Scratch ‘Harry Baals’ Off List Of Names For Government Center

A former Indiana mayor who won four terms within the 1930s as well as 1950s is proving less popular along with modern-day city leaders, who say they probably won’t name any new government center with regard to him because of the actual jokes his moniker could inspire.

Harry Baals may be the runaway favorite in online voting to be able to name the actual new building within Fort Wayne, about 120 miles northeast of Indianapolis. But Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy said that probably won’t be enough to be able to put the name of the city’s longest-tenured mayor on the center.

The issue is actually pronunciation. The particular former mayor pronounced his / her previous name “balls.” His descendants have got since changed it to be able to “bales.”

Supporters said it’s unfair that the particular former mayor can’t be recognized simply because his / her name makes a few people snicker. But opponents fear that naming the actual center after Baals would make Fort Wayne the particular target of late-night television jokes.

“We realize that while Harry Baals was a respected mayor, not everyone outside of Fort Wayne will know that,” Malloy said Tuesday inside the statement to be able to The particular Associated Press. “We wanted in order to pick something that would reflect our pride inside our community beyond the actual boundaries of Fort Wayne.”

An online site taking suggestions for names showed a lot more than 1,300 votes Tuesday for your Harry Baals Government Center. That’s more than three times the particular votes received by the particular closest contender.

Jim Baals, 51, who has lived in the city their entire life, said it’s unfortunate that his great-uncle’s name won’t be considered for that building.

“Harry served 4 terms and also was the wonderful mayor. I don’t know what the actual problem is actually,” he or she said. “I understand people are going in order to poke fun from it. That’s OK. I’ve lived along with that name with regard to 51 years now, and I’ve gotten through it. I think everybody else can, too.”

City spokesman Frank Suarez said the actual city has no regrets about opening the particular name selection up to people online.

“It is a new way of reaching out to the actual community,” he or she said. “The actual fact that 17,000 votes possess come in tell us the buzz created by this will be really good. When was the previous time somebody could say they had fun along with their government? We’ve had fun together with this.”

Suarez told The particular Journal Gazette that Mayor Tom Henry will meet with local groups and also choose through up to be able to 10 finalists from the suggestions submitted. Online voting ends Friday.