2018 Election Guide

NEWS AND TRIBUNE

2018

Primary Election Tuesday, May 8

LEADERSHIP The Leadership Floyd County Deserves

FOR SHERIFF PAID FOR BY CANDIDATE

Dear voters and former patients, MY QUALIFICATIONS • Born and raised in Clark County. My roots are deep and I love this community.

• Served the area as primary care physician for 32 years, now retired.

• Served the area as the County Health Officer, now retired.

• Charter member of Clark County Cares • Opened the syringe exchange in Clark County in 2017 • Facilitated other efforts to deal with the opioid crisis. With these efforts, Clark County was the only county in Indiana to have a reduction in overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017.

• Leader on health and medical issue locally and statewide.

• Worked with Indiana legislators on many occasions so I know the legislative process well.

• Former small business owner and farmer. I enjoy boating, hiking, hunting, fishing and many other activities.

• Husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

My diversity of experience and ability to listen make me a great Republican candidate to represent your interests in the Indiana Statehouse.

PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVILEGE AND VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE WITH THE MOST EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS. Thank you very much, DR. KEVIN R. BURKE

4 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

COMMENTARY

2018 Primary Election Overview

Break is over, election season is here

A

fter the fun that was the 2016 presidential election, everyone needed a year off to regroup in 2017, take a break from politics and look ahead to 2018.

So much for a non-political year.

We soon found out there is never a break from politics, not while Donald Trump is occupying the White House. Every day since his election in 2016 there has been story after story about Trump, what he said, what he did, what he didn’t do and if he colluded with Russia to steal the election from Hillary Clinton.

You don’t need a recap and you are probably as sick of hearing about Trump and Russia, as I am.

This year, as voters of Clark and Floyd counties, we can forget about the national political circus that smothers us each hour on cable news channels and social media, and concentrate on electing our next local leaders. It’s true we will be electing a U.S. Senator and a member of Congress, but we also will be casting ballots for county auditors, recorders, sheriffs and other offices that affect our daily lives here in Southern Indiana.

Primary elections seldom have the same hype as general elections, unless it’s a presidential year. But in many ways, the primary is just as important. That is when political parties pick their candidates to run in the fall. On

May 8 you are basically picking your team.

There are several contested races next month no matter what party you back.

We’ll start in Clark County.

There looks to be a lot of interest, as well as many new names, vying for public office, and that is a good thing. The voting public needs choice.

For instance, six people — three Republican and three Democrats — want the recorder’s job in Clark County. There will also be competitive races in the primary for assessor and county council, and all eyes will be on the State Representative District 71 race between Republicans Matt Owen and Dr. Kevin Burke, and Democrats Rita Fleming and Jason Schlatter. The four look to

replace Steve Stemler, who did not seek re-election. Not an easy task. Stemler was liked by voters of both parties because he concentrated on doing the people’s business and didn’t seem to get caught up in playing follow the leader of his party. He represented those who elected him.

And voters in both counties will have to make a choice for U.S. Representative for the Ninth District. Three Democrats — Dan Cannon, Liz Watson and Rob Chatlos — look to move on to face incumbent Republican Trey Hollingsworth in the fall. He has a primary opponent, James Alspach, but look for Hollingsworth to win that primary race.

In Floyd County, Republican incumbent Auditor Scott Clark faces opposition from newcomer

Amanda Pahmeier, and Sheriff Frank Loop is being challenged

by Tony Lehman. Most predict Loop will move on and face former sheriff Darrell Mills in the fall, which should be an interesting race.

Floyd County Council District 2 has two candidates running on the Republican side — incumbent Cam Wright and Adam Roberts.

Democrats will have to choose between Sam Charbonneau and Christopher FitzGerald to see who gets to face Ed Clere in the fall for the State Representative District 72 seat. Two Democrats also seek the Floyd County Commissioner District 1 seat — Jason Applegate and LaMicra Martin, both new to politics. The winner will face Shawn Carruthers in the fall.

For Township Trustee, David Brewer and Christina M. Estill will face off with the winner challenging incumbent Republican Steve Burks.

And Republican voters will get to choose from a list of candidates for U.S. Senate to challenge Sen. Joe Donnelly this fall.

After May 8, we will know what the fall slates look like.

There will be choices in most races, but both sitting prosecutors — Jeremy Mull in Clark County and Keith Henderson in Floyd County — currently have no opposition. Party leaders will still SEE COMMENTARY, PAGE 5

CHRIS MORRIS ASSISTANT EDITOR Bill Hanson PUBLISHER Susan Duncan EDITOR Michael McCleery ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Elizabeth DePompei Aprile Rickert Chris Morris Jason Thomas Danielle Grady Erin Walden STAFF WRITERS Coltin Hanson STAFF DESIGNER Josh Hicks Tyler Stewart STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS CLARK COUNTY OFFICE: 221 Spring St. Jeffersonville, IN 47130 812-283-6636 FLOYD COUNTY OFFICE: 318 Pearl St. Suite 100 New Albany, IN 47150 812-944-6481 newsandtribune.com TWITTER @ newsandtribune FACEBOOK.COM / newsandtribune

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

UNCONTESTED PRIMARY RACES* FLOYD COUNTY

REPUBLICANS n Clerk: Danita Burks n Prosecuting Attorney: Keith

Henderson, incumbent n Commissioner District 1: Shawn Carruthers n Council District 3: Danny Short n Council District 4: Denise Konkle

DEMOCRATS n Clerk: Christy Dearing Eurton, incumbent

n Auditor: Maury Goldberg n Assessor: Trish Badger-Byrd n Sheriff: Darrell Mills n Council District 1: Tom Pickett n Council District 2: Sara Downs n Council District 3: Brian Brewer n Council District 4: Ashley Hents CLARK COUNTY

REPUBLICANS n Clerk: Darci A. Schiller n Assessor: Butch Love n Auditor: Danny Yost n Commissioner District 3: Bryan

Glover, incumbent n Council District 2: James (Bubba) Disponett n Council District 3: Brittany J. Ferree n Council District 4: Steve Doherty, incumbent n Sheriff: Jamey J. Noel, incumbent n Treasurer: R. Monty Snelling n Circuit Court No. 4 Judge: Dan Moore n Prosecuting Attorney: Jeremy Mull, incumbent

DEMOCRATS n Clerk: Susan Popp, incumbent n Auditor: Nancy Stemler Shepherd n Council District 2: Janne Newland n Council District 3: Heidi Cade

Sellers n Council District 4: Joseph E. Renck, Jr. n Sheriff: Dwight Ingle n Surveyor: David R. Blankenbaker n Treasurer: David (Yogi) Paris n Circuit Court No. 4 Judge: Vicki Carmichael, incumbent

INDIANA STATEHOUSE

REPUBLICANS n Indiana State Representative, District 70: Karen Engleman n Indiana State Representative, District 72: Ed Clere, incumbent n Indiana Senator, District 45: Chris Garten n Indiana Senator, District 46: Ron Grooms, incumbent

DEMOCRATS n Indiana State Representative, District 66: Terry Goodin n Indiana State Representative, District 70: Sarah Stivers n Indiana Senator, District 45: John Perkins n Indiana Senator, District 46: Anna Murray * Does not include delegates, township trustees or township boards; that information can be found online: http:// www.floydcountyclerk.org and http:// www.co.clark.in.us/index.php

Michael Coats and daughter Juliette work to complete a ballot in the 2016 General Election at the Clark County Clerk’s office in Jeffersonville. | STAFF FILE PHOTO

COMMENTARY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

have time to put someone on the fall ballot following the primary.

You never know what the mid-term elections will bring … will national politics have an effect on local races? I hope each voter looks at the candidates and votes for who they believe will be the best person for that job. I know it’s a dream, but I wish party affiliation had no impact on races, that candidates ran on their own merit. Like I said, just a dream.

My dad loved politics and at an early age, I kind of caught the bug. But after covering government meetings and other politi-

cal stories for the past two decades, I’ve learned politics can be a nasty and at time vindictive business, even at the local level.

It is our duty as voters to become informed about the candidates, and not listen to all the rhetoric being thrown around. You don’t hear much of it during the primary season, but just wait a few months. There will be plenty of it to wade through.

It’s important for everyone to get out and vote for their next leaders. It’s been said many times but if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.

Political season is exciting so get informed, pick your candidates — and go vote.

— Chris Morris is an assistant editor at the News and Tribune.

|5

6 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

9TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Democrats, Republicans choose District 9 nominees

A WAR OF IDEOLOGIES

Candidates in primary race eye change in the heartland

BY JASON THOMAS

S

jason.thomas@newsandtribune.com

OUTHERN INDIANA — Battle lines have been drawn for the 9th Congressional District seat, as the Republican incumbent looks to change Washington through President Donald Trump’s agenda, while his Democrat challengers seek change through a progressive platform that would shake up the heartland.

Even as the May 8 primary election features contested races in both parties, Democrats Dan Canon, Liz Watson and Rob Chatlos have their gaze firmly on Trey Hollingsworth, and the freshman congressman is focused on his legislative work at the U.S. Capitol, as Republican opponent James Dean Alspach waits in the wings.

Still, a primary is on the books, where voters will decide which candidate from each party will advance to November’s midterm election.

“I’m not running for re-election. I’m focused on getting results for Hoosiers, and I think the results speak for themselves,” Hollingsworth said. “I spend very little time campaigning, very little of my time on the election. What I want to spend my time on are advancing the interest of Hoosiers every day, getting to better outcomes.”

Watson, seeking her first political office, is a former lawyer who recently was the labor policy director for congressional House Democrats on the Education and Workforce Committee.

“I’m focused on Trey all the way right now,” the Bloomington resident said, “and I will be in the General [Election], too ... I do think it’s really important that

we have real representation in this district, and we’ve got a lot of smart people with a lot of great ideas about how we can change things.”

Canon, a civil rights lawyer by trade, whose rookie political candidacy has become a full-time job, pointed to Democrat Lee Hamilton’s 34-year reign over the district as hope for change come November, even if Trump won the district by 27 percentage points in 2016.

“I think folks in Indiana are a whole lot more progressive on an individual level than the rest of the country gives them credit for,” Canon, of New Albany, said. “When you have Washington, D.C., think tanks and people in New York and people in California thinking about how they conceptualize Indiana and the people that live here, that does not jibe with the reality when talking

to people on the ground.”

LOCAL FOCUS When it comes to issues most important to Clark and Floyd County residents, Hollingsworth, who lives in Jeffersonville, lists communication as a concern.

“What I hear every single day is ‘Washington is a place that doesn’t listen to us,’” he said, noting that “Hoosier values” are too often being ignored. “It’s a government by the people, for the people, and that’s what we should be focused on, is to ensure that Washington works for us, and getting better outcomes for American citizens.”

A second issue is too much politicking and not enough working, according to Hollingsworth.

“There’s too much bickering, there’s

too much lound-mouthing ... there’s not enough how do we get real and genuine policy answers so that American interests, Hoosier interests, our collective interests, are better off tomorrow than they are today?”

If there’s a universal issue for Southern Indiana residents, Canon said health care is it. The opioid crises also looms large, as well as jobs.

“We’ve got our own unique challenges down here, and I think that the issue of jobs and being able to do something to fill the job void, especially now that Jeffboat is closing, and all those jobs are going away. To see all those jobs go up in smoke, I think you’re going to see that a bigger topic of conversation as we try to figure that out.”

For Canon, it’s about finding the right job.

“That’s the problem in a lot of these communities, there’s not space for small businesses at all to give people jobs, because the Walmarts come in and suck up all possible opportunities for momand-pop shops to continue to operate,” he said. “People want meaningful work with meaningful pay.”

To that end, Canon supports a federally guaranteed jobs program focused on rebuilding the country’s infrastructure.

His central message is “that I care about the people in this community and I’ve been working for them and representing them my entire career,” he said. “I’m just sort of here to perpetuate the ideas that I think are going to move America forward.”

Education stuck out for Watson as a key issue for residents in Clark and Floyd counties.

“I think it’s very clear that folks are extremely concerned about keeping public schools public, and supporting our

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

students,” she said. ... “It’s really important that we stop voucherizing and gutting our public schools, that we make sure taxpayer dollars actually go to support schools that are going to have democratically-elected school boards, where there’s going to be accountability, where our students are going to have their needs met.”

Career education ties into those needs.

