CROWN POINT | The offices of five Lake County township assessors, who once issued sovereign judgments on south Lake County property taxes, are set to become ordinary county government outposts today.

The public will hardly notice the transformation.

The Indiana General Assembly earlier this year passed a government consolidation law that takes effect today, handing over to county assessors the duties of 965 township assessors statewide.

Eagle Creek, Cedar Creek, West Creek, Hanover and Winfield township offices will remain open, and the staffs there will remain on the job.

"As of right now, we sit tight," Cedar Creek Township Deputy Assessor Jolie Covaciu said Monday. "Taxpayers can call at our office in Lowell. We will still help them exactly the way we always did. There are no staff reductions. If you count the assessor -- who is now an employee -- we have four. Nothing but some of our duties have changed."

Hanover Township Assessor Carl Spiechert said Monday, "This is my last day. They asked me to fill out a form to stay, but I didn't want to."

Previously, the five township assessors prescribed values for property for taxing purposes.

John Curley, who was Winfield Township trustee and assessor until Monday, will lose that job today.

He said his three-member staff will continue to fill out paperwork and forms and he will continue to give advice.

"But instead of my signing off on it, they will submit that to the county, and the county will sign off," Curley said.

In Lake County, Curley, Rick Niemeyer in West Creek Township and James Morrow in Eagle Creek Township will retain their authority as township trustees to oversee fire protection, poor relief and other social services.

Legislators have said the ousted township officials will be paid at least until year's end.

Sherry Stone, an assistant to Lake County Assessor Paul Karras, said the county might consolidate some offices in the most rural townships at some later point, but no layoffs are planned.

Niemeyer said he plans to stay on.

"I will ... do what they want me to do until the end of the year, or until they tell me not to. I feel like I'm still working for the people and will stay on in that capacity."

But Niemeyer said he is angered by the change.

"I'm mad as hell at the General Assembly that they took out the five southern townships and let the other six have a referendum," Niemeyer said. "Talk about discrimination."

Voters will be asked Nov. 4 whether they want to abolish the Calumet, Center, Hobart, Ross, North and St. John township assessor positions.