Misuse of WRT trustee website?
Ove the past few days I have been contacted by a number of people who were bothered by the fact that on what is labeled “The official White River Township Trustee’s web site” there is a call to re-elect current Trustee Jay Marks. Although the site is labeled as the “official site” the site is paid for by Mr. Marks with own money and the domain is registered in his name. I spoke with Jay yesterday and he stated that since it is his site paid for by him “I can put any information I want to on that site.”
Legally and technicially he is 100% correct. However that view was not accepted by township residents I spoke with. One of them commented that if it is a called the official site of the White River Township Trustee is should only contain official township information, not political endorsements or ads. They have a point.
What do you think?
This page was still up on Friday morning, it promotes the candidate forum that Mr. Marks hosted for himself and three townshp board candidates on last Wednesday.
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4 Responses to “Misuse of WRT trustee website?”
I did run across this website when looking through Google for White River Township government. This appears to be “The Official White River Township website” as is clearly stated. When looking trough the site one can find information about poor relief and the few responsibilities the Townsip Trustee is charged to do (by state law).
Comment made on April 30th, 2010 at 10:19 pmHowever, it is clearly a vehicle to promote the reelection of the Trustee and the candidates for Board he selected to run with him.
On appearances this is deceptive and an unethical effort on the part of the Trustee as well as his candidates who are “going along” with the charade. It is my understanding that Mr. Marks pays for this site out of his own pocket. I am not sure if that is the pocket he puts his Township pay in or another pocket from his other employment. We may never know.
(it takes about $10 to get a website hosted by Go Daddy or competitors).
This is a companion to Mr. Marks own relection website. Thus there are two “reelect Jay” websites. The real one and the “fake one in the name of YOUR township”. There is a problem here. This is an inexpensive one. The Township probably should have an Official Website for the Trustee where someone can browse and find a completed budget, monthly accounting of expenditures (and where) along with instructions where someone can seek relief.
I would be in favor of spending that $10 per month or so and make the Official Township Trustee website honest, accurate and a benefit for the community that would be paying for it. We could have someone volunteer or paid staff to keep it up to date and accurate.
If elected I will make this the 2nd order of business after seeking out a clear budget.
Kenneth Marshall
Candidate for Township Board
White River Township
The Trustee’s website, based on this mornings Journal (1 May)it is all kosher. All the disclaimers are in place. Prior to the Marks era businmess in the Trustee’s office was a good example of smoke and mirrors. Mark’s operation looks like the proverbial “hound’s tooth”. I don’t think it’s necessary to continue. But on the other hand lets listen to the main theme of his opponents. “Don’t mixed the merger with the race for Trustee or Board members”. If the belief is that it is not part of the campaign, then we have examples of either; (1) stupidity or (2) a township of very neive taxpayers. You decide. Within the township election this year the voters are being forced with some heavy tax dollar issues. (1) the spendthrift of all spendthrifts, the CGSC and it’s problem (2) county jail issues (3) a township fire department that when it comes to finances runs a close second to CGSC regarding judgement. At age 81 we don’t really need CGSC, but what can you do? On the other hand we very much need the fire department, just like we need the Sheriff and highway department. We’re old but not yet senile. So now you get down to making choices. I can avoid a merger with Greenwood, that last reported and not disputed, will run in the area of 27-28% increase in our curreent tax. By simply rejecting that idea I avoid that increase. The expense of the school corporation, fire department, county police protection, a jail (oh yeah one way or the other that will happen. Watch the federal courts)and the other county burdens are all unavoidable tax burdens. So who needs a merger? One of the pro merger candidates mentioned that a township of 40K population needs more than county government to exist. FYI: there are numerous counties in this country that maintain unincorporated areas twice and three times 40K. Less government is what we’re looking for today. Come May 4th, we’ll vote “no merger”. Come the general election in November, we’ll do it again.
Comment made on May 1st, 2010 at 1:32 pmThe election is now over. Fall candidates for the Republican Party in the Township are chosen.
I have a couple of questions for Ed:
1. Can you explain what “Mark’s operation looks like the proverbial “hound’s tooth”. I missed that euphemism while growing up in Central Indiana. When I research the phrase, I get a definition of
“commonly or traditionally referred to, esp as being an example of some peculiarity, characteristic, etc.”
So help us with what you mean by this statement.
2. Is there a difference in those things considered legal and those things considered as ethical in our society?
Help the readers here. Some might be confused with the meaning of your entries. Thanks!
Comment made on May 7th, 2010 at 1:06 amIt is commendable that there has been some editing of the website http://www.whiterivertownship.com to be more appropriate to what the name of the site implies.
Comment made on May 7th, 2010 at 1:17 amWe all have a debt of thanks to Trustee Marks for taking the money out of his own pocket to pay for the hosting of a website that can benefit citizens and homeowners of White River Township.
May we hope that such a website in some form of a “.org” or a “.gov” that benefits the citizenry will continue is some way after January. It should not be the obligation of Mr. Marks to continue to pay for the site.
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