“It’s really important that we start leaning into career and technical education that can help provide training for goodpaying jobs that are out there,” Watson said. “I’m a strong advocate of career and technical education, and I’d like to see some of the stigma go away there.”

Financial security and affordable health care are also at the top of Watson’s list.

“We are the richest nation on Earth, and we can make sure that every single person in this country gets treated fairly,” she said. “That’s what I stand for, and that’s what I always stood for.”

Chatlos, a Bloomington resident who owns a trucking company, took a philosophical approach.

“I don’t think our most pressing problems are legislative. I think that they are human issues, dealing with each other,” said Chatlos, a U.S. Air Force and Operation Desert Storm veteran. “The discipline of Democracy is something we’ve been doing for years and years. What’s the problem? The problem is the people.

We have a human resources issue as opposed to a legislative or ideology issue.”

Alspach, a resident of Morgan County and a science and math teacher at Indian Creek High School, focused on health.

“I’m very concerned about viral illness and our inability to cure diseases like eBola, and AIDS,” he said. “I’m also concerned about preventable illness, HIV being one of them, and also, heart disease. Those two are in the most expensive health care treatment groups, and they’re both largely preventable.”

COURTING CHANGE

The Democratic challengers support universal health care and the Medicare for All Act of 2017. They are for the legalization of marijuana and a woman’s right to choose.

Backgrounds are where the difference lies.

REBUBLICANS TREY HOLLINGSWORTH, INCUMBENT n n n n

Office seeking: U.S. Representative, 9th District Age: 34 Political party: Republican

Political experience: First term, U.S. Representative, 9th District

n Family: Wife, Kelly; son, Joseph n Education: University of Pennsylvania (undergrad); Georgetown (masters) n Occupation: U.S.

Representative

n Related pertinent experience: Businessman in Indiana for 11 years n Website: www.votefortrey.com

JAMES DEAN ALSPACH n n n n n n

Office seeking: U.S. Representative, 9th District Age: 57 Political party: Republican Political experience: None Family: Single

Education: Purdue University (bachelor's, political science)

n Occupation: Teacher, Indian

Creek High School

n Related pertinent experience: Indiana Army National Guard n Website: none

Watson cites her Washington experience — she helped develop a $15 minimum wage bill and working families legislation — in separating her from the other candidates.

“This is a tricky seat to get. It’s going to be even a tricker seat to hold,” she said. “I think if we got the opportunity to send someone to Congress who has been fighting for us and who knows how to deliver results, that’s a lot surer bet than sending someone who is going to spend two years trying to figure out how the place works.”

Canon portrays himself as a champion of the people, having struggled right along with them growing up in rural

Henryville and working to get his GED and a law degree.

“Victory is not guaranteed to us at all in a general election, so there is a broader question of whether someone who has only been in Bloomington and Washington, D.C., or the country’s biggest cities for her entire adult life, is going to be more relatable in the district than somebody who has been here his entire life, and has kind of been part of the working poor and worked his way up...,” Canon said.

For Chatlos, it’s not about political parties, but people.

“I want to set the standard of representation back to the people,” he said. “I want to reset what it’s supposed to be.

They are the voice. I’m the listener. I’m there to represent them. It’s not my seat, it’s not my power. It’s my job to take into account every living soul in that district, period.”

Republican Alspach — the obvious underdog — seeks political parity.

“I understand that usually with an incumbent there is usually no primary challenger,” he said. “That makes no sense to me. It shouldn’t be that easy. For our system to be healthy and functioning well ... there needs to be more than one candidate so people have choices.”

Hollingsworth also touts change — culturally and economically. He aligns himself with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” and drain-the-swamp mantra.

“Number one, we’ve got to change the culture in Washington. It’s not working for us,” he said, adding that he supports term limits and sponsored a bill banning lobbying for former members of Congress. “Because I’m tired of people in Washington, these career politicians, using their office to benefit their future career.”

The multi-millionaire former businessman supported the Republican tax reform plan, and the majority of his sponsored bills fall within the finance and financial sector.

“I want people to feel like opportunity is theirs,” he said. “I want people ... to feel like they can have a chance at their American dream.”

|7

DEMOCRATS DAN CANON n n n n n

Office seeking: U.S. Representative, 9th District Age: 40 Political party: Democrat Political experience: None

Family: Wife, Valerie; daughters, Athena, Calliope

n Education: University of Louisville School of Law n Occupation: candidate, U.S. Representative n Related pertinent experience: civil rights lawyer n Website: canonforindiana.com

ROB CHATLOS n n n n n n

Office seeking: U.S. Representative, 9th District Age: 46 Political party: Democrat Political experience: None Family: partnered

Education: Two years college in general studies (no degree), U.S. Air Force Air Mobility and Logistics AFSC

n Occupation: Owner, Mad Bear Trucking n Related pertinent experience: U.S. Air Force veteran n Website: chatlosforcongress.com

LIZ WATSON n Office seeking: U.S. Representative, 9th District n Age: 43 n Political party: Democrat n Political experience: None n Family: Husband; two children n Education: Carleton College

(B.A.); Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.)

n Occupation: Adjunct Professor at IU Maurer School of Law n Related pertinent experience: Former Labor Policy Director for Democrats on the House Education and Workforce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives (2015-17) n Website: lizforindiana.com

8 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

CLARK COUNTY ASSESSOR

Winner will face Republican candidate Lewis M. Love in November

Candidates talk accuracy, experience

BY APRILE RICKERT

aprile.rickert@newsandtribune.com

C

LARK COUNTY — The two Democratic candidates running for Clark County Assessor haven’t held public office, but each bring unique experience to the table.

Carol J. Moon, now a second deputy, has worked for the Clark County Assessor’s Office for nearly 13 years — she knows the ins and outs of the office and wants to use her skills and experience to carry it to the next level. She also holds active roles in her community and church — doing outreach ministry and youth programs, and serving as the chairperson over the Claysburg Neighborhood Association.

Corrie Barkman, currently a paymaster for the Omni Hotel, has experience in both finances and in administrative roles.

Prior to the job at Omni, she worked in the finance department for the City of Jeffersonville and has held multiple positions in management.

The winner of this primary will face Republican candidate Lewis M. Love in the November General Election.

WHY THEY’RE RUNNING

Barkman said it was her experience with the city office that led to her seeking office — it made her want to be a more informed citizen and help others be the same. She said that, if elected, she wants to help bring more accessibility to the Assessor’s office and streamline the experience the residents get.

Also as a transplant to Clark County from a small area in Kentucky, she said she believes in the county and wants to help as it grows, evident by her campaign slogan: “Focused on the Value of Clark County.”

“We chose to move to Clark County,” she said. “We saw that there is value in Jeffersonville where we live

[and] in the whole county.

“I know I’m an outsider, but the value is not in the land, it’s not just in the houses, it’s in the people. It’s in the way everybody here looks out for one another, the way everybody is friendly to each other.”

Moon said her decision to run was led

by God. She has political experience working with her uncle, David Kenneth Bowyer, a civil rights activist who was very active in the election process. Alongside him, she worked on multiple campaigns and elections.

She also said that her election to office as an African American would serve to inspire others to seek leadership roles.

“Being a role model for little girls and boys to say ‘I can be like her,’” she said.

Moon also wants to use her experience in that office to take the reins as the current assessor steps down.

“For someone to run for office as county assessor, you have to have that handson experience,” she said. “If you come into this office without any experience, you will be blinded.”

GOALS IF ELECTED

Moon, whose campaign slogan is “Bridging the Gap,” aims to do just that.

“I am a people person,” she said. “I am a person who can relate to folks and care about their needs. And I have that great working experience with every deputy in there.”

She said she wants to continue to provide great service to the community through the office — providing community members with the information they need in an accessible way — in her roles in the office, she’s helped ensure a lot of the documents are scanned and digitized — and helping the staff be able to work across other jobs in the office.

And although she’s heard some candidates talking about a need for greater

DEMOCRATS CORRIE BARKMAN n Office seeking: Clark County Assessor n Political party: Democrat n Age: 40 n Education: Bachelor's degree,

University of Louisville; Level 2 Assessor certification

n Related experience: Worked in finance for the City of Jeffersonville, experience in office administration n Facebook: Corrie Barkman for Clark County Assessor

CAROL J. MOON n Office seeking: Clark County Assessor n Political party: Democrat n Age: 57 n Political experience: Helped

with campaigns, worked voting polls

n Education: Level 2 Assessor certification n Occupation: Second Deputy, Clark County Assessor's Office n Related experience: More than 12 years experience in the Clark County Assessor's Office n Facebook: Carol Moon for Clark County Assessor

transparency, she doesn’t see that as an issue in the Assessor’s office.

“There is no hidden agenda, there is nothing hidden in the Clark County Assessor’s Office,” Moon said. “We are very transparent — it is our number one goal to serve the taxpayers.”

Barkman said if she’s elected, she wants to make sure to give the residents the best possible experience and access. One part of that would be to streamline the information the public can access online about

property parcels. There are some inconsistencies on how the property parcels have been entered over the years, she said.

“You may have one address that’s [listed as] 100 Maple, East,” she said, for example. “And the house next may be 100 East Maple. That’s one thing I’d like to do is sort of clean that up.”

She also wants to make sure that walking into the office is a welcoming experience, such as having a certain person be a sort on point of entry for residents walking in.

WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THEM

If Barkman wins the nomination and ultimately the office, she said she’ll work hard for the people, focusing on details and accuracy in her leadership.

“I am a hard worker [and] I am very concerned with accuracy,” she said. “And that’s not to say that the Assessor’s office is now inaccurate — I’m not saying that at all. But I am very concerned with accuracy and I think these citizens would appreciate someone who crosses the T’s and dots the I’s in creating their tax bill.

“I’m definitely a rule-follower. If I take the office, I will be making sure that all the assessment is done by the letter, by the way the law has it laid out.”

Moon said her extensive experience with the office is what makes her the best candidate.

“This office is where everything starts,” she said. “As far as the tax bills generated, notice of assessments, construction, new businesses. We know how the population of the City of Jeffersonville, let alone Clark County, is growing.”

And throughout her campaign,. she plans to help educate the public on the office and the way county government works in general.

“As long as you’re informed, information is the power,” she said.

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

CLARK COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1

|9

No candidate is running on the GOP primary ticket

Democrats urge budget recovery

BY APRILE RICKERT

aprile.rickert@newsandtribune.com

C

LARK COUNTY — As the financial arm of the county, the county council, as well as candidates who seek to join that body, are always going to make the budget a top priority. But in Clark County, navigating the budget has been precarious as the county worked over the past several years to get its tax levy raised.

Now that it’s been approved by state legislators, the county council can meaningfully address budget issues. It’s not surprising then that Democrat incumbent Barbara Hollis, who represents District 1, and her Primary election opponent, Larry Jordan Jr., both are talking dollars, and what makes sense.

INSUFFICIANT FUNDS TO OPERATE

Now in her fifth term on the council, Hollis is familiar with the county budget.

But it’s been trying for the better part of the last decade as the council had to cut certain budgets entirely — usually the sheriff and jail and sometimes more than that — because the capped tax levy set several years ago prevented the county from bringing in enough revenue to operate.

When the sheriff and other budgets were cut, as a matter of formality, those offices would need to effectively sue the county for their budget funding, which would then be mandated. But that process cost extra money that the county didn’t have initially.

Meanwhile, basic operations of the county government fell short.

“We’ve been behind — office supplies, any asset purchase — it was always put on hold,” Hollis said. “We had to be in dire straits before anything was replaced.”

The lack of money also affected employee salary and benefits — a dry spell with no raises, the county unable to make

DEMOCRATS BARBARA HOLLIS, INCUMBENT n n n n

Office seeking: Clark County Council, District 1 Political party: Democrat Age: 73

Political experience: In fifth term on Clark County Council

n Family: Three children, eight grandchildren n Education: Two years of university level accounting n Occupation: Retired n Related experience: 27 years

as the Jeffersonville City Clerk Treasurer, serves on finance committee at her church

LARRY JORDAN JR. n n n n

Office seeking: Clark County Council, District 1 Political party: Democrat Age: 49

Political experience: previously ran for Jeffersonville City Council At-large, 2015

n Family: Four children n Education: Bachelor's degree

in Business Administration, Ottowa University

n Occupation: Truck driver n Related experience: Current member of the

Jeffersonville Parks Authority Board; current member of the board of directors for Community Action of Southern Indiana

n Facebook: Jordan for County Council

retirement contributions.

