CROWN POINT | Lake County Councilman Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, said he will resign as a member of the county government's fiscal body on Tuesday.
Niemeyer said he will be sworn in that day as state representative for House District 11, an office he won in the Nov. 6 general election.
State law doesn't permit him to serve in the state Legislature and continue on the county government's fiscal body, where he has served since January 2011.
South County Republicans Larry Blanchard, James Cuffia and Eldon Strong have indicated they may be candidates to complete his unexpired term as representative of the 7th District, which covers most of Crown Point, Cedar Lake, Winfield, Lowell, Schneider and rural south county.
Blanchard served 15 years as the 7th District County Council member until 2010 when he stepped down and became administrator of the county employee's self-insurance program. Cuffia has been Republican chairman for the city of Crown Point and campaigned in recent years for state representative House District 19 and Crown Point City Council.
Strong has been Center Township trustee since 2003. He also has served as a Center Township Board member from 1999 to 2002. He ran unsuccessfully last year for Crown Point mayor.
Republican precinct committeemen for the district will have to caucus next month to name Niemeyer's replacement.
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