GOSHEN —
With Goshen City Council President Tom Stump headed to Elkhart County Council, a vacancy will need to be filled as of Jan. 1, according to Stump.
He will resign the city council office via a letter to Elkhart County Republican Party Chairman Dale Stickel, he said. His resignation will be effective Dec. 31.
“I’m excited for County Council,” Stump said Wednesday. “It presents new challenges.”
Stump won with more than 38,000 votes, as did Republican incumbents John Letherman and David Ashe. He said he decided to run for office because he wants to see more efficiency in government.
“I’m looking for efficiencies to suggest,” Stump said. “I’m excited about that.”
Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman said Stump has been a good asset to City Council.
“We disagreed on a lot of things, but we’ve probably agreed on more than we’ve disagreed on,” he said. While Stump has been a conservative voice on City Council, his time spent on Redevelopment Commission has been more progressive, Kauffman said. No matter where he serves, Stump has an ear open, Kauffman said.
“He still listens to people, and he’s willing to change his mind,” Kauffman said. “Sometimes he’ll oppose an idea when he first hears it, but after he listens to more details, sometimes he’ll think about it. He’s not afraid to express his own ideas or listen to others.”
Stump’s replacement will be selected through a process in December, he said. Once Stickel has received his resignation letter, he will call a caucus of the Goshen City Precinct Republican committeemen.
This caucus will hear from interested individuals, and then they will vote for Stump’s replacement. All of this will take place sometime in December, Stump said.
Local Republican Brett Weddell said he’s very interested in the possibility of being on City Council. Weddell ran against Councilman Everett Thomas in a Nov. 8, 2011, election, but lost.
“I’m definitely interested in being on the city council,” Weddell said.
If elected by the caucus, Weddell said he would like to spend time getting used to the council position before attempting to lead any ideas to the council.
“My first goal would be to get accustomed to the position,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to make any large moves.”
Weddell also took time to congratulate Stump.
“I was very happy to see that Stump won,” Weddell said. “...Tom is a great individual, and he’s got huge shoes to fill.”
Stump said he will miss Goshen’s City Council.
“I will have been there 21 years by the end of December,” Stump said. “But I expect to still be part of the city.”
Also up for grabs is the City Council President position. Stump said that will be handled in January, though he doesn’t know who will become the next president. Kauffman said he was also unsure if the Republican members of the council, who hold a majority, would vote for a Democratic council president with more experience or a Republican president with less experience.
Stump said he’ll still be present at some city meetings, and that he believes Kauffman will continue his appointment to the Redevelopment Commission.
“I have ideas (for the Commission),” Stump said with a laugh.
For more information on Goshen City Council, visit www.goshenindiana.org/content/city-council.
Breaking News
Related Photos
-
Stump and Weddell.jpg
Goshen City Council will have new face in 2013
- Breaking News
-
-
Concert series to benefit ministry
It is summer and time for outdoor music. It is also the beginning of First Fridays — a concert series hosted by the local community ministry, Reason 4 Hope.
-
Planners like changes to CVS parking lot
Access to the CVS at 410 S. Main St. in Goshen could soon be easier for those with disabilities following a ruling by the Goshen Plan Commission Tuesday afternoon.
During their meeting Tuesday, Goshen Plan Commission members gave their blessing to a request by CVS Pharmacy and State Permits Inc. for a major change to the CVS Planned Unit Development that seeks to reconfigure the north portion of the parking lot to increase the overall Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility of the site. The final site plan for the PUD was also approved by the commission Tuesday, and the request will now be forwarded on to the Goshen City Council with a favorable recommendation. -
Council won’t fund school sidewalks
GOSHEN — Goshen City Council members voted along party lines Tuesday to defeat a proposal by Goshen Community Schools for a 50-50 cost split between the city and the school corporation to pay for a $125,000 sidewalk expansion project.
-
Millersburg man airlifted from crash scene this morning
A 26-year-old Millersburg man was airlifted to Memorial Hospital of South Bend after he was struck by a car early this morning.
-
Council declines to fund sidewalks near schools
The Goshen City Council voted 4-3 along party lines Tuesday night to defeat a proposal to spend $62,500 on constructing sidewalks near schools in the city.
-
'Experience Michiana' segments to be taped in Goshen
The crew with WNIT program “Experience Michiana” is set to tape segments in Goshen this week. The segments will be broadcast June 27 and 28.
-
State officials warn people to be alert at fairs, festivals
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security and state police are reminding state residents to be alert for safety concerns when attending county fairs and other local festivals.
-
Goshen officials donate former Hawks Building to LaCasa
An agreement between Goshen city government and LaCasa Inc. allowing for the donation of the former Hawks Building to the local non-profit was approved Monday.
-
How to monitor a Facebook Page while out of the office
With the popularity of social media soaring by the day, it is important for online marketers to keep their Facebook page updated regularly, and monitor it daily to answer comments and questions that fans post.
-
GROUNDS FOR INSANITY: In need of a support group — or several
It’s an idea whose time has come. Actually, the country’s been ripe for it since the oil crisis of the Carter administration, but I was young then and hadn’t twigged to it yet.
- More Breaking News Headlines
-
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Dolce and Gabbana Convicted of Tax Evasion
Paris, Prince Depositions Used in Jackson Trial
Coiffed Cattle Get Their Close-up
In Berlin, Obama Channels Cold War Activism
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Fed Suggests Bond Purchases Could Slow
AP: DOJ Broke Own Rules Seizing Phone Records
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
Aug. Trial Set for Ohio Man in Triple Kidnapping
Car Crash in NYC's East Village Injures 8
