Mayor Ron Meer announced today his appointment of First Ward City Councilman Richard Murphy as the next City Controller effective the first of the year. Mayor Meer said on Thursday, “I am very happy to appoint Rich to my leadership team. With his extensive financial background in the private sector and his eight years of experience on the City Council, Rich brings a wealth of knowledge to this position.”
Meer said Murphy is uniquely qualified for this role as he worked through eight years of Michigan City budget cycles on the City Council, several of which were especially challenging due to tax shortfalls and circuit breaker issues. The Mayor wished to thank Interim City Controller Steve Janus for stepping into the role earlier this year. "I want to thank Steve for the great job he did for us when I asked for his help," the Mayor said.
Murphy studied Business and Economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He began his financial career working several years for AON/Hewitt, Lincolnshire, Illinois, an international financial consulting firm. During his tenure there, Murphy was a regional manager where he built and managed 401(k) plans for several Fortune 500 companies.
Murphy was elected as First Ward Councilman in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 serving two terms on the Michigan City Common Council. As a member of the finance committee, Murphy was responsible for recommending changes and approvals to the city’s annual budget.
He is currently Mayor Meer’s appointment to the Northern Indiana Regional Planning Council, (NIRPC), a 53 member council of governments that manages regional transportation and economic development issues.
In his role as Councilman, Murphy played a strategic role in the revitalization of downtown Michigan City. He facilitated the public process on the location of the South Shore rails in Michigan City, co-authored and successfully passed the new comprehensive city zoning ordinance, and was deeply involved in the design and construction of the Michigan Boulevard, Elston Grove, and Uptown Artist Lofts Artspace projects. Along with Mayor Meer, Murphy is considered one of the chief architects of the Lake Michigan Gateway Implementation Strategy, Michigan City’s multiple award winning downtown and lakefront reinvestment plan that seeks to invest over $30 million over the next five years in order to attract private investment and new jobs to Michigan City.
Murphy said Thursday, “I am honored to be appointed to Mayor Meer’s leadership team. I believe deeply in the revitalization movement that we started together in Michigan City. I will continue to work hard for the residents and offer my financial experience in the public and private sectors to move our city forward. I can’t wait to get started.”