Merger Stalled until 2012

Of course Charlie lost interest – he read the election results just like everyone else. And if you think $20k is a big deal, think again. Its a big deal to you & I, but Greenwood is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on litigation. $20k is cheap comparatively.

Of course this isn’t incompetence – its a deliberate effort aimed at ensuring the merger never occurs. Look at the statements of the township trustee and the township attorney if you need further proof. These parties have opposed the merger from the start. While I may not agree with their rationale, this merger has been flawed from the start. WRT was underrepresented on the committee (excuse me, the Pat Sherman show), and it looked more like the Greenwood jr. annexation plan than reorg.

The plan, as currently constituted, provides increased tax revenues for Greenwood, promises of planning for WRT and virtually no service delivery guarantees for WRT. But at least Center Grove could lose its identity, so its got that going for it.

The plan also had the hidden gems of a stormwater utility with unlimited ability to tax (through a fee structure) and the very hidden promise of WRT underrepresentation on the city counsel through the 2020 census and redistricting.

Nothing but common sense prevents an attempt at self-incorporation. Those who favor this route can start the process, but the challenges of politics and economics remain.

Remember, don’t challenge Bantam football – they’re the real power in WRT.

The merger is a Greenwood get of debt plan and how do we bs WRT to get it done? But to the current subject matter; how did our current WRT board get elected in the 1st place? Here are 3 gentlemen who never in their office have they EVER seek the advise of the township legal council. Never. If you went to a township meeting you saw one agenda, the north vs the south. What? Marks from Bargersville & these 3 from North of Whiteland Road. Jay Marks kept reading the book and seeking council, the board decided to write their own book and forget council. (not quit: the gray haired ones from the north were listened to). The board almost immediately bought into the merger and set sail for the rocks. Their patent answer was we’re signing this so the voters can have the final move. Anyone who in the future would vote for any of these 3 to hold an office, has been on some other planet too long. Ken Smith as the new Trustee with the new board will get WRT back on course, and lead us to the right path. Heading WRT in the right direction for it’s future.

To John Griffin, et al; every 10 years I’ll make a mistake. Curious as to who reads this stuff. Thats a lie (bet that’s the 1st time anyone ever saw those words here). The hot candidate for WRT trustee is Ken Baker, not Smith. So I don’t forget, he’s planting a huge candidate’s sign in my yard on Morgantown Rd. I have to wipe it off everyday besides keeping the grass trimmed. I’m lucky he could have asked for night lights.

Ed, after reading your comments on this site and in the D&J for several years, I can only hope you buy counseling in large blocks.

If Ken Baker isn’t the Republican nominee, what chance does he stand? When’s the last time a non-Republican won office in WRT?

It is my understanding that Ken Baker is a Democrat without naming his party. Mr. Baker was recruited to run for the office of Trustee by the current Trustee in reprisal for losing the election to a current Board member. The current Trustee has been seen wearing a Ken Baker for Trustee t-shirt.
Mr. Marks has manipulated his office, made the Board look bad and refused to work with Board on issues.
When the current Trustee would not sign the paper to send the voted resolution to Greenwood sought the advice of Council (which he hired for the Township).
Once the question was asked “Why does the Township need an attorney”. I never heard an answer. Now (based on the accounts published in the Daily Journal) we see the purpose of hiring an attorney. That purpose was to represent the Trustee and keep him out of trouble and not represent WRT. Thus, the question need be asked; “Who pays for the attorney. Is it the Trustee or is it the Township”. If the Township pays the salary for the attorney, should that attorney represent the Township and share his council to the Trustee. Or, should the Trustee pay the expenses for this attorney since appears that the attorney only represents the Trustee and not White River Township.
I am just asking for the light of day to shine the truth of the matter for all to see.

It is great to see the interest in who should lead our township expressed in this web site.

I agree with Ed Woods; Ken ‘Smith’ Baker is the hot candidate for Trustee in November.

This is a sensitive time in our community. I have vowed to stay above the line in my political pursuit of the office of Trustee because enough negative has been done to our community without adding another layer by me as an Independent candidate for the office of Trustee.

I will, however, respond and defend my position and beliefs as any worth while candidate does during an election.

To Joe’s question of if I am not the Republican candidate what chance do I have? History would say slim to none. But this election my cmapaign intends to ensure people know there is another choice. This will be a historical moment in WRT and I hope Joe will be a part of the positive history and vote for me and talk to others about finally having a choice in November.

Ken Marshall, for whom I voted for in the primary for Advisory Board, Democrats don’t vote in Republican Primaries. I guess your data is flawed to call me a Democrat. My father’s family are Democrats and my mother’s family are Republicans. If you wanted to eat good food at Sunday family dinners, you learned to listen to both sides of the issues. My voting record is public record and you will see I am a real Independent as I have voted for the best qualified person in elections; not the party affiliation.

Is Jay Marks a suppoter of Ken Baker for Trustee? Yes, he is. I appreciate his promise to vote for me as I appreciate any and all people’s support for my election. I was asked to run by township residents that are tired of our community being torn apart.

This election you do not have to settle for the same old political disappointments of elections past. You have a choice and I am betting you will choose progress and unification of our community over the divisive actions of my opponent and the past administrations.

I really thank Ken Baker for voting for me in the Primary Election and I mean that with sincerity. It is very difficult to run for an office in Johnson County if you were not born and raised in Johnson County along with ones parents. This is what I have been told (not my words).
I had a very difficult time developing a position or identity in the WRT Primary amid all the shouting, chicanery and misunderstood allegence.

