The final 2011 campaign reports revealed very few surprises in local Duneland municipal races compared to the initial reports filed in October.

On Wednesday, candidates around the state were required to hand in campaign finance reports listing donations and expenditures for the complete year at their respective voters registration offices.

In the Burns Harbor Clerk-Treasurer Race, Democrat Jane Jordan reported a total of $2,789 which was up from the $2,039 reported during the previous reporting period in October. Jordan received a boost in the days leading up to the election from the Porter County Democratic Central Committee who gave $500 to her campaign and another $250 from the Committee to Elect Chuck Moseley.

Jordan’s Republican opponent Beverly Sutton did not report any donors.

In the contested Porter races, newly elected Town Council member Elka Nelson reported no difference in her final report which matched her October report’s contribution and expenditure amount of $8,087, the biggest war chest in the town’s elections.

Nelson’s top donor was Mary Alice Wheeler of Chicago who made a direct contribution of $5,000 in May.

Former Town Council president Trevin Fowler, who was ousted by Nelson, reported an additional $120 given to his campaign by SEH consultant Matthew Reardon of Munster, bringing his year end total to $864.

The Committee to Elect Rob Pomeroy, who ran unopposed in the November election as a Republican, reported a total of $959 for the year. Contributors included Pomeroy himself and Lorain Bell who made a $200 pledge to Pomeroy before May’s primary elections.

Also reporting no difference is Democrat William Cantrell who raised $2,914 under his own name. His opponent Kenneth Timm ran a smaller campaign and reported a $1,183 total for the year.

Democrat Greg Stinson, who campaigned and won against incumbent Michelle Bollinger, revealed his totalfor the year to be $3,418, about a $200 increase since October. Giving to Stinson earlier in the year was Westchester Warehouse in Chesterton which gave $300 and Schererville resident Yianna Pallas who gave $550 in September.

For Chesterton Town Council, Democratic candidate Brian Mulholland reported $0 for his campaign. Mulholland made an unsuccessful run for Republican member Nick Walding’s seat in November’s sole contested race for the town.

In the Portage and Valparaiso Mayors’ races, donors shelled out $52,218 for incumbent Olga Velazquez days before the election bringing her overall intake to $188,776.

One of those last minute donors was Porter County Council President Dan Whitten, D-at large, who gave $1,000. Iron Workers Local #395 in Portage gave an additional $1,500 in the subsequent reporting period, increasing its donation total to $4,800.

Portage’s new Republican Mayor James Snyder reported his contributions and receipts accrued to a shade over $119,000.

Pulling in large figures towards the end of his campaign, Snyder copped an additional $4,400 from the Crossroads Political Action Committee based in Schererville, whose year-end donation figure totaled $13,293.

Other significant figures in Snyder’s war chest for 2011 came from the Indiana State Republican Party ($7,500), the Porter County Republicans ($5,700), Local No. 150 IUOE of Crown Point ($5,000), Indiana Realtors PAC of Indianapolis ($4,500) and Portage Fire Fighters Local 3151 PAC of Portage ($2,000).

Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas raised a few more dollars bringing his campaign total to $98,574. His top donors included Kurt and Kimberly Minko of Valparaiso ($5,000),Valparaiso Fire Fighters PAC ($3,000), Sound Construction of Valparaiso ($3,000), Barns and Thornburg, LLP of Indianapolis ($2,500), Indiana Realtors PAC ($2,000) and consultants DLZ Industrial in Burns Harbor ($1,750).

Despite not being on the ballot in 2011, Porter County Commissioner Nancy Adams, R-Center, also revealed her donors from last year. Her committee hauled in a reported $7,750 in individual contributions and $4,310 from corporations.

Adams’ top individual donors were Valparaiso Indianapolis businessman Willis O’Connor, Task Force Tips president Stewart McMillan, and Sherry Ann Bucher who all gave $1,000. The list of corporate donors included Boyd Asphalt of Valparaiso ($1,200), G.E. Marshall of Valparaiso ($1,000) and consultants DLZ Industrial ($1,000).

Democratic director of the voters registration office Kathy Kozuszek asks candidates who have not yet turned in their annual finance reports to please do so. Names of candidates who fail to comply will be given to the county election board at their meeting on Feb. 6.

Posted 1/19/2012