–2026-12-01; month-level start: January 2023 per the council reorganization agenda; month-level end: December 2026 per the BallotReady profile

No biography on file yet.

At a glance

News mentions
1

Term ending Dec 1, 2026.

Voice

Meetings spoken in
1
Total speaking time
1:27
Avg per meeting
1:27
Segments
40

Want every word Brown has said?

The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Brown said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.

Top issues during term (20)

high↑May 2026[42]

Foundry Works battery energy storage facility

Developer projects over $30 million in lifetime property taxes and 100-plus construction jobs.

high↑Aug 2026[35]

Little Calumet River drainage investment

Low bid is $627,532.53.

critical↑Jun 2026[32]

2027 County Budget Adoption

Every 1% across-the-board raise costs about $1 million; the approved 4% raise totals roughly $4 million, against competing demands like $3 million for bridges and $2 million for utilities.

high↓Aug 2026[29]

Foundry Works Solar farm extension denied

The developer has already paid NIPSCO's $27 million grid-upgrade bill, but 3,000 acres of farmland sit in limbo for landowners who can't sell, farm, or develop.

high↑Oct 2026[20]

Storm debris cleanup agreements with New Chicago

About $300,000 spent so far against a $750,000 council-allocated cap, with federal and state reimbursement hoped for.

high↑Sep 2026[20]

Early voting turnout and vote-by-mail trends

Some staff overtime or comp time will be needed if volunteers don't fill the Sunday shifts.

high↑Oct 2026[20]

MS4 cover crop program for 2027

$20,000 from MS4 water-quality funding.

high↑Oct 2026[20]

E911 operations funding

Firefighter gear for one person costs over $1,000, and decontaminating or replacing contaminated equipment is very expensive.

high↑Sep 2026[19]

Lake Ridge Fire funding dispute

Paying off the $469,000 loan could free about $112,000 a year in the district's budget.

high↑Jun 2026[19]

2026 Turkey Creek Maintenance Phase 1

$103,875 in emergency removal invoices.

medium↑Jun 2026[19]

Contractor licensing for unincorporated areas

No direct cost to taxpayers; fees are paid by license applicants.

high↑Mar 2026[19]

NIPSCO staffing, reliability and storm response

Residents could see higher electric bills, especially if meters are estimated rather than read.

high↑Jul 2026[17]

Culvert replacements on county roads

Unknown until bids are opened in August.

high↑May 2026[17]

Position reorganizations and general fund reliance

$25,000 transfer postponed to the 2026 budget process.

critical↑Mar 2026[17]

Data center ordinance rewrite

Unknown, but residents worry about rising electric rates and lost agricultural land value.

medium↓Aug 2026[15]

Fisher Wild Lake loan modification

The county holds a mortgage on the property securing roughly $288,000 in outstanding debt.

critical↓Jun 2026[14]

Hanover Tile reconstruction and $1.4M property assessments

A $1.4 million project whose costs will be spread across watershed property owners, though permit savings cut the price by millions.

high↓Jan 2026[13]

Township public safety funding after SEA 1

Guarantees township shares of 2027 CAGIT distributions; the related $385,000 CAGIT transfer funds Sheriff's operations.

low↓Aug 2026[13]

Revolving loan fund health

Limited dollars remain available for future county business loans.

high↓Aug 2026[13]

EPI loan forgiveness request

Forgiving the loan means county taxpayers eat the full $317,612; holding out could recover up to $100,000 if the sale closes.

Decisions during term (926)

Recorded while Brown was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.

approvedOct 21, 2026

Approval of August 27 special meeting minutes

approvedOct 21, 2026

Traculia Subdivision final plat approval (26-F-08)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Plank Estates primary plat approval (26-PS-10)

approvedOct 21, 2026

ASC Subdivision Phase Two primary plat approval (26-PS-09)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Foundry Works Energy Storage special exception (26-SC-06)

tabledOct 21, 2026

Data center ordinance amendment tabled (Item 11)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Staff-level site development plan approvals

approvedOct 21, 2026

St John Ditch extension request (DB App 445-04-24-I-III)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Spring Street Ditch culvert — Ellis Construction change order (~$17,000)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Spring Street Ditch culvert — Ellis Construction payment $221,524.02

approvedOct 21, 2026

Schoon Ditch maintenance — final payment to Gariup $67,187.90

approvedOct 21, 2026

Dyer Ditch Stabilization Phase 1 — final payment $19,292.70

approvedOct 21, 2026

Application 524-10-26 — Family Express, Turkey Creek, Schererville

approvedOct 21, 2026

Application 525-10-26 — NIPSCO, Ernie Niemeyer Creek & Levee

approvedOct 21, 2026

Application 526-10-26 — NIPSCO, Kaiser Ditch, Merrillville

approvedOct 21, 2026

Application 527-10-26 — Project Purple, Beaver Dam Ditch, Crown Point

approvedOct 21, 2026

Application 528-10-26 — Surf Internet, Schoon Ditch, Munster

approvedOct 21, 2026

2027 MS4 agreement with LC Soil & Water — Cover Crop Program ($20,000)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Emergency obstruction removal — KDM invoices ($263,815 Schoon; $36,645 Turkey Creek Lats 6 & 7)

approvedOct 21, 2026

Emergency contractor agreement with FEMA-reimbursement language

Voting record (143)

0 yes0 no143 abstained

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve

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approve on First Reading

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approve on First Reading

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AbstainedJul 14, 2026

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approve on Second Reading

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approve on First Reading

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approve the creation of the following new line items: 61190 Part-Time 61320 FICA-Deduction 62410 Other Supplies 63715 Equipment Lease

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve on Second Reading

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AbstainedJul 14, 2026

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approve the creation of the following new line items: 63190 Other Professional Service 63510 Utilities

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve

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AbstainedJul 14, 2026

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AbstainedJul 14, 2026

Suspend Rules

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve on First Reading

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve on First Reading

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

approve on Second Reading

AbstainedJul 14, 2026

Suspend Rules

In the news (1)