GOSHEN — A total of five Republican candidates are now in the running for a chance at three available seats in the upcoming primary race for Elkhart County Council At-Large.

Incumbents David Ashe, R-Elkhart, and John Letherman, R-Elkhart, will be defending their seats against candidate hopefuls Jason Obendorf, R-Elkhart, Thomas Stump, R-Goshen, and Randy Wilson, R-Elkhart.

Following is the biographical information of each candidate as well as answers to several questions related to their candidacy for county council.

David M. Ashe

• Age: 51
• Address: Elkhart
• Education: Elkhart Central High School 1979, Central Texas College 1986-1987, Austin Peay State University 1991-1993
• Employment: BFI 1996-present, Bayer 1995-1996, United States Army 1979-1995 (retired)
• Other: Married 30 years, four children and nine grandchildren. I enjoy watching and playing sports and volunteering in the community.

Why have you decided to run for (re)election?

I was born and raised in Elkhart County and have a desire to make Elkhart County a vibrant place where my children and grandchildren can build happy and productive lives.



Why do you feel you are the most qualified candidate for this position?

I feel my life experience growing up in Elkhart County, traveling the world while in the military and being involved with community services have helped me develop the necessary qualities for this position. What most qualifies me though is my experience being on both the Elkhart City Council and the Elkhart County Council for a total of eight years. During this past term while dealing with tough economic issues, I have developed the tools necessary to continue doing a good job for the residents of Elkhart County.



What do you feel are some of the biggest issues or challenges currently facing the County Council? How would you address those issues if (re)elected?

A.) The loss of revenue coming into the county due to House Bill 1001. The county has had a reduction in property taxes due to the turn of the economy. Local option income taxes and high gas prices have caused decreases in the gas taxes. This loss of funds has been a real challenge. We have addressed this issue by cutting $11 million from our budget and implementing a hiring freeze (over 30 open positions), combining some departments and prioritizing the county needs.

B.) The loss of jobs in the county. I will continue to support our local businesses as they try and grow. I will work with the EDC to bring new jobs with diversity and good pay to our community.



In this time of reduced funding, how if (re)elected do you plan to keep the county budget balanced and provide the services that people have become accustomed to? Do you think some services may need to be reduced or cut in the future? Are there other avenues you would like to explore in order to keep the county budget in good shape?

I will always look for new ways to reduce the cost of county government. I talked earlier on some of the things we have done in the past couple of years to maintain a balanced budget. With our investment in our IT program and our quality work force and department heads, county government has become leaner yet more efficient. This is why we are able to provide quality services to the people of Elkhart County. Another issue we need to address is working closer with the cities in areas where the services can be combined to save money. For example, Nappanee is closing their 911 center and will receive the same service from the county.



Finding adequate funding for county road projects such as the C.R. 17 corridor has grown particularly difficult in recent years due to declining revenues. Adequate funding for road paving/maintenance has also become a major issue. Do you see this as an area of concern for the county? If so, do you have any ideas on how best to deal with the situation in the future?

Funding for road projects and maintenance is now and will continue to be an area of concern for the county. Due to funding, the C.R. 17 corridor will end at C.R. 38. This will give the cities of Goshen and New Paris some time to reflect and come to a consensus on what is necessary to improve traffic control on the south side of the county. Major projects will be prioritized by need and economic impact to the county. The focus will move more to maintaining the roads we have and upgrading when needed. We are looking at a new concept for TIF district tax dollars. In the TIF areas of the county, we are looking to use those tax dollars to help promote economic growth and maintaining the infrastructure in those areas. This will free up edit dollars and wheel tax dollars for maintenance in other areas of the county as needed.

 

John K. Letherman

• Age: 68
• Address: Elkhart
• Education: BS in Business Administration, John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio, 1964
• Employment: Partner, FM Stone Commercial — Commercial Real Estate Broker and Developer 1985-present
• Other: Six children and 15 grandchildren

Why have you decided to run for reelection?