In past years, some of the police vehicles were up to 200,000 miles, she said.

THE RISE IN COUNTY REVENUE

But after the levy raise was approved in 2017 and the council approved the 2018 budget in February, some of that can start

to improve.

Jordan said he thinks the levy can still be lifted more, it will just take more talking with legislators like was needed to get it raised in 2017 — something he’s willing to help tackle.

If that happens, “then the county will begin to heal itself,” said Jordan, a U.S. Army veteran who served from 1987 to 1994 during Operation Desert Storm. He’s currently a truck driver, and A member of the Jeffersonville Parks Department Authority and the board of directors for Community Action of Southern Indiana.

Jordan believes the council needs to be forward-thinking.

“Because the [municipalities] that fall under Clark County, as they continue to grow, then there is going to be more of a strain on their services,” he said. This includes the courts system and jail, he said.

“You’re going to have to be able to meet those demands and be ahead of, instead of trying to keep up with,” Jordan said. “So I think it’s going to take forward-thinking council people to say ‘OK, what do we need five years down the line, not just what do we need now.”

Hollis said the things she learned working with other council members through the leaner years as well as their collaboration in getting the legislation changed is something she wants to carry on if reelected.

She said they’re starting to realize some of the freed up cash flow already, and have been able to replace some of the cut retirement. By next year, she hopes to see that go back to where it was before the mandates began.

“I think the council as a whole has worked to prioritize those things that have been needed for a long time and we’re working on that list,” she said.

THE BEST FOR THE JOB

Hollis said it’s her experience that makes

her the right person to continue in this role — both with the Clark County budget and with the knowledge of the levy and mandates.

“The budgeting process for government is quite different from what most people understand of budgeting and there is a learning curve to it,” she said. “Working your budget, you’re working with 18-month figures, so I think that’s an advantage to be familiar and understand that process.”

She added that she has enjoyed her work on the council, and being retired from a full time job opens up her accessibility to serve.

“So I do have the time to spend on it,” she said. “And meet during the day when necessary with office holders or other council members.”

Before retiring, Hollis worked for 27 years as the Jeffersonville City Clerk Treasurer, doing many things that the county council does.

Jordan said he’s been studying the Clark County Council and Commissioners offices for the last several years to understand how they work. He said this, along with his experience with Jeffersonville government and his enthusiasm, are big assets as he seeks his party’s nomination to the council, a body he hopes to join.

“I’m not afraid to take on a challenge,” he said. In the parks department, he said, facing the challenges of making sure ordinances were current and that contracts were in place to make the parks run smoothly have been valuable experiences.

“I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to be part of that and see how that’s been done,” he said. “I think a lot of those things can be applied to the county as we begin to try to make things better.”

No candidate is running on the GOP primary ticket for Clark County Council District 1, but the party can still put forth a candidate for the fall General Election.

10 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

CLARK COUNTY RECORDER

Three Republicans hope to claim nomination

Streamlining services a shared goal

BY ERIN WALDEN

REPUBLICANS

erin.walden@newsandtribune.com

C

LARK COUNTY — Three Republicans vying to be the party’s candidate for county recorder say they want to streamline the office.

Terry Conway, Laura Love and Kevin Weltz seek the position, which handles much of the county’s legal paperwork, especially that dealing with real estate.

Conway is no stranger to local politics or running for office. He first ran for recorder in 2012, but was defeated. Since then, he has been elected as county coroner and is currently a seated Clark County council member and member of the planning and zoning board. He is currently a chief paramedic at New Chapel EMS, where he works as a firefighter and paramedic. Conway says he is returning to the position he hoped to hold way back when with more experience than before. In both positions he’s held, he says learned how to operate a budget and the inner workings of county government and on the planning and zoning board, he’s become more familiar with the land in the county. “It’s time to take it back to an individual office where [my knowledge] can be expanded,” he said.

Weltz, a real estate broker, is also no stranger to politics. “I’ve been involved behind the scenes with politics in Clark County since 2000, 2001,” he said. The decision to put his name on the ballot for the first time is simple — he thinks he’s the right guy for the job.

“I’ve never had any desire to run and honestly wouldn’t want to run for anything more partisan … I have no desire to put myself out there that much. This is more something that’s very important to me. I think a lot of people run because it’s an ego thing for them. They want to win, have their name out there and that’s just not me,” Weltz said. “When

TERRY CONWAY n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party: Republican n Political experience:

Current Clark County Councilmember and member of the planning and zoning board; former Clark County Coroner

n Occupation: Chief paramedic and firefighter n Related experience: Several years of holding an elected office in Clark County n Website: facebook.com/voteterryconway/

you’re looking at the auditor, treasurer, recorder’s offices, those are offices that I don’t think should be messed with in that way. You want people in there that understand what they do.”

For Love, who has spent 20 years as a title abstractor (though she recently returned to nursing) the position should be held by someone who knows the job and what it entails, which is the reason she is running. “Not a lot of people that have been in that office have the background.

I have the knowledge of what would be useful,” she said.

Each candidate hopes to streamline the office and make things easier for those who utilize it.

A change to the digital system, such as putting records online that go as far back as 1930s, would be a start, according to Weltz, who said “If you’re going that far to pull information, it needs to be streamlined because from the real estate side, I can see how that holds things up.”

Love also hopes to bring more records online, but she also says some of

the ones that have been scanned are of such poor quality, they either need to be rescanned or just left out of the online system. “For those, people can come in and see them rather than wasting money online to print a copy of something they can’t use,” she said.

Conway also plans on bringing older files online and hopes to be involved in finding a new location for the county offices when the time comes.

“They’re all moving and the county courthouse is going to be just a courthouse. It would be historic to be with the group and make sure money is spent right for my constituents. I don’t want it to go into a shopping complex and pay rent for 30 years when they’re rent-free now. If we are going to buy a piece of property, I think it should be bought, pay it off and be done,” he said.

Voters can make their decision on the Republican candidate May 8. The winner will go on to challenge the Democrat candidate for the position in the Nov. 6 General Election.

LAURA LOVE n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party:

Republican

n Political experience: none n Occupation: Registered

Nurse

n Related experience: Former title abstractor of 20 years n Website: none

KEVIN WELZ n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party:

Republican

n Political experience: Former campaign manager n Occupation: Real Estate Agent n Related experience: Current real estate agent n Website: none

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

CLARK COUNTY RECORDER

| 11

Three Democrats square off in race

Improving technology on everyone’s mind

BY ERIN WALDEN

erin.walden@newsandtribune.com

C

LARK COUNTY — Three Democrats — Lincoln Crum, Jeff Frey and Chastity Glowaski — are campaigning for their party’s nomination for county recorder The recorder is responsible for public records and documents in the county, primarily records dealing with real estate.

Each candidate says his or her own real-world experience in the recorder’s office makes them an ideal fit for the role.

Crum has been in the real estate and auction business for more than 25 years. He started working for his father’s company when he was 18 years old, and more recently branched out, opening Lincoln Crum Realty in 2013.

“The timing is right for me to have an elected position in our county from a leadership perspective,” he said. “... I ‘m somebody that has sometimes a fairly progressive outlook on what our community can be, and I want to be a part of that process and see it become that, be a part of the building blocks.

I think being an elected leader in our county will allow me to do that.”

This isn’t Crum’s first time on the campaign trail. In 2014, he ran against current recorder Zach Payne and lost. Crum says that race was “eye-opening” and “completely different than what the early part of this campaign feels like.”

For Glowaski, a first-time

candidate, the draw to run is purely based on improving an office that she works in nearly every day.

As a title abstractor, Glowaski is in the courthouse five days a week, visiting the Clark County offices of the recorder, auditor, clerk and assessor to find information needed to build a title and keep the homebuying process on track.

“It’s not that I want to run for a office, it’s that I see what needs to be done in the recorder’s office and the things that I see that need to be done could be done easily, but we keep getting candidates and recorders that don’t really know about the office per se, they just run for a office. I want to improve anything I can in there,” she said. One of those improvements would be digitizing key records. In Clark County, Glowaski said, records predating 1999 are only available on physical cards that contain the information. These cards can be easily damaged or misplaced and are overall inconvenient for those who use them, she said, and an online database would make it easier for customers to search for the records they need and ensure the information is safe.

For Frey, owner and operator of The Office Supply Co. in downtown Jeffersonville, running the office wouldn’t be that much different than running his business.

“The recorder’s office is, to make it a concise thing, it’s a paperwork and customer service office,” Frey said. “And

DEMOCRATS LINCOLN CRUM n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party: Democrat n Political experience: Ran

for recorder in 2014

n Occupation: Owner of Lincoln Crum Realty, real estate agent n Related experience: Real estate agent and small business owner

my background with office supply, that’s basically what we do here is customer service.

We wait on customers and make sure they’re taken care of and a lot of customers that come in here don’t know what they want – we help them get what they want. A lot of time people go into the recorder’s office with a handful of papers and they really don’t know what to do.”

Crum also has an idea on what he’d like to change in the office, if he were afforded the opportunity.

“I understand the process of why it’s important to have well-documented documents within your county, especially when it’s tied to real estate, because in my 30 years experience, I see what happens when it’s not done correctly,” Crum said. “... While the day to day with the recorder’s office has been the same for a long time, there has been some move toward new technology and [Payne] has done some

technology improvements since he took over. I’d like to build upon that and continue that to [make] the documents easy and accessible to everyone.”

Just like Crum and Glowaski, Frey says his job brings him to the recorder’s office often and because of that, he’s familiar with the office and its workings.

“Really, I want to be available to the customers and the employees there in that office.

I want to make sure that it’s as efficient as possible. It’s the same way I’ve been running this store for about 20 years by myself. I always listen to the employees, the people dealing with the customers. If they have ideas to make things better, I’m always going to be open to listening to that,” Frey said.

Voting takes place Tuesday, May 8. The top vote-getter in the Democratic Primary will go on to challenge the Republican candidate in the General Election on Nov. 6.

n Website: https:// voteforcrum.com/

CHASTITY GLOWASKI n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party: Democrat n Political experience: none n Occupation: Title

abstractor

n Related experience: Working title abstractor n Website: http:// voteglowaski.com/

JEFF FREY n Office seeking: Clark County Recorder n Political party: Democrat n Political experience: none n Occupation: Owner of the Office Supply Co.

n Related experience: Many years making sales calls to the county government center and recorder’s office specifically, years of management experience n Website: “Jeff Frey Recorder 2018” on Facebook

12 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

HOUSE DISTRICT 66

Representing Charlestown, New Washington, Scott County and parts of Jefferson County

Newcomers seek seat Bowling, Van Wye passionate about improving Southern Indiana

BY DANIELLE GRADY

danielle.grady@newsandtribune.com

M

ike Bowling and Joe Van Wye, by their own admission, don’t have much political experience, but they both want to unseat the longtime Democrat holder of the Indiana House of Representatives District 66 seat, Terry Goodin. The two are running against each other in the Republican Primary to score their party’s nomination to compete in the General Election, which will decide the state representative for Charlestown, New Washington, Scott County and parts of Jefferson County.

This is Van Wye’s second time running for the seat, although he’s never held political office. In 2014, he was defeated in the primary and in 2016, he was the only Republican to run. He runs, he said, to make things better instead of just “sitting back and griping” about the way things are done.

Bowling, who has never campaigned for office, said he was asked to run for the District 66 seat by members of the Indiana Republican Party and was pushed by a willingness to “do more” for Southern Indiana.

COMBATING DRUGS

As a Clark County Jail employee of 28 years, Bowling said that he’s seen the cost that people with drug addictions can have on sober taxpayers.

“You know, we’re bursting at the seams [at the jail] so that’s taxpayer money that we have to pay for

that,” he said.

Bowling said that he supports the continuation of the Clark County needle exchange. When asked about other things the Indiana Legislature could do about the opioid crisis, he acknowledged that other legislation could be possible, but said that he would “leave it at that.”

Last session, the Legislature passed several laws addressing opioids, including one that authorized new treatment centers and another that aimed to stop the over-prescribing of addictive medication by requiring some health care professionals to use a state prescription database.

Van Wye said that he, too, has seen the effect of drugs on the area.

“I know of people who’ve died from it,” he said. “I don’t know them personally, but you hear their stories all the time.”

Van Wye stressed that he didn’t blame the addicted person in all cases. He cited examples of people becoming addicted by taking legal pain management medication.

“I think that we need to hold doctors accountable,” he said.

