The mayor of Lake Station, Indiana is Bill Carroll, a Democrat currently serving his second four-year term, which runs through the end of 2027.1Indiana Citizen. Indiana’s New and Reelected Mayors After the 2023 Municipal Elections As the city’s chief executive, Carroll enforces local ordinances, oversees city departments, signs city contracts, and shapes the annual budget before it reaches the common council.
Who Bill Carroll Is
Carroll first took office on January 1, 2020, after winning the 2019 municipal election, and he ran on a platform built around the theme “Just Be Kind.”2City of Lake Station. Office of the Mayor Before becoming mayor, he managed the local Ace Hardware store, trained as a volunteer firefighter, and served on the city’s redevelopment commission. He was also active in the Lake Station Lions Club and the FIGHT community organization.
His administration has pointed to sewer and stormwater infrastructure, road paving, and parks as its ongoing priorities. Carroll has said publicly that funding is the city’s biggest challenge, citing financial constraints inherited from earlier administrations.2City of Lake Station. Office of the Mayor
What the Mayor Does
Indiana Code 36-4-5-3 sets out the mayor’s responsibilities, which fall into three practical areas: enforcement, finance, and administration.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-5-3 – Powers and Duties The mayor enforces city ordinances and state law within Lake Station, supervises department officers, and fills certain vacancies as state election law requires.
On finances, the mayor must give the council at least one annual report on the city’s condition. The budget work starts before anything reaches the council: the mayor meets with department heads and the city fiscal officer to review and revise departmental spending estimates. The mayor also signs all bonds, deeds, contracts, and licenses the city issues, so major city agreements don’t take effect without the executive’s signature.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-5-3 – Powers and Duties
Lake Station is a third-class city, which means it has a Board of Public Works and Safety that the mayor sits on and controls. The board is made up of the mayor plus two or four additional members the mayor personally appoints, and it handles infrastructure and public safety decisions.4Justia Law. Indiana Code Title 36 Article 4 Chapter 9 – City Departments, Boards, and Appointed Officers
Veto Power Over the City Council
When the council passes an ordinance, order, or resolution, the mayor has ten days to sign it or veto it with a written explanation. Doing nothing in that window counts as a veto.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-6-16 – Ordinance, Order, or Resolution; Power of Veto
The mayor can also use a line-item veto on spending ordinances and tax levies, approving some parts and rejecting others. The council can override any veto, but it takes a two-thirds vote at the first regular or special meeting after the ten-day period ends.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-6-16 – Ordinance, Order, or Resolution; Power of Veto The mayor can also make written recommendations to the council and call special meetings when needed.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-5-3 – Powers and Duties
How the Mayor Is Elected
A candidate for mayor of Lake Station must have lived within the city for at least one year before the election.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 3-8-1-26 – Mayor of Second or Third Class City Candidates must also be registered voters, which Indiana requires of anyone running for public office.7Justia Law. Indiana Code Title 3 Article 8 Chapter 1 – Qualifications for Candidates
Municipal elections run on a four-year cycle in odd-numbered years, with the mayor’s term beginning at noon on January 1 after the election.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 36-4-5-2 – Mayor; Election; Eligibility; Term of Office Indiana sets no limit on how many terms a mayor can serve. The most recent Lake Station election was in November 2023; the next falls in 2027.
What Happens If the Office Becomes Vacant
If the mayor leaves office mid-term through resignation, death, or removal, the succession path depends on whether the city has a deputy mayor. Lake Station has not established that position, so the president pro tempore of the common council takes over the mayor’s duties on an interim basis.9Justia Law. Indiana Code Title 3 Article 13 Chapter 11 – Caucus Procedure for Filling Vacancies
A permanent replacement is chosen through a party caucus under Indiana Code 3-13-11. The departed mayor’s party calls the caucus, notifies eligible members, and picks the replacement by secret ballot. That person serves out the rest of the term. Voters do not get a special election to fill a mid-term vacancy; the choice belongs to the party.
How to Reach the Mayor’s Office
The mayor’s office is at Lake Station City Hall, 1969 Central Avenue, Lake Station, IN 46405. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with the office closed on weekends and holidays.10City of Lake Station. City of Lake Station The phone number is (219) 962-2081, and residents can also submit questions or public records requests through the city’s website.2City of Lake Station. Office of the Mayor