Since my election to the Elkhart County Council in 1988 I’ve been working to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of County Government and I’m proud to have been a part of a team effort that has produced results! The only bonded debt Elkhart County has was used to build the “Court Ordered” Correctional Complex. CR 17, Six Span Bridge and Johnson Street Bridge have all been built without borrowing. We have managed to maintain excellent working balances in our funds and complete our projects without impacting the property tax. I have come to highly respect the dedicated group of people that make up County Government and I want to continue working with them.



Why do you feel you are the most qualified candidate for this position?

I have been elected President of the Council by the Council members every year since 2001, leading the Council through the most difficult financial period we have witnessed in our lifetimes. As Council Liaison to the Indiana General Assembly, I have developed good relationships with members of the Legislature. I have also generated excellent relationships with my fellow elected officials as a long time member of the Michiana Area Council of Governments. My 24 years of County Budget experience allows me to make sure that we pay for only what is absolutely necessary during these difficult economic times. To review my qualifications go to www.johnletherman.com and click on “About John.”



What do you feel are some of the biggest issues or challenges currently facing the County Council? How would you address those issues if (re)elected?

Continuing the CR 17 project and addressing the traffic problems in south Goshen are essential for the Goshen area and south County traffic. In addition, we need to complete the County’s “Broadband Initiative” and the Information Technology (IT) projects to improve efficiency and save cost. At the same time we must streamline the County’s workforce while maintaining fairness and stability for County employees. Careful money management and relentless hard work will be required to accomplish these tasks in the face of declining revenues and property tax caps. To see all I intend to do if re-elected go to www.johnletherman.com and click on “Keep Working”.



In this time of reduced funding, how if (re)elected do you plan to keep the county budget balanced and provide the services that people have become accustomed to? Do you think some services may need to be reduced or cut in the future? Are there other avenues you would like to explore in order to keep the county budget in good shape?

The County’s biggest challenge is maintaining its workforce against a backdrop of declining revenues. Rather than laying people off, we are working with our Department Heads and shrinking through attrition – many openings caused by retirement or job change are not being replaced. Positions are being combined and greater productivity is being realized because of our recent investments in Information Technology. We have traditionally used EDIT taxes strictly for roads but, if we continue to see erosion in our income streams, we may need to use some or all of our EDIT money just to balance the budget – something none of us want to do.



Finding adequate funding for county road projects such as the C.R. 17 corridor has grown particularly difficult in recent years due to declining revenues. Adequate funding for road paving/maintenance has also become a major issue. Do you see this as an area of concern for the county? If so, do you have any ideas on how best to deal with the situation in the future?

At our current level of funding from the State Gas Tax, Elkhart County has the funding to resurface a County Road approximately once every 64 years. At that rate our 1,100 miles of roads are going to fall apart and it will cost us many times more to re-build them than if we had simply taken care of them in the first place. Currently the $1.9 million from the Wheel Tax is all being used for road maintenance. We have also been forced to use some EDIT tax money for maintenance. In the end, this problem must be solved at State level, so we are working with the Legislature to try to find a new way to properly fund local road construction and maintenance.

Jason Obendorf

• Age: 30
• Address: Elkhart
• Education: Associates Degree, Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale 2002 (Highest Achievement, Commencement Speaker)
• Employment: National Sales Manager, ObeCo Inc., 2004-present
• Other: Married with a 20 month old son

Why have you decided to run for election?

Elkhart County is where I grew up, where I work and the place I choose to raise my family. For the past four years I have been politically involved with the Elkhart County Young Republicans. It is my desire to put my time and effort into ensuring Elkhart County remains a great place to do business and to raise a family. Discussing the issues alone was no longer enough and it’s time to get involved in the decision making process.



Why do you feel you are the most qualified candidate for this position?