Van Wye said that drug companies need to do a better job of reporting to local authorities how much doctors are prescribing.

Even if people form a drug addiction illegally, Van Wye still favors helping them. He suggested compassion and the use of different treatments.

BUILDING A WORKFORCE

Workforce development was one of Gov. Holcomb’s biggest issues this year. Two bills were passed ad-

dressing the lack of skilled workers in Indiana. One created a smaller board to monitor how Indiana spends money on workforce development.

The other added $5 million to an Indiana grant program that pays for businesses to train their workers. It also required an evaluation of Indiana’s workforce development programs.

Van Wye said that he approved of another recent bill that was signed into law, which requires public schools to offer computer science as a high school elective. By 2021, the law will require the subject to be a part of the K-12 science curriculum.

Van Wye also stressed the importance of math and the sciences.

“It seems like we are so far behind other developed countries in those areas,” he said.

Bowling said that he expects to see a major shortage of skilled labor in the future as more industry moves into Indiana. He said that professions, such as that of electricians, heating and air technicians and plumbers should be “pushed forward.”

“Even secondary education, you know, while you’re in high school, give the kids a better chance to learn a skill instead of, you know, saying college is your only option — more of your Prossers and your Ivy Tech kinds of schools. Things like that,” he said.

INCREASING SCHOOL SAFETY

Perhaps one of the most visible issues in the nation currently is that of school safety, as the effects of two well-publicized school shootings

REPUBLICANS MIKE BOWLING n n n n n

Office Seeking: State Representative District 66 Age: 51 Political Party: Republican Political Experience: None

Family: Married to wife Aimee for 28 years. One daughter, Brooke, 19

n Education: Associate's degree in HVAC from Ivy Tech Community College n Occupation: Maintenance supervisor at the Clark County Jail, 28 years n Related Pertinent Experience: Charlestown Middle High School football coach n Website: facebook.com/ mikebowlingforIndianastaterepdistrict66/

JOE VAN WYE n n n n

Office Seeking: State Representative District 66 Age: 54 Political Party: Republican

Political Experience: Ran for U.S. Representative in the 6th Congressional District in 2012 and for the State Representative District 66 seat in 2014 and 2016

n Family: Married to wife Bonita for 33 years. Two children: Son Joseph “Scott” Jr. and daughter Meghian.

Two grandchildren: One “brand new” grandson, Isaac, and 2-year-old granddaughter Phaith n Education: Two associate's degrees: One in electronics from Ivy Tech Community College and the other in sacred literature from the Kent Institute of Biblical Studies in partnership with Summit Theological Seminary. He is finishing his bachelor's degree in sacred literature from the Kent Institute. He also attended Cincinnati Christian University for two years out of high school. n Occupation: Vendor for Walmart and deliverer for Advanced Auto Parts. Has worked as a professional satellite installer in addition to installing security systems and networking for computers n Related Pertinent Experience: Vice president of Whitewater Christian Service Camp in Vevay. Has worked with the camp in different capacities since 1972. n Website: www.facebook.com/WN9KAJ9W/

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

earlier this year continue to push policy makers to action. In Indiana, a bill promoted by Gov. Holcomb that would have added $5 million to a school safety grant program did not receive a vote in time before the legislative session ended. The measure, however, will be taken up in a legislative special session in May. Bowling’s wife is a teacher, and he said that he believes Indiana schools should be better protected, but that he didn’t want to get “too involved” in the issue.

Van Wye, who has two grandchildren who will be attending school within the next five or six years, agreed that schools should be more secure. He said that he doesn’t see a problem with teachers or other staff members being armed to protect Indiana’s schools.

“If they want to be trained and no one knows who they are, that’s fine,” he said.

Van Wye also said he doesn’t have an issue with school resource officers nor with spending money to protect students.

UPHOLDING GUN RIGHTS

Gun restrictions was another issue that faltered in the most recent legislative session. Several bills to reduce restrictions on guns were introduced, but failed, including one that would have eliminated the handgun carry permit.

Van Wye, however, said that he thinks Indiana’s current gun laws are “adequate.” He doesn’t believe that any more restrictions are needed, either.

“If you follow the law, you’re going to do the law,” he said. “If you’re going to break the law, then more gun laws isn’t going to matter anyway.”

Van Wye described himself and his family as “pro Second Amendment,” and said that while he doesn’t belong to the National Rifle Association, the doesn’t have any issues with the organization.

Bowling, a hunter, also described himself as a “big fan” of the Second Amendment. He said that he would possibly be supportive of stricter penalties on the misuse of guns.

HIGHLIGHTING OTHER STANCES

As for other issues, Bowling said there are three on which he’d like to work: promoting a skilled labor force; growing Indiana economically; and helping Gov. Holcomb with his Next Level agenda, which prioritizes building Indiana’s workforce and filling high-wage, in-demand jobs.

Van Wye is anti-abortion. As a Christian, Van Wye said he believes life begins at conception. He doesn’t want to see any government-supported abortions.

Newcomers Mike Bowling and Joe Van Wye both want to unseat the longtime Democrat holder of the Indiana House of Representatives District 66 seat, Terry Goodin.

Bowling and Van Wye agree that building a stable workforce and combating the opioid crisis are top priorities for the district | STAFF FILE PHOTOS

| 13

www.facebook.com/ janneforclarkcounty Paid For By Committee to Elect Janne Newland

NOEL ★

★ Assisted in Attack of the Opioid Epidemic ★ Promoting Safe Schools, Along with Resource Officers ★ Running a Professional and Safe Jail ★ Numerous Inmate Programs to Promote Rehabilitation ★ Increase Police Patrols throughout Clark County Assisted in Attack of the Opioid Epidemic ★ Increased DARE Program Presence in Schools to Promoting Safe Schools, Along with Resource Officers Educate on the Dangers of Drug Abuse

H H H Running a Professional and Safe Jail H Numerous Inmate Programs to Promote Rehabilitation H Increase Police Patrols throughout Clark County DARE Program Presence in Schools to Educate H Increase on the Dangers of Drug Abuse

Paid For & Approved by Jamey Noel for Sheriff

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Paid for & Approved by Jamey Noel for Sheriff

16 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

HOUSE DISTRICT 71

Representing parts of Clark County, including Clarksville, Jeffersonville and Charlestown

Local Republicans bring experience

BY ELIZABETH DEPOMPEI

S

elizabeth.depompei@newsandtribune.com

OUTHERN INDIANA — Both candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the Indiana House District 71 seat tout years of public service.

At 27 years old, Matt Owen has served on the Jeffersonville City Council since 2012, acting as council president in 2016. He’s also a shift commander for New Chapel EMS. After 27 years as the Clark County Health Officer, Dr. Kevin Burke retired in late 2017. But at “66 years young,” it didn’t take long for him to start yearning to get back into public service.

Neither Owen or Burke said they expected to run for state office. That changed when outgoing District 71 Rep. Steve Stemler, a Democrat, announced in August he wouldn’t seek re-election.

The candidates have something else in common: Both men have been on the front lines of the opioid crisis in Clark County, and they want to do more about it.

ADDRESSING AN EPIDEMIC

As the Clark County Health Officer, Burke was instrumental in establishing a syringe exchange program. He said the exchange, which opened in January 2016, has been successful in curbing the spread of diseases related to intravenous drug use, as well as connecting people with resources.

The exchange took months to get off the ground, in large part due to roadblocks in securing funding, a necessary step to having the state approve plans.

Burke said he’d like to see the state not only fund exchanges, but promote them.

But his ideas for fighting the opioid

ABOUT INDIANA DISTRICT 71 District 71 covers parts of Clark County, including Clarksville, Jeffersonville and Charlestown.

Representatives are elected to two-year terms in the Indiana Statehouse.

The seat is currently held by Democrat Steve Stemler, who after 12 years in office announced he would not seek re-election.

crisis don’t begin or end with syringe exchanges.

“I think prevention is the best cure,” he said. “So I think the state ought to find or develop a proven program of antidrug education that would be given in the home and also in the school system.”

He’s also a proponent of bringing back the drug court program in Clark County and establishing more treatment facilities, with both initiatives being funded by the state. That might sound costly, but Burke estimates the opioid epidemic costs Clark County $100,000,000 a year for things like incarceration, medical care, and treatment for babies born addicted to drugs.

“So we can’t afford to not deal with it,” he said.

Gov. Eric Holcomb recently signed into law four bills aimed at the crisis, including a bill that beefs up requirements for reporting drug overdose deaths and another that pushes medical professionals to make better use of the state’s prescription database.

That kind of data collecting is a must, Owen says. Numbers might show fewer opioid-related deaths, but he doesn’t think that paints the whole picture.

“I would argue as somebody in the field (with New Chapel EMS) that ... we may be prolonging life, but I don’t know that we’re reaching people and helping people the way they need the help,” he said.

Long-term medical treatment, stricter

law enforcement, and prescription drug reform are ways Owen thinks the state could make a bigger dent in the crisis.

But he stressed that any such measures have to come with funding, and better data could help show whether dollars are being used to make the intended impact.

“Nobody in the Statehouse — if I get to go — nobody will forget that there’s an issue,” Owen said. “It’s not that we sign some legislation this session and we’re going to move on. People need help.”

MANAGING GROWTH

For years, local and state officials have pointed to the River Ridge Commerce Center, and later, to two new bridges, as Clark County’s shining diamonds.

Owen wants River Ridge to continue to be an asset, but he sees the job as unfinished and hopes an advocate in the Statehouse can move things along.

Namely, he wants to see road and rail connections between River Ridge, existing interstates and the Port of IndianaJeffersonville finally come to fruition.

He also wants the state to take a close look at increased traffic flow on Ind. 62 where the commerce center sits. One solution could be an alternate connection between River Ridge and Interstate 65 near the Clark Regional Airport, but Owen said he isn’t glued to that idea.

“But I think the more we see River Ridge develop, the more capacity we’re going to need for the infrastructure to get people to and from,” he said.

Burke echoed concerns of reducing what he called the consequences of growth — the impact of increased traffic and population growth on the region’s infrastructure. But he’s also concerned about developing a workforce to sustain commercial growth.

REPUBLICANS DR. KEVIN BURKE n n n n

Office seeking: Ind. Rep. District 71 Party: Republican Age: 66

Education: Bachelor's in biology from Bellarmine University; Master's of Science from University of Louisville; Medical degree from University of Kentucky

n Occupation: Retired physician n Related experience: Former Clark County Public Health Officer of 27 years; Policy development as a member of the Indiana State Medical Association and the Indiana delegation to the American Medical Association n Website: www.drburkeforindianahouse. com and Facebook.com/Dr-Kevin-Burke-forIndianas-71st-District-256134074924651/

MATT OWEN n n n n

Office seeking: Ind. Rep. District 71 Party: Republican Age: 27

Education: Indiana University Southeast, political science

n Occupation: Shift Commander at New Chapel EMS n Related experience: Jeffersonville City Councilman since 2012 n Website: www.electmattowen.com and Facebook.com/yourvoice4indiana

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

He wants the state’s education system to better anticipate needed skills and prepare future employees. He also sees the opioid crisis as a roadblock to a healthy workforce, noting that he’s heard plenty of stories of highly skilled employees being laid off for failing drug tests.

“So that’s definitely got to be a part of our economic plan and economic development, and if we don’t do things to get an adequate workforce, then some of these companies will pass us by ...” Burke said.

Owen wants to keep those companies interested, too. He wants to explore how the state can incentivize not just more manufacturing jobs, but advanced manufacturing jobs to keep up with changing technology and company needs. And again, Owen stressed the need for tracking data before investing billions of dollars into developing the state’s workforce.

He said it’s also up to local municipalities to attract what he called the “big fish” companies. For Owen, that means more collaboration between cities and towns.

“One of the things that we really lack in Southern Indiana amongst public officials and government entities is a regional cohesion,” he said.

“I would love to be able to, as the representative, to try to bring a little more cohesion together and keep those groups working not in spite of themselves but instead in collaboration towards something a little bit better.”

Matt Owen, top left, and Dr. Kevin Burke, top right, bring years of public service to the District 71 House primary race.

Addressing the opioid epidemic in Clark County and managing rapid growth like at River Ridge, pictuted below, in the region are two of their shared priorities. | STAFF FILE PHOTOS

| 17

18 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

HOUSE DISTRICT 71

12-year veteran Steve Stemler not seeking re-election

First-time candidates run for office Workforce stability, school safety rank as top priorities

BY ELIZABETH DEPOMPEI

elizabeth.depompei@newsandtribune.com

S

OUTHERN INDIANA — Rita Fleming and Jason Schlatter don’t hesitate to let you know they’ve never held or ran for elective office — before now.

