Brenda Mecchia knows what it’s like to be a Region native through and through. She grew up in Merrillville, graduated from Merrillville High School and is now an employee of the Town of Merrillville.
For the past five years, Mecchia has been the administrative assistant for the Town of Merrillville Street Department and does a little bit of it all. From completing payroll, taking phone calls. and reporting issues that residents call in with, Mecchia functions like the backbone of the office.
“I work closely with the director, superintendent and the street foreman, which I enjoy,” Mecchia said. “I talk to the residents about different concerns they have, and I like to be able to tell them that I will work on getting the issue resolved or the pothole filled.”
Before beginning her position with the Town of Merrillville, Mecchia worked as a paralegal at two different local law firms for over 20 years. When the administrative assistant role opened, she was ready to take on a new challenge and day-to-day tasks.
Mecchia finds value in the work she does because she is able to give back to the community that raised her into the woman she is today.
“I grew up here and have now lived here all my life, but I never knew about the administrative side of a town or city that supports its residents in the way that I am now able to do,” Mecchia said. “It’s nice to even just talk with the residents and listen to their needs to determine how I can help them.”
Mecchia and her family have all remained residents in the Region, and she sees them often. Both of her parents attended high school locally. She has three siblings who all live in the area, and Mecchia herself lives seven houses down from the house that she grew up in.
“My dad is 92 and still living in my childhood house, so I get to walk my dogs down the street and see him very often,” Mecchia said. “On Mondays my sister, Stacey, and I bring my great niece to see my dad and spend the afternoon together.”
When her mother was alive, Mecchia shared a very close relationship with her and always saw her as a role model.
“She was a very strong woman, and she taught her daughters how to be independent and strong themselves,” Mecchia said. “No matter what, she was always there for us and ready to talk through any problem or issue.
Outside of work, Mecchia often spends time with family, plants flowers outside her home, reads, and walks her two dogs. She enjoys playing golf and swimming during the warmer months.
“I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, it is just a nice community to be a part of,” Mecchia said. “The people here are nice, and I like the events that the different cities host to bring people together.”