When I make a decision to pursue something, in this case the best interest of Elkhart County, I put 110 percent effort into turning the endeavor into a successful one. I am a quick study and motivated to see Elkhart County continue to rebound from the recession. Though I am relatively young, I have more than a decade of small business experience. Navigating a small enterprise like ObeCo through the recession was challenging both mentally and emotionally. Through it we diversified and are now thriving with a very optimistic future. The non-profit experience I received as a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Elkhart County (08’-11’) also provided the challenge of making tough calls with donated funds in a time when many non-profits were closing their doors.



What do you feel are some of the biggest issues or challenges currently facing the County Council? How would you address those issues if elected?

Other than ensuring the budget is balanced and the tax payer dollars are spent responsibly, the economy is my biggest concern. The attraction of new business and jobs are at the top of my list. I would like to better capitalize on our unique location to attract distribution companies and use our skilled workforce to focus on manufacturing jobs. Elkhart County is in the position to make significant gains in both of these sectors. I believe small business in particular is the key to the future success of the county and would make it a priority to attract the best and brightest entrepreneurs from our tax heavy neighbors in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan.



In this time of reduced funding, how if elected do you plan to keep the county budget balanced and provide the services that people have become accustomed to? Do you think some services may need to be reduced or cut in the future? Are there other avenues you would like to explore in order to keep the county budget in good shape?

In my mind a balanced budget is the only option when dealing with tax payer dollars and providing key services with those dollars is a must. I am optimistic the current bump we are seeing in manufacturing will in turn create additional revenues the county hasn’t seen for several years. This would allow us to continue to provide those necessary services without the need for additional reductions or cuts. Should we see another economic slide I would be open to consolidation of departments. Either way we need to make sure each department is up to date and up to speed with technology that saves tax payer funds.



Finding adequate funding for county road projects such as the C.R. 17 corridor has grown particularly difficult in recent years due to declining revenues. Adequate funding for road paving/maintenance has also become a major issue. Do you see this as an area of concern for the county? If so, do you have any ideas on how best to deal with the situation in the future?

The finalizing of the C.R. 17 corridor and maintenance of our roads is a priority and an area of concern.  One of the ways we can look to solve this problem without additional taxation, which I am vehemently opposed to, is to ask our state lawmakers to consider providing Elkhart County with a higher percentage of the Gas Tax than the southern counties. Our winters cause significant levels of deterioration to our roads at levels not seen in counties further to our south. Providing all counties with the same percentage of funds considering our circumstances are not identical is something we need to take a close look at.

Thomas W. Stump

• Age: 62
• Address: Goshen
• Education: Goshen High School graduate 1968, Purdue University graduate 1972
• Employment: Owned and operated Cripe’s Septic Cleaning Service Inc., 36 years, owned and operated Rain Flow of Michiana, 28 years
• Other: Married to wife Karen for 38 years, four adult children and five grandchildren, lifetime member of the NRA, Goshen Republican Committee member, gardener

Why have you decided to run for election?

South and east portions of Elkhart County have not received adequate attention and services. A stronger voice is needed on the county council. Better cooperation is needed between county commissioners, mayors and town managers. I will work to resolve this disconnect.

Often only one county deputy patrols the southern half of the county. There are no county parks near Nappanee or Wakarusa. These deficiencies burden those communities to provide public safety and park services because the county doesn’t. This is unfair. All resident pay county property and income taxes. All should benefit whether they live inside or outside cities and towns.



Why do you feel you are the most qualified candidate for this position?

I’m familiar with county government and respected on both sides of the aisle. My 38 years as a business owner give me a unique ability for problem solving as well as determining efficiency in government. I’ve chaired many public meetings and given the public ample time to speak.

During 21 years on the Goshen City Council, many as Council President, I’ve helped steer Goshen clear of financial difficulties while still delivering quality public services. I will do the same for county government. Thirteen years on the Goshen Redevelopment Commission managing important economic development initiatives will bring valuable knowledge to county government.



What do you feel are some of the biggest issues or challenges currently facing the County Council? How would you address those issues if elected?