Both Clark County residents are running to become the Democratic candidate in the race for Indiana’s District 71.

Schlatter, a 42-year-old married father of two young children, says he’s eager to listen to the residents in the district and be their voice in the Statehouse.

Fleming, an 65-year-old obstetrician, mother of four and grandmother of 14, hopes to use her small business experience and background in health care to build upon what she said is “a lot of good things going for us.”

ABOUT INDIANA DISTRICT 71 District 71 covers parts of Clark County, including Clarksville, Jeffersonville and Charlestown. Representatives are elected to two-year terms in the Indiana Statehouse.

The seat is currently held by Democrat Steve Stemler, who after 12 years in office announced he would not seek reelection.

back in schools, I’m a supporter of that,” he said.

He’d also like to see less emphasis on standardized test scores, and doesn’t think teachers should be held accountable based on such measures.

SAFE SCHOOLS, SAFE COMMUNITY

The safety of the very buildings those teachers work in has also been at the forefront of Hoosiers’ minds. Legislators are expected to take up several bills related to school safety in a special session in May. Those measures include an increase in funding for school security by $10 million over the next two years, IMMEDIATE NEEDS and giving schools advances for the purFleming sat down with the News and chase of security equipment.

Tribune days after barge manufacturer Schlatter, who has a degree and years Jeffboat announced it was closing. The of experience working in architecture, is company has operated in Jeffersonville focused on how physical buildings can for 80 years, and in recent years, embe better equipped to keep students and ployed as many as 1,300 people. staff across the state safe. He doesn’t “I think that has made it very obvious think, however, that equipping teachers that we not only have to secure the jobs that we have, but we have to look for fu- with firearms is the answer, and he’s also aware that any legislation banning or ture workforce availability and opporturestricting firearms likely wouldn’t get nity,” Fleming said, adding that the state through a Republican-controlled Stateneeds to look ahead and prepare people house. for a changing workforce.

A bigger question he has: “Why are Schlatter said it’s hard to talk about kids wanting to come in school and kill workforce without talking about educaothers kids in the first place?” tion. For him, that means making sure “I encourage that we need to have teachers have the resources and support to educate and train the future workforce. more counselors available,” he said.

“I think we need to have trade skills Fleming’s husband, who died two

years ago, was a school counselor. She remembers her husband wishing he had more time for counseling than worrying about things like standardized testing.

“So let’s identify people in schools — or help those people who can identify — at-risk children, youths, teenagers. So maybe that problem doesn’t grow from that school,” she said.

Fleming said the need for safety, and the need to curb gun violence, goes beyond school. She commended Indiana’s red-flag law that gives law enforcement the ability to temporarily seize guns from someone threatening to harm themselves or others.

“Indiana has shown that we can do something that is good for our communities and that is smart,” Fleming said.

“So let’s look at what we can continue to do for our schools, our safety, our community.”

LOOKING AHEAD It’s hard to talk about District 71 without talking about Clark County’s two new bridges and the River Ridge Commerce Center — not to mention the county’s continued population growth.

Fleming and Schlatter both said the future of the district’s economy depends on smart growth, or as Schaltter called it, “stabilization.”

“I think we need to focus on what we have. Now there is multiple opportunity

DEMOCRATS RITA FLEMING n n n n

Office seeking: Ind. Rep. District 71 Party: Democrat Age: 65

Education: Bachelor's in nursing from Murray State University; Master's in nursing from Vanderbilt University; Medical degree from University of Louisville

n Occupation: Obstetrician n Related experience: Jeffersonville

Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals for more than 10 years; President of the board of directors for Jeffersonville Main Street Inc.

n Website: www.flemingforindiana. com

JASON SCHLATTER n Office seeking: Ind. Rep. District 71 n Party:

Democrat

n Age: 42 n Education:

Architecture and economics degrees from Ball State University

n Occupation: Property Management n Related experience: Worked on large-scale projects in architectural building industry for 14 years n Website: www.not-later.com, Facebook.com/fortheresidents

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

for growth, but we need to make sure that our core is taken care of, and what I mean by that is that we need to focus on the residents and their needs,” he said. “ ... It’s my concern that there are special interest in this community that are not trying to listen to the residents. I think collectively residents should be listened to more.”

Fleming, who has sat on the Jeffersonville Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals for more than 10 years, is president of the board of directors for Jeffersonville Main Street Inc. The fist thing that comes to Fleming’s mind when thinking of development is the impact on natural resources. “... Let’s make sure that in addition to the jobs, we’re getting that we are also getting benefits like [clean] air,” she said, adding, “We just had some pretty significant flooding and we want to make sure new development doesn’t contribute to things like that.”

She’s a proponent of using existing spaces (she owns three rehabilitated buildings in downtown Jeffersonville) and fostering small businesses along with the big companies.

Doing both, she said, can be achieved through tax credits.

“Locally, we were able to use some incremental tax benefits, we have grants that are available through private and public organizations,” she said.

“At the state level, I think we need to continue to make sure those sort of benefits are available.”

Stabilizing the district's workforce and growing the region rank highly for Democratic hopefuls Rita Fleming and Jason Schlatter. School and community safety are also top priorities.

Fleming and Schlatter are first-time candidates for political office. | STAFF FILE PHOTOS

| 19

20 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

HOUSE DISTRICT 73

District includes parts of Clark, Orange, Lawrence and all of Washington County

GOP candidates longtime public servants

BY DANIELLE GRADY

danielle.grady@newsandtribune.com

T

he Republican Primary for the District 73 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives will pit a political newcomer, Buford Dewitt, against a longtime officeholder, incumbent Steve Davisson. District 73 includes parts of Clark, Orange, Lawrence counties and all of Washington County, along with the towns of Memphis and Henryville.

This is the first time that Dewitt has campaigned for office.

But as a current police chaplain for the state and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a retired sergeant with the U.S. Army, Dewitt has been a public servant since he turned 18 years old, and he wants to continue to make a difference.

Davisson, a pharmacist who is finishing out his eighth year in the District 73 seat, said that while he’s worked hard on several issues during his terms, particularly the opioid crisis, he is running again because he still feels that he has work to do.

COMBATING DRUGS

Davisson has worked on several pieces of opioid-related legislation during his time in office, including one bill that funded medication-assisted drug treatments under Medicaid. Another allowed mobile addiction treatment centers to set up shop at churches and other facilities in underserved areas.

Most recently, Davisson coauthored legislation that will increase the number of drug

REPUBLICANS STEVE DAVISSON n Office Seeking: State Representative District 73 n Age: 60 n Political Party:

Republican

n Political Experi-

ence: Current state representative for District 73 since 2010. Is on the House Public Health Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. In 2015, he was on the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services, as well as the Military Base Planning Council

n Family: Wife Michelle; five grown children and four grandchildren

Purdue University.

n Occupation: Pharmacist and owner of Good Living Pharmacy in Salem n Related Pertinent Experience: Besides being a father, grandfather and husband, Davisson listed being a small business owner and dealing with people in that capacity n Website: facebook.com/StateRepresentativeSteveDavissonForHd73/

BUFORD DEWITT n n n n

Age: 68 Political Party: Republican Political Experience: N/A

Family: Wife Rita Myers Dewitt; Four children and nine grandchildren

n Education: Paoli High School graduate.

Stints at Northwest Institute studying liberal arts and Indiana University Bloomington studying criminal law and forensics.

macist in Indiana since 1981. Received a bachelor of science in pharmacy from

n Occupation: Currently a chaplain for the state and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Previously, a sergeant in the U.S. Army Special Activities Unit (Airborne); an

treatment centers in the state and allow employers to hire workers who fail their drug test, as long as they complete a drug treatment program.

But Davisson’s work isn’t done.

“I think the biggest thing we probably need to start working on hard and finding ways to work on is the prevention side,” he said.

He advocated for going to schools and educating and training students about the dangers of drugs, as well as opportunities outside substance abuse — especially for students whose parents and grandparents are users.

“We need to somehow break

that cycle,” he said.

Dewitt also has experience dealing with the opioid crisis, but in a different way. As a former law enforcement officer with 38 years of experience and a minister and counselor for Indiana correctional facilities, he has seen how drugs have sent people through a constant cycle of jail, court, prison, street, repeat.

Dewitt believes that drug prevention education should be taught in schools, as well as in the media. He suggested that the state help produce anti-drug advertisements to be shown on television, the internet and before movies, or approve incentives for businesses to do likewise.

n Education: Has been a licensed phar-

officer with the Paoli Police Department; an officer with the Orleans Police Department; an Indiana Conservation Officer for the Department of Natural Resources (served separately undercover and as the head of the underwater search and recovery team).

Dewitt also served overseas with the Central Intelligence Agency before working with the OPD.

n Related Pertinent Experience: Minister and counselor to inmates at the Branchville Correctional Facility and the Madison Correctional Facility. Works with the state’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team, which helps first responders and their families with trauma.

Conducts peer training for police officers.

Awarded Indiana State Office of the Year by his peers; Conservation Officer of the Year with the National Wild Turkey Federation; and Police Officer of the Year in Orange County by the Lions Club. n Website: bufordl.com/about.html

Dewitt has also noticed that the thought of going to prison doesn’t deter some criminals.

“It’s three squares (meals) a day, as I’ve heard many say,” he said. “They’re not making mortgage payments or insurance.

They can go to school.”

Dewitt thinks this attitude toward prison needs to change. He would also like to see more educational opportunities in prison preparing inmates for jobs when they leave, as well as more work for inmates during their stays.

BUILDING A WORKFORCE

When asked about workforce development in Indiana, Dewitt said that the issue should con-

tinue to be a priority. A couple of bills were passed last session with the intent of skilling up Indiana’s workforce to take on the state’s unfilled jobs.

Dewitt said that he was supportive of adding trades training in schools, although he emphasized that he didn’t think that schools should just teach trades.

Dewitt also advocated for giving incentives to businesses.

Davisson sees the workforce problem play out in rural communities all the time. Employers can’t find the workers they need.

Sometimes, there just aren’t enough people, but even when there are, those workers aren’t properly trained or they don’t have the right education.

He sees workforce development as a way to attract employers.

“I think that’s something that we’re going to have to continuously work on because as the workforce and technology and so forth continues to advance over the years, those challenges are going to continue,” he said.

Davisson believes that the state needs to have something in place to retrain or re-educate employees if their jobs become obsolete.

INCREASING SCHOOL SAFETY

In the most-recent legislative session, lawmakers were unable to pass a $5 million expansion to a school safety grant program in time, which would have added money for school resource officers and building security improvements.

“It kind of came late in the session, and we were trying to work on it at the end and we just ran

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

out of time,” Davisson said.

But, he added, the bill isn’t dead.

It’s supposed to make an appearance in a May special session, called by Gov. Holcomb after several key bills were left on the table when the gavel came down. Davisson is hopeful for the bill, but he wants to expand the effort to make schools safer even further.

He would like to see funding for mental health counselors in schools.

Davisson’s wife works in the school system, and he sees that “regular” school counselors, those who should be helping kids with academic counseling, are overwhelmed by students who need mental health counseling.

If schools had more mental health counselors, they could perhaps prevent school safety breaches, possibly by working with school resource officers on identifying students experiencing issues, Davisson said.

Dewitt said that he has a “working knowledge” of issues such as school safety. He’s taught classes in schools before with the Department of Natural Resources, as well as on the issue of firearm safety — and he’s taken active-shooter training set in mock schools.

He said that schools do need to be more secure, starting with focusing on entrances and exits. He also believes in police officers in schools.

He is interested in possibly allowing school staff with military or law enforcement backgrounds to take annual or semi-annual active-shooter training.

UPHOLDING GUN RIGHTS

Several bills were introduced in the last legislative session that would have loosened gun restrictions on laws, but Dewitt, who describes himself as “totally pro-second amendment,” said that he would rather be focusing on making sure Indiana’s current gun laws are enforced.

By that, he said that he meant background checks for personal protection.

| 21

“Again, if the current laws that are available, if they’re actually enforced, it would make a notable difference,” he said.

Dewitt also mentioned the possibly of health care professionals flagging questionable behavior and sharing that information with law enforcement.

