FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A former Indiana mayor who won over voters in the 1930s is proving less popular with modern city leaders trying to choose a name for a new government center.
Harry Baals (bawlz) is the runaway favorite in online voting to name the new building in Fort Wayne. But Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy tells The Journal Gazette that the city probably won’t name 200 E. Berry St. after its longest tenured mayor because of the jokes it could inspire. "We love Fort Wayne, too," she said told the newspaper Monday. "We're not going to make any decisions that look bad."
As of 2:30 p.m. today, the name had about 6,800 votes at www.feedbackfortwayne.org.
The Anthony Wayne Government Center had moved into second place, with 408 votes. The Eugene Johnson Memorial Center had 394 votes, Renaissance Square had 365 and The Rudisill Center had 334.
Supporters say it’s unfair that the former mayor can’t be recognized simply because his name makes some people snicker. But others say they don’t want the city to become the target of jokes.
His descendants now pronounce their last name "bales."
City spokesman Frank Suarez told the newspaper that the city has no regrets about opening the name selection up to people online.
"It is a new way of reaching out to the community," he told The Journal Gazette. "The fact that 17,000 votes have come in tell us the buzz created by this is really good. When was the last time somebody could say they had fun with their government? We've had fun with this."
Online voting ends Friday, then the mayor will choose from several finalists.
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