Major issues are providing services with reduced revenue and properly funding road maintenance and projects. Possible consolidation of departments and cooperation with cities should be explored to see if departments can be blended for increased efficiency. To operate at reduced funding levels, TIF funds should be used for road projects where possible to free up EDIT funds for other needs. Declining property and income taxes and state revenues is a challenge. Financial security is the underpinning for everything the county does. I will bring conservative business practices to the county council to assure every tax dollar is wisely used.



In this time of reduced funding, how if elected do you plan to keep the county budget balanced and provide the services that people have become accustomed to? Do you think some services may need to be reduced or cut in the future? Are there other avenues you would like to explore in order to keep the county budget in good shape?

Much of this is answered above. If revenue does not increase, services will suffer. In such cases, I suggest the county assemble a widely representative group of residents to study what services the county provides, what the cost and suggest priorities. What is valued most and least? Elected officials don’t have all the answers. There are plenty of smart people who aren’t elected. Their opinions matter and should be invited and respected. They can also help us identify ways to deliver services more efficiently. In addition, we may need to find more ways to provide services with volunteers.



Finding adequate funding for county road projects such as the C.R. 17 corridor has grown particularly difficult in recent years due to declining revenues. Adequate funding for road paving/maintenance has also become a major issue. Do you see this as an area of concern for the county? If so, do you have any ideas on how best to deal with the situation in the future?

As stated above, TIF funds could be a supplement. But this isn’t a comprehensive solution. Revenue from the state declines while costs increase. Some counties are reverting to gravel roads. This is not acceptable. The state legislature recently gave permission for counties to supplement road funds with property taxes. This just delays the problem. The state doesn’t grant local fiscal home rule. They control everything. Pressure needs to be brought on state legislations to stop diverting fuel taxes to uses other than roads. Sales tax on gasoline isn’t used for roads. This must change.

Randy D. Wilson

• Age: 58
• Address: Elkhart
• Education: Elkhart High School graduate 1972
• Employment: Owner, M-3 and Associates Inc.
• Other: Two children, a son and daughter. My son is an Audiologist in Naperville, Ill. My daughter is a medical coder for St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis. Hobbies: varmint hunting for area farmers.

Why have you decided to run for election?

I have been working with local government for about a decade through the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. I am also a member of the county Redevelopment Commission. So I am familiar with many different areas of government. Being in a manufacturing business for 24 years has shown me how to budget available funds. This experience dovetails nicely with the workings of the Council and I feel it is a position where I can  work with existing council members and have input with the commissioners.



Why do you feel you are the most qualified candidate for this position?

As stated above I have government and business experience that will make it an easy transition to the County Council.



What do you feel are some of the biggest issues or challenges currently facing the County Council? How would you address those issues if elected?

FUNDING. Property tax caps have choked the revenue stream dramatically. We need to work with the State to come up with alternate sources of revenue or find ways to increase our share of the revenues that the State is collecting.



In this time of reduced funding, how if elected do you plan to keep the county budget balanced and provide the services that people have become accustomed to? Do you think some services may need to be reduced or cut in the future? Are there other avenues you would like to explore in order to keep the county budget in good shape?

The County Council still has options that will keep existing services in place. But this will not last forever. With the improving economy I would hope that we will never have to cut services. This is of course speculation on my part but I am hoping for the best. I have several ideas that I would like to discuss with State officials in order to keep our budget in good shape. Additional revenue sharing is one of those ideas.



Finding adequate funding for county road projects such as the C.R. 17 corridor has grown particularly difficult in recent years due to declining revenues. Adequate funding for road paving/maintenance has also become a major issue. Do you see this as an area of concern for the county? If so, do you have any ideas on how best to deal with the situation in the future?

I do see this as an area of concern. We have 1150 miles of county roads to take care of. We also have 167 bridges to keep up. Infrastructure is critical to our county. If our roads crumble so will our economy. Elkhart County has a variety of manufacturers. But how do you get your products to market without roads? Again further revenue sharing with the Sate of Indiana will help us maintain our roads.