“That’s very sensitive and [I] caution on going too far into someone’s personal life; however, if we had had that implemented in the recent school shootings, it possibly would have prohibited or stopped the shooting,” Dewitt said.

Davisson said he thought Indiana’s current gun laws were fair.

“If you’re qualified to have a gun in Indiana, you can pretty much get one under normal circumstances,” he said.

As for people who might be a danger if they own a gun, Davisson said that the state needs to make sure that its background checks continue to be effective.

HIGHLIGHTING OTHER STANCES

Both Davisson and Dewitt have their own agendas.

One of Davisson’s biggest passions is rural economic development, he said. He wants Indiana’s rural communities to stay strong and “not fade away into the background.”

They should be growing, he said.

He would like to see better opportunities for businesses in rural area.

Dewitt is concerned with taxes, which he says need to be approached with “simple math.”

He wants to “trim the fat” on “unnecessary and ridiculous spending,” and reduce taxes on the workforce.

Dewitt said that veterans also needed to be provided with “real care” instead of just adhesive bandages, and that goes for health care (particularly post traumatic stress disorder), education and job training.

Finally, Dewitt said we should better care for Indiana’s elderly in terms of health and quality of life.

Steve Davisson and Buford Dewitt agree on combating drug use in District 73, but they also have their own agendas. One of Davisson's biggest passions is rural econmic development, while Dewitt is concerned with simplifying taxes and improving veterans' healthcare and quality of life. | STAFF FILE PHOTOS

22 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

FLOYD COUNTY AUDITOR

Primary winner will face Democratic candidate Maury Goldberg

Candidates: Accountability, transparency key

BY APRILE RICKERT

F

aprile.rickert@newsandtribune.com

LOYD COUNTY — While the two GOP candidates hoping to become Floyd County’s next auditor share some of the same goals, each has a unique approach to leading the office that is responsible for keeping the county’s finances in line.

Incumbent Scott Clark, a certified public accountant with more than 30 years experience in tax, financial and funds accounting, first took office in May 2013 to finish out the previous auditor’s term. He then ran for the office and won election in 2014.

His opponent, Amanda Pahmeier, has worked in the Floyd County Auditor’s Office for the past eight years, and now serves as first deputy auditor to Clark. She’s also been the Floyd County Republican Party secretary for the past two years.

Whoever wins the May Primary will face Democratic candidate Maury Goldberg in the fall General Election.

WHAT THEY BRING

Clark said he is seeking re-election to continue the path he’s helped create in terms of getting the county finances back on line and strengthening them. When he took office, he said, he first worked with the council to pass the budget, then went through the policies to make sure everything was IRS-compliant.

The sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital to Baptist Health brought in a lot of new revenue to the county, but before that, Clark worked to keep finances in the black.

“The county went through some lean years before they sold the hospital,” he said. “And every year I had to put together a strategy to make sure that the county finished in the black.”

Clark was able to identify $5.4 million in county funds that was not being used, which

after State Board of Accounts approval, was able to be allocated to all the political subdivisions in the county. He was able to decrease the unemployment tax, saving the county between $30,000 and 50,000 per year.

Pahmeier, during her time in the office and working with three different county auditors, has learned the ins and out of the property side of things. In her role, she’s worked to improve digital filings, saving money and time. Specifically, she implemented a system to input sewer liens. What at one time could take an employee weeks to do can be done in about a day.

“I’m in that office every day; I work it,” she said. “I’m learning the financial side of it as I go, but I do know the property side.

If my entire office called in sick, I could go out and do that job. It’s not dependent on one person.”

TRANSPARENCY

Both candidates said they want to see more transparency in the government, and for residents to take advantage of that access. Pahmeier said this can be improved starting with social media — generating posts to let people know about important upcoming meetings.

As the financial overseer, she wants taxpayers to be able to access information more easily on where that money is spent.

“I think we need to get a way to have that open-door policy with taxpayers,” she said. “So if they come in and say ‘hey, what did we spend this money on’ or ‘where did this money go,’ it doesn’t take weeks to respond.

“I think they need to know that the county is trying to work their hardest to fix the roads and bring better [things] to the table for the taxpayers,” she said.

When he came into office, Clark helped implement better resident access to the

goings on of their government by getting audio and video equipment installed in the government meeting rooms. They can be accessed by the county website. He said he hopes the county residents will take advantage of the opportunity to learn about what it happening in their community.

“We can’t do anything about what’s going on in Washington,” he said. “We can’t do that much about what’s going on in the state. But anybody can have an effect on local government.”

GOALS

If re-elected, Clark said he wants to continue to aid in getting things streamlined digitally. He also wants to work to lower the county income tax — from its current 1.15 percent to 1 percent. If he does, that would be one of the lowest in the area; Harrison County is at 1 percent.

“It would give back to every taxpayer in the county,” he said. “But at the same time, makes Floyd County competitive with everybody else in the region [for economic development.]

“We’ve got some great opportunities ahead and I just want to be there and continue to make the county as financially strong as I can,” Clark said.

Pahmeier said she wants to see strengthened relations between the taxpayers, via the auditor’s office, and the county council.

“We are the secretary to the council and [I] think there’s a lack of communication to them,” she said. She added that, if elected, she will work hard across party lines to make sure the residents have what is best, something she has experience in through her current role as first deputy auditor.

“I try to work with every office no matter what party, because you have to,” she said.

You’re there for the people — you’re there for the taxpayers, and you’re supposed to be doing right by those taxpayers.”

REPUBLICANS SCOTT CLARK n Office seeking: Floyd County Auditor, incumbent n Political party: Republican n Age: 58 n Political experience:

Floyd County Auditor since 2013

n Family: Daughter Ryan; son Ben n Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, IU Bloomington n Occupation: Floyd County Auditor n Related experience: More than 30 years

experience as a CPA

n Facebook: Scott L. Clark, Floyd County Auditor

AMANDA PAHMEIER n Office seeking: Floyd County Auditor n Political party: Republican n Age: 30 n Political experience:

Two years as the Floyd County Republican Party secretary

n Education: Bachelor's degree in Economics and Public Policies, IU Southeast n Occupation: First Deputy, Floyd County Auditor's Office n Related experience: Eight years experience in the Floyd County Auditor's Office n Facebook: Pahmeier for Floyd County Auditor

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

FLOYD COUNTY SHERIFF

| 23

Primary winner will square off with former sheriff Darrell W. Mills

Loop, Lehman face off in May primary

BY APRILE RICKERT

aprile.rickert@newsandtribune.com

F

LOYD COUNTY — The two Republican candidates for Floyd County Sheriff have between them nearly 60 years experience in law enforcement.

Incumbent Frank Loop is currently in the fourth year of his first term as sheriff. He’s also served five years as chief deputy and been with the department for 36.

Tony Lehman has been a Clarksville police officer for going on 21 years. Before that, he served six years with the Jefferson County Corrections Department, a role that also had full arrest powers, and nearly a year as a police officer in Seymour.

The candidate who wins the May Primary will face off against Democratic candidate Darrell W. Mills, a former Floyd County sheriff, in the November General Election.

WHY THEY’RE RUNNING

Lehman says he wants to be sheriff because he has the ability and social skills to work with a diverse group of people, and a “desire to lead the sheriff’s department in a direction that would be respected by all,” Lehman said. He added that he was “born and raised in this community and I’d like to contribute to making it better.”

Loop is seeking re-election to continue in the work he has done in the community, in a career that he loves.

“You’re looking at a man

who is completely blessed in his career,” Loop said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do [good] things. I really enjoy my job, all aspects of it.

THE EXPERIENCE TO SERVE

Since starting his current term as sheriff, Loop has been working on improving hiring practices to employ a strong police force. His implementation draws those with greater experience, through education or military service. He’s pushed for the addition of 10 new positions, and has been successful in getting better pay for police and corrections officers.

“That alone was huge,” he said. “We had such a high turnover rate that we couldn’t keep people who were trained here.”

His first year in office, he started with 110 employees and lost 51. Now, the department averages about five leaving per year.

“Now, corrections officers know who their normal inmates are,” Loop said. “We want to keep our police officers in the community.”

He’s also upped the training that all officers get, by hiring a training coordinator and creating a “jail academy” for new corrections officers.

Prior to holding the office of sheriff, Loop was instrumental in getting the first SWAT team in Floyd County in 1992, and he presided over it for 10 years.

More recently, he worked on a partnership with other areas to combine five of the SWAT teams in Southern Indiana into one, saving tens of thousands

of dollars while giving every department access to a fully staffed and trained team if the need arises.

In his time with the police force, Lehman has risen to the ranks of Detective and Sergeant, and served as the Fraternal Order of Police president. He is currently a K9 handler and street supervisor. His training includes narcotics, internal and homicide investigations, SWAT training and K9 tracking.

In Kentucky, he started the first K9 unit in the Jefferson County Corrections Department’s history and was part of the Critical Emergency Response Team. He was also responsible for the emergency and regular operations at the jail, as its Central Control operator.

WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THEM

Lehman said it’s his ability to relate and communicate with many different types of people that make him the best candidate.

“I have the ability to work with and gain the trust and support from the entire community, not just a specific group,” he said. A lot of my life experiences make me the best candidate and the most effective at getting stuff done.”

Loop said it’s knowledge that brings him to the top of the candidate pool.

“My 36 years here, working my way through the ranks and being an administrator for two other sheriffs was certainly the experience I needed to do what I’m doing now,” he said. “And I

have demonstrated the effective leadership we need to move the department forward.”

ON DRUGS AND OTHER CRIME

Loop said that although crime doesn’t stay contained to one municipality in a metro area like Louisville and Southern Indiana — around 60 percent of his jail population has an address across the river — there are still lower crime rates in Floyd County than other areas nearby.

And it’s not by chance, he said.

“I [attribute] that to aggressive prosecution and good policing,” he said.

But a lot of the petty crimes like theft are due to drugs, and drug crimes are growing, and shifting, Loop said. He thinks that legislation needs to be more openly worded to address the changes — using language like ‘dangerous drugs’ instead of one class, such as opioids.

“Government...is talking about the opioid crisis,” he said. “[But] it’s already moved.

We’re seeing methamphetamine increase, we’re seeing cocaine increase. And funding is geared toward opioids [right now.]”

Lehman agreed that the rise in drug use also contributes to spikes in all other crimes.

“If you follow the drugs, you’re going to find the theft and the money and the murders...all the stuff that’s connected.”

He said what’s needed to attack the issue is federal funding, something he would seek, if elected.

SEE SHERIFF, PAGE 25

REPUBLICANS FRANK LOOP, INCUMBENT n n n n

Office seeking: Floyd County Sheriff Political party: Republican Age: 58

Political experience: Georgetown Town Council member, 1996 to 2000; Greenville Township Trustee, 2011 to 2014

n Family: Married for 35 years, two children, one grandchild n Education: Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Indiana Wesleyan University, 2011; graduate of the FBI National Academy, 2003 n Occupation: Floyd County Sheriff n Related experience: Four years as Floyd

County Sheriff, Floyd County Chief Deputy in 1998 and from 2003 to 2006; 36 years with the sheriff's office

n Website: www.frankloop.com n Facebook: Sheriff Frank Loop

TONY LEHMAN n n n n

Office seeking: Floyd County Sheriff Political party: Republican Age: 49

Family: Married with four children

n Education: Bachelor's degree in General Studies, 2001, IU Southeast n Occupation: Clarksville Police Officer n Related experience: 21 years with the Clarksville Police Department; six years with the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections; U.S. Marine veteran n Website: www.lehmanforsheriff.com

24 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

FLOYD COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2

Democrat Sara Downs is running unopposed in Primary

Roberts challenging Wright in race

BY CHRIS MORRIS

chris.morris@newsandtribune.com

N

EW ALBANY — District 2 in Floyd County is different from most … it includes both the city and Floyds Knobs residents. Seven precincts in the district are in Lafayette and nine are in New Albany.

That can be a challenge for a political candidate. The needs and wants of residents may vary from hill to valley.

“People up here are concerned about the condition of roads, and parks are another big issue,” Adam Roberts said.

“Letty Walter Park is the only park in Lafayette and needs a lot of attention. Green space is important to them.”

Roberts is challenging incumbent Cam Wright in the Republican Primary for the District 2 seat on the Floyd County Council. Democrat Sara Downs is running unopposed in the Primary.

Wright said while the district is split, he considers his entire district when casting votes on the council.

“It is different than the other districts, but I look at Floyd County as a whole, and it doesn’t matter if you live in the city or county,” Wright said.

Roberts ran for Floyd County Council At-Large two years ago and finished fourth in the General Election. He said that experience, his first as a candidate, helped prepare him for a run at the District 2 seat.

“I learned a lot the last time I ran,” he said. “I think everyone should do it once. You get to meet a lot of people in the community. The reason I am running again is I care about Floyd County.”

Wright, maybe the youngest candidate ever elected to office four years ago, said it was a great learning experience. At 27, Wright is seeking a second term and ready to continue working for county residents, he said.

“The first term was definitely eye-opening,” he said. “A lot of people who follow politics talk about national politics and the president. But local politics is what affects people’s day-to-day lives and how things get done. That all happens at the local level. It’s been a great experience.”

One topic Roberts cares about is the fact that taxpayers fund two 911 centers, when he thinks there should only be a combined one.

“I am concerned about some of the policies … like the 911 system, which I think is pure politics. All it does is put people’s lives at risk,” he said. “And it creates redundancy. We are the thirdsmallest county in the state and we need to quit fighting against each other. There is no cohesiveness. None. I want to see the city and county work together.”

Wright said he has gained “more and more confidence” on the council, which has allowed him to be more vocal.

He was vice president of the council two years ago when Floyd Memorial Hospital was sold to Baptist Health. He said he supported the sale and thinks it was a great opportunity for the county, providing money for many projects.

Wright also supported investing the original $70 million with the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana.

“Everyone was hands-on; a lot of work went into that,” he said. “I want to make sure money is there for future generations. We have seen immediate results with that [investment] interest. I really like the different challenges.”

Roberts said he also supported the sale of the hospital to Baptist Health, but added it “comes with great fiscal responsibility” when budgeting and spending the interest and spend rate from the $70 million investment. He said improving infrastructure and adding parks and green space are concerns he is hearing while out on the campaign trail. And he said

expanding and improving the jail is “a necessary evil.”

“No one wants to spend millions on the jail, but we have to,” he said. “It seems like that and pay raises for employees have been addressed.”

Wright supported the recent vote to move forward on jail bonding, which will add 100 beds to the facility.

“It’s important to protect the citizens of Floyd County, and help law enforcement,” Wright said. “That is definitely an immediate need. We also have a new park [Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park] opening this year and that is another big priority.”

Wright was vocally supportive of the jail bonding at the recent council meeting, where it passed 4-2.

“After two hours, I had heard everything that had been said and it was time to move forward with it,” he said.

Roberts said there are also more housing needs now in the county as baby boomers retire and look to downsize.

Overall, he said his goal and the goal of all those elected is to work to help the citizens of Floyd County. He said he likes to get out and meet people and listen to their concerns.

“At the end of the day, it’s about standing up for the community, and that people know who you are and that you will work for them,” Roberts said. “What is your ultimate goal and why do you want to do this? You have to go out, knock on doors and meet the people. You are running to help the citizens.”

Wright unsuccessfully ran for Floyd County Commissioner two years ago against John Schellenberger in the Primary, but doesn’t think that loss hurt him politically. He said it allowed him to meet more people.

“I think it helped,” he said. “Anytime you can meet people in the community, it’s helpful.”

REPUBLICANS ADAM ROBERTS n Office seeking: Floyd County Council District 2 n Political party: Republican n Age: 44 n Residence: Floyds

Knobs

n Family: Married with three children n Occupation: Strategic account executive n Roberts says: "At the end of the day it’s about standing up for the community and that people know who you are and that you will work for them.”

CAM WRIGHT n Office seeking: Floyd County Council District 2 n Political party: Republican n Age: 27 n Residence: New

Albany

n Occupation: Works at a local bank n Wright says: "The first term was definitely eye opening.

A lot of people who follow politics talk about national politics and the president. But local politics is what affects people’s day to day lives and how things get done."

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

SHERIFF

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

He wants to see large facilities for people with drug and mental health issues — and to not just house these residents in jails and nursing homes.

“Prolonged drug use affects your brain...and your veins and your heart become weak,” he said. “And if you’re on that spice, your mind is gone.

“Right now we have an epidemic and we need federal assistance,” Lehman said.

“This is going to continue until we get some help.”

GOALS IF ELECTED

Loop said that he’s ready to continue to work with community partners to implement new programs in the jail once major renovations are completed, which will take around nine months.

One that’s already been started is aimed at incarcerated women, helping them with drug issues and parenting classes, so they can increase their self-esteem and get the education and skills to help them transition back into civilian life. After the expansion, he wants to increase this to include some of the male inmates.

“It’s going to make a better community if we can keep these people from coming back to jail,” he said. “If we can identify those frequent visitors and find out what their problems are and see if we can help them, that’s going to be better for the community [and] better for us.”

Loop said he will continue to lead a strong department by hiring the right people, and by staying ahead of technological advances that can aid in law enforcement.

Lehman said he would be a proactive sheriff, if elected, and he would first take a

hard look at the budget, getting an extensive audit and then addressing any issues that come up. He would also put an emphasis on securing more funding to help the department.

“I probably couldn’t say this enough — grants,” he said. “We should be working on grants constantly.”

He also wants to implement a volunteer and reserve program — something that would bring in more police power.

He said he will also use his community roots and communication skills to be a strong leader, from the residents to the people working in the department.

“I’d like to be the best and most effective sheriff the community and the officers have ever seen and worked with,” he said. “By proving to the officers that put their life on the line every day and by serving the community proudly.”

| 25

26 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

HOUSE DISTRICT 72

General Election opponent is 10-year officeholder Republican Ed Clere

Office seekers come with big ideas

BY DANIELLE GRADY

danielle.grady@newsandtribune.com

B

efore they must face a formidable opponent, Sam Charbonneau and Christopher FitzGerald, two fresh-faced Democrats spurred by injustice, have to confront each other for their party’s nomination for the Indiana House of Representatives District 72 seat. (Their General Election challenger, by the way, will be 10-year officeholder and Republican Ed Clere). District 72 covers most of Floyd County, including New Albany.

FitzGerald, who has campaigned for pretty much every Democrat in Indiana but himself, was inspired by the government and community help he received during his poor upbringing as the child of single mother, as well as the last election, to create “positive change” for his community by running for office. The Louisville Metropolitan Government employee also noticed the difference between Floyd County’s unemployment rate and its poverty rate. In February, unemployment in Floyd County was at 3.4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while its 2016 poverty rate was at 10.3 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — and FitzGerald believes that the poverty rate is now higher.

“So it’s not like our citizens aren’t working hard, they are,” he said.

“But they’re just not being connected to higher paying jobs.”

Sam Charbonneau, a political novice and family case manager for the Indiana Department of Child Services in Floyd County, saw a different issue that inspired him to run: the number of

children in the DCS system dropped there by the opioid epidemic. That, and a funeral he attended for a parent who he had worked with, inspired him to run. Dead from an overdose, no one had helped the parent when that person was alive, but at the funeral, Charbonneau couldn’t get through the door.

“So, first and foremost,” Charbonneau said. “I’m seeing our children suffer was a result, and our community as a result of the heroin addiction, and I didn’t feel like our legislators and our government was doing enough to address that issue.”

BATTLING ADDICTION

Charbonneau takes a threepronged approach to fighting the opioid epidemic.

First, he thinks there needs to be more treatment centers. He would like to see the hospitals become the front lines for a solid system of help for those with substance use disorders. The staff there could treat them, detox them, and then send them to a treatment center for 30 days, where they could learn a new skill set, be connected with resources and released.

Second, he wants medicationassisted treatment for those with substance use disorders to be “as accessible as the drugs themselves.”

“So when we have a heroin addict that’s buying heroin for $5 and you have to buy Suboxone or Methadone for $20 or $30, you know, which one are you going to go to?” he asked.

Finally, Charbonneau would like to see the stigma surrounding addiction be reduced and for support

systems to be built around people suffering from it.

FitzGerald would also like to see the opioid epidemic addressed in multiple ways. His ideas are rooted in his belief that the epidemic needs to be treated as a health issue, not just a criminal one.

“So that’s making sure that they’re not being prescribed as heavily as they have been,” he said. “It’s making sure that people who are addicted have access to health care that’s affordable. It’s making sure that we’re eliminating the root cause of why they got addicted before, whether that is societal or whether that is just physical pain, as well.”

To FitzGerald, that all adds up to a greater investment in health care and mental health.

He would also like to see Narcan, an overdose reversal drug, become as readily available as automated defibrillators are in public buildings.

SKILLING UP THE WORKFORCE

FitzGerald sees workforce development as one of the keys to reducing the poverty rate.

“We need to make sure that our skills are matching and creating jobs and making sure both of those are matching for people,” he said.

He sees several ways to do that.

One would be to educate junior high and high school students about the skilled jobs available to them and to establish apprenticeship programs for those jobs. He also envisions going into underserved communities and teaching people about and signing them up for trade classes, which he said can produce highly skilled and sought after jobs.

DEMOCRATS SAM CHARBONNEAU n n n n

Office Seeking: State Representative District 72 Age: 49 Political Party: Democrat

Political Experience: First time candidate for office

n Family: Married to Kristi (Ward) for 21 years; two sons, Michael and Logan n Education: New Albany High School graduate, 1987; Bachelor of Science, Indiana State University, 1991 n Occupation: Family Case Manager Supervisor for the Indiana Department of Child Services, located in Floyd County.

Formerly the residential director at Providence House for Children n Related Pertinent Experience: Dogs for Dads volunteer.

Former board member and coach for New Albany Little League.

Previous member of the Head Start Policy Board. Member on Our Place Drug and Alcohol program board. Lifelong resident. n Website: www.charbonneauforstaterep72.com

CHRIS FITZGERALD n n n n

Office Seeking: State Representative District 72 Age: 37 Political Party: Democrat

Political Experience: Co-chair of the Floyd and Clark County Stonewall Democrats. Has worked on various campaigns from 2002 to present, including on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 election and for all county and state Democratic races in 2016.

n Education: New Albany High School graduate. Bachelor's from DePauw University. Master's in public administration from American University n Occupation: Operations coordinator for the Vacant Public Property Administration within the Louisville Metropolitan Government n Other Related Pertinent Experience: New Albany plan commission member n Website: chrisforindiana.com

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

FitzGerald wants to raise wages, too.

For everyone, he would like to see an increase to a living wage, or the approximate income needed to meet a family’s basic needs. In Indiana, that wage is calculated to be $10.70 for one adult with no kids, according to the Living Wage calculator, which is maintained by MIT. For construction workers, FitzGerald wants to reinstate Indiana’s prevailing wage law. When Indiana eliminated the minimum amount that counties had to pay for public works projects, supporters bragged that the move would save governments money while not dragging down wages for construction workers.

A study released at the beginning of this year by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute showed that wages did decrease — an average of 8.5 percent — while governments saved nothing.

Charbonneau sees a definite lack of an available workforce with specific skills in the area: from welders to mechanics.

“We have to increase our skilled trades and our available workforce,” he said.

He suggests working with unions and creating apprenticeships to train more people in those trades so that companies can come here and have a workforce at the ready. He mentioned targeting veterans and young people who realized that traditional college wasn’t for them.

That, in turn, will increase wages, Charbonneau said, something for which he, too, advocates.

“We want to reduce the income disparity we have in our area,” he said.

PROTECTING SCHOOLS Charbonneau is happy with what New Albany Floyd County Schools are already doing to protect schools.

The system recently received a grant to put a therapist in every school. That therapist will help increase students’ self-esteem and help them with all school issues, he said, and they’ll be available if a staff member notices a student exhibiting behaviors that are threatening.

But Charbonneau is looking to the

future, too. When the grant runs out, he hopes that the extra layer of safety is maintained.

In addition to that, Charbonneau believes that schools need to continue to work with law enforcement to identify resource officers. He also believes in what he calls sensible gun control.

“We need to take a good look at that,” he said. “We need the voices of our young people. They’re the ones that’s going to school. They’re the ones that’s struggling.”

FitzGerald described school safety as paramount for education.

“You can’t learn if you’re afraid that someone is going to come in and shoot you,” he said. “I mean, point blank.

Literally and figuratively.”

But, FitzGerald said, there’s a line between school protection and turning a school into a prison. He believes in school resource officers, but not in arming teachers. Like, Charbonneau, he thinks that “sensible” gun laws are key. He doesn’t want the people capable of mass shootings to get the guns they would use.

| 27

In addition, FitzGerald said that more funding should go to peer-topeer counseling and other resources that protect students from other safety issues: bullying and family trauma, for example.

‘SENSIBLE’ GUN LAWS

FitzGerald said that he believes there are ways to create common sense gun laws that are also constitutional, and that there is a lot of public and bipartisan support behind those.

“Gun owners also support background checks,” he said. “Sensible laws that aren’t going to take away people’s guns that keep our students safe and keep our community safe.”

FitzGerald said that he didn’t approve of one of the bills that didn’t get passed in last session’s Legislature. It would have made it legal for people to carry weapons at a school as long as there was a church attached.

Charbonneau said that he supports universal background checks.

SEE DISTRICT 72, PAGE 29

28 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

FLOYD COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1

Mark Seabrook not seeking re-election

Newcomers seeking commissioners seat Winner will face unopposed Republican Shawn Carruthers in November

BY CHRIS MORRIS

chris.morris@newsandtribune.com

N

Democrats Jason Applegate and LaMicra Martin share priorities in moving the county forward with 'smart growth' and transparency.

EW ALBANY — While there may not be any guarantees in politics, one thing is for sure in 2018 — a political newcomer will be elected to the Floyd County Commissioners this year.

Commissioners’ President Mark Seabrook holds the District 1 seat, but decided not to seek re-election. He plans on running for mayor of New Albany in 2019.

Enter Democrats Jason Applegate and LaMicra Martin.

The two will face-off for the District 1 seat in the May 8 primary. The winner will face Republican Shawn Carruthers in the November general election. He is running unopposed in the primary.

Applegate, 40, is managing partner and director of advertising and sales at Extol Magazine, which recently celebrated its third anniversary. He grew up in New Albany and graduated from New Albany High School, before moving on to Bellarmine and the University of Louisville. While he lived in Indianapolis for eight years, he returned in 2010 and said he is eager to serve the community he loves.

Applegate got involved in supporting the New AlbanyFloyd County School Referendum in 2016, which he

said “sparked” him to enter politics.

“I always listened to politics but never really cared [about getting involved] until then,” he said. “So I thought about where can I make a difference and the commissioners popped into my mind.”

Applegate said he probably would not have ran had Seabrook sought re-election.

“It’s an opportunity for an open seat … I can run on my principles, what I believe in and not against someone,” he said.

After discussing the idea with a few people, Applegate decided it was time to run for public office. He said he is “left of center but pretty moderate” and has the business background to get things done.

Martin, like Applegate, has never held public office before, but decided it was time for real change. The 38-yearold married mother of five says she “loves her community,” and is ready to help it grow.

“In politics you are able to make some changes with ordinances and laws, I want to be the voice for the voiceless,” she said. “I think people are ready for a change. They need more people they can relate to and someone who has been through a normal life.”

Her immediate priorities if elected would be to work on providing high-speed internet

DEMOCRATS JASON APPLEGATE n Office seeking: Floyd County Commissioner District 1

n Political party: Democrat n Age: 40 n Occupation:

Managing partner and director of advertising and sales at Extol Magazine

n Married to

wife Angie; the two have a 2-yearold daughter

n Applegate says: "“People are

excited that I am involved. I want to help people and I am not doing it for any other reason."

LAMICRA MARTIN n Office seeking: Floyd County Commissioner District 1

n Political party: Democrat

n Age: 38 n Occupation:

Health care administration

n Married to Judah; has five children

n Martin says: "I have met

nothing but wonderful people.

I think they are ready this year to embrace change, not only in elected officials. We just need to do things a different way. I am not saying what they are doing is bad, but it's always good to approach something differently.”

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018

should sit down and talk to one another. to all residents in the county, and to make “We should open communications and county government more transparent. She points to the sale of Floyd Memorial Hospital come to a consensus. Then we can make the best decision for county residents,” she said. and Health Services as an example.

“It may take a while, it won’t happen over“The way it was handled … there needed to be more transparency and to assure the night. What is the next step that will bring us community that it was the right thing to do,” together? When we all work together, a lot she said. “I think with such a big decision more can be accomplished.” like that the residents should have been given She said she has been empowered by the more say. A lot of the community did not people she has talked to while attending camagree with it.” paign events and knocking on doors.

Applegate’s main focus has been on “I have met nothing but wonderful people,” smart growth for Floyd County. He said the Martin said. “I think they are ready this year county’s recently compiled comto embrace change, not only in elected officials. We just need to prehensive plan is “wonderful do things a different way. I am work” and needs to be followed not saying what they are doing by government leaders. is bad, but it’s always good to “It’s an overall super plan,” he "If we don’t do approach something differently.” said. “It’s all right there. A lot of something now, Applegate also thinks he can work went into it, so let’s put it help improve the relationship to action.” we will be upset between the city and county.

He said leaders need to be with the way “We are the second-smallest more proactive in moving the [growth] looks 10 county in the state, we’ve got county forward. He singled out to 15 years from to build that trust with New Althe jail issues and why didn’t some of the hospital proceeds go now...” bany,” he said. “I think people’s into solving jail overcrowding — Jason Applegate hearts are all in the right spot, three years ago, when the county I know mine is. I know little had the money to spend, before things that can be done to make investing the majority of it into that relationship better and over the Community Foundation of time, you can rebuild that trust.”

Southern Indiana. That way, He said he has gotten a good "What is the next response when talking to voters. he said, the county would not be forced to finance upcoming “It’s been overwhelming,” he step that will renovations. said.

“People are excited that bring us together? I am involved.

Applegate said he would I want to help When we all support bringing in an outside people and I am not doing it for consultant to look at the county any other reason.” work together, a and where and how growth can Martin also believes Floyd lot more can be occur, as part of the comprehenCounty needs more sidewalks and bike lanes. Technology, she sive plan. He said sometimes an accomplished.”

— LaMicra Martin said, is key. She said all children outside voice is able to look at need the same opportunities things differently. when it comes to being able to connect with “This is our blueprint and it needs to be the internet. Having updated technology fully activated,” he said of the plan. “The outside consultants could work with our plan- across the county can also lead to more busining and zoning folks. If we don’t do somenesses coming here, she added.

“It would help us keep business,” she said. thing now, we will be upset with the way It is also important people be provided [growth] looks 10 to 15 years from now from every opportunity to better themselves with a county perspective.” “higher paying jobs,” Martin said.

Martin holds a master’s degree in health People can relate to her, she said, because care administration and is currently a board she has shared similar struggles. That is why member of Habitat for Humanity and a being a Habitat board member and helping member of the National Congress for Black promote that program is so important.

Women.

“I am not willing to let people lose hope,” She said there is too much division between she said. city and county government, and officials

“ “

DISTRICT 72 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Currently, Indiana residents convicted of a domestic battery misdemeanor can own a gun as long as its been five years, and they’ve applied for a restoration.

“Unfortunately, whether it be a male or a female, those violent tendencies continue to go on in the future,” Charbonneau said.

He also wants to ban bump stocks, and he thinks that people who purchase guns need to be trained beforehand.

OTHER ISSUES

Both Charbonneau and FitzGerald have their own issues for which they’re passionate.

Charbonneau’s wife is a teacher, and he believes they need to be better respected for the work they do.

“I think connecting their performance evaluations to a student’s score definitely needs to be analyzed and looked at more carefully than it is now,” he said. “Just due to the fact that there may be some socioeconomic status issues, unfortunately that may affect a student’s score.” (Or a phobia of testing, Charbonneau added).

Teacher licensing also needs to be re-evaluated, he said.

Charbonneau has a problem with other school issues, such as vouchers for private schools and the way public schools test.

But he isn’t interested in just changing education. He doesn’t like the new gas tax, either.

“It’s taking more money out of our pockets without any, you know, reduction or help regarding that,” he said.

Charbonneau thinks that the state should give Hoosiers a tax reduction at the end of the year for the miles they drove to and from work. He’s also interested in getting Southern Indiana residents a break in toll fees.

Charbonneau also believes in getting young people with degrees to stay in Southern Indiana by giving them a $5,000 tax credit two years after graduating, if they have over $30,000 in student loans.

FitzGerald is concerned with the new work requirements that require able-bodied Hoosier adults to work 20 hours a week if they’re on the Healthy Indiana Plan.

He believes that the requirement shuts the poorest people out from health care and that the state should be focusing more on workforce development.

FitzGerald also bashed the state Legislature for not passing all of its bills before the last session ended despite having a supermajority.

“They want the governor to call our General Assembly back in session for $30,000 a day,” he said. “ Again you make a mess, and you’re expecting us to pay for it again, and that takes money out of the hands of programs that can actually help Hoosiers and not just pay for legislating chaos again.”

Finally, FitzGerald said that he supports legalizing medical marijuana — because, he says, it relieves pain, it’s not as addictive as other drugs, and it would provide a new tax base for the state.

| 29

30 | SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2018 | PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

PRIMARY ELECTION

Locations can be found online at floydcountyclerk.org and clarkcountyvoters.com

Early voting underway for primary Floyd County to have multiple voting sites April 28 NEWS AND TRIBUNE

S

newsroom@newsandtribune.com

OUTHERN INDIANA — Early voting for the May 8 primary is underway at county clerk’s offices — and more locations will open later this month in Floyd County.

In a news release, Floyd County Circuit Court Clerk Christy Eurton stated that for voter convenience, there will be eight sites available on Saturday, April 28, and Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and five sites available the week of April 30 to May 4, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In addition, the Floyd County Clerk’s office is open now through noon on May 7, for early voting.

“The Election Board is committed to improving the voter experience and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to cast their ballot,” Eurton stated in the release. “Redefining responsibilities, exploring options and incorporating voter and poll worker suggestions, we have addressed the issues from the previous elections to ensure a smooth election cycle.

“There are several options available for a voter to cast their ballot. I am hoping to see an increase in early voting to ease any lines on Election Day.” For a complete list of locations, dates and times for early voting, visit www.floydcountyclerk.org and click on the link: “Where to Vote in Floyd County?”

Early voting is also open in Clark County at the voter’s registration office at the Clark County Government Building, 501 E. Court Ave., Room

131, Jeffersonville.

For more information visit www. clarkcountyvoters.com.

FROM INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE

From now until May 7, any eligible voter can cast an absentee ballot inperson at their county clerk’s office or request an absentee ballot by mail.

Voters who chose to vote absentee in-person have until noon on May 7, the day before the primary election, to cast their ballot. Voters who choose to vote by mail may request an absentee ballot online at www.indianavoters.com or from their county clerk’s office. Request for absentee ballots by mail must be delivered by April 30.

Secretary Lawson kicked off the early voting period by casting her ballot at the Hendricks County Courthouse on April 10.

“Early voting and absentee voting give Hoosiers more options when casting their ballots and many take advantage of the opportunity,” Lawson stated in a news release. “In the 2016 primary, we saw 282,288 voters cast absentee ballots, and it is clear Hoosiers value that flexibility.”

Military families are encouraged to remind those serving overseas to request an absentee ballot in advance of the deadline.

Hoosier voters can go to www.indianavoters.com to view a sample ballot and check their county election information. Some counties allow in-person absentee voting at multiple locations, at the discretion of the local election board.

“I encourage all Hoosier voters to visit IndianaVoters.com to educate

themselves on who they’ll be voting for and where they’ll be voting,” said Secretary Lawson. “An informed electorate is key to a successful government and I hope all voters take advantage of this tool.”

Hoosiers who are unsure of their registration can confirm their registration online at www.indianavoters.com. Voters may also request an absentee ballot and verify their polling location on the website.

CUTEST DOG CONTEST

Bar k madness

2018 View entries and vote for the cutest dog today! http://bit.ly/NTBarkMadness2018 Vote for your favorite dog for a $1 per-vote donation to our Newspapers in Education program.

Round four of voting starts April 15!

Your donation will help us deliver Want a picture perfect pooch? bring ‘em into newspapers to area classrooms!

All FUR Fun!!!

5513 East Hwy 62, Jeffersonville

812-820-9481

Sponsored by: Want a picture perfect pooch? bring ‘em into

All FUR Fun!!!

5513 East Hwy 62, Jeffersonville

812-820-9481

Grooming with tender, loving care

Grooming with tender, loving care

Ann’s

Especially Pets, Pets, llc llc Especially

Norman’s K9 Academy Training all breeds for all levels

Individual Classes – Group Classes – Boarding with Training Official rules can be found at: https://www.communitynewscontest.com/rules.php?contestid=311