Therefore, I will not hazard to lose any support by attempting to alienate a potential supporter in the future. I need every vote I can muster.
I would take issue with Mr. Baker however. I have been a Precient Committeeman for many years now and have worked at the polls in many primary elections. It is common to see party switching in a Primary Election. I am going to speculate as to why, because that is a choice of the invidual voter. But it is common.
A voter may feel he/she can make a difference of some kind by switching party affiliation to maximize impact in a contest. Poll workers are often schooled in how to deal with such cirucumstances.

Mr. Marshall,

I am glad you are a Precient Committeeman and support the process. Please ensure there are no residents not registered to vote in your precient and ask them to vote for me when you register them.

I see no need to debate whether I am a Democrat or a Republican. People can make a determination about me based upon what ever agenda they may have. I have voted in both primaries and I have voted for candidates from both party affiliations. I guess it is my own arogance to think I can make a judgemnt based upon a person’s qualities and commitments and performance rather than what lable they may be wearing. I think I will continue to be just that way.

I hope I can count on your support in November.

Joe,

I think Mark messick has demonstrated his policy pretty clearly over the 10 years he has been on the Advisory Board.

The budgets he has approved for Trustee Maples, the endorsement of the construction of a building that the taxpayers ended up having to unload because the figures used to justify the off setting income from the building was based upon pipe dreams that did not materialize. Mr. Messick has defended the behavior of Trustee Maples even when the Board of Accounts sought criminal charges for the Trustee’s actions.
His dislike for Jay Marks and his desire to make political points at the expense of disrespectful public behavior demonstrates his lack of ability to separate personal feeling from business needs.
The past two years Mr. Messick’s lack of leadership in the process of the merger study has lead the township into being divided so badly that trust for one another is no where to be found.
Mr. Messick’s conduct in meetings open to the public has been conduct unbecoming a leader of our community.
If you think there is no difference in my and Mr. Messick’s policies you certainly missed the CORE of my campaign: TRUST, HONESTY AND RESPECT.
I want to win this election by the votes of people that recognize the past ten years of Messick have been a train wreck. I hope you will support me because of my management background, my reputation of honesty and that you share my hopes for restoring the community to a unified township.
So there are some real differences for you to consider.
Messick’s political rhetoric is just that, Political Rhetoric.
I have a history of delivery!

Mr. Baker,

As much as I am an advocate of 3rd parties, I agree that I would like to see you differentiate yourself from Mr. Messick’s platform moreso before November. I understand that the core duties of Trustee are relatively straightforward, but I feel you may become a victim of a heightened political environment caused by the reorganization efforts (despite the decline recently).

In everything I’ve read, you come across as sincere – however I hope you realize that Messick is and will paint himself as the establishment candidate; and the best way to defeat an establishment candidate is resonate with the citizens disappointment during the entire WRT reorg. In my view, you should try to tie him closely with the mess this has become. Just my political 2 cents…

Brian

Ken, you’ve yet to deny the following…

So Kenneth Marshall is not speaking the truth when he says: “Mr. Baker was recruited to run for the office of Trustee by the current Trustee in reprisal for losing the election to a current Board member. The current Trustee has been seen wearing a Ken Baker for Trustee t-shirt.”

I need to hear that denied before I can understand how HONEST your campaign is, or if I can TRUST you as a candidate.

I also need to hear more about your “history of delivery” before I can RESPECT what you’ve done. You’ve told me you’ve delivered – it could be multi-million dollar projects, it could be pizza.

Spend more time selling yourself, less ripping on Mark Messick. I’m fine with you pointing out his inadequacies, but if all you are is a puppet candidate for Jay Marks, well, that brings plenty of baggage of its own.

Joe, sorry for the delay in response to your concern.

I want to address your concern about “Mr. Marshall’s false allegation that I was recruited to run for office by Jay Marks”. I think Mr. Marshall just made a mistake and assumption because I am not a baptized Republican. I AM, however, recruited to run for office by many. I received several phone calls the two days following the Primary election. Jay Marks did not call me and ask me to run for office. Jay did call me after my decision to run to tell me he is happy that I am running and offered his support if needed.

Now that is my HONEST answer and I hope you will TRUST that is the truth. I RESPECT your questions and your concerns.

You asked “What I have delivered”:
1. Service to my country as a soldier in the United States Army.
2. To my family by supporting our development as a family with values and a willingness to answer the calls to service.
3. I delivered on my responsibilities to my employer, Eli Lilly and Company for 35 years.
4. I delivered well enough in my roles at Lilly to be promoted several times and be responsible for managing significant projects and departments of over 50 associates and site responsibilities for all of Indianapolis site’s Security.
Those are my tangible deliveries. My volunteer efforts and community outreach work are hours contributed that need no measure as they are what I do to give back.

And Joe, if you need a Pizza, call me. I can deliver that too.

I do not intend to ‘rip’ on Mark Messick, but I will hold him accountable to his record while on the Advisory Board and his lack of leadership as the President of that Board.

By the way Joe, I did not catch your last name.

Puppet????? You really do not know Ken Baker.

I would really like to have your confidence and your vote, Joe.

There are some folks in the township that may be satisfied with the last 10 years of the township trustee’s office performance. Those folks will not be voting to change anything and will probably vote for my opponent. That may well be where you end up, Joe, and I respect your choice.

Sorry if I offended you by buying a lottery ticket in my campaign shirt. I usually buy tickets for both the Wednesday and Saturday drawings and do not pay attention to what I am wearing when I purchase the tickets. (by the way, you did not hear correctly; I have yet to purchase Power Play. I just play for the jack pot and the power play does not effect it.

As for the state doing away with Township Government: To free up the millions of dollars in reserves by the townships the state would be wise to abolish township government. But as far as dealing with local assistance and support for the citizens and assets I think township government has a purpose. If it goes away while I am in office? It is a good thing you reminded me of my free lunch at Lilly; I will not starve.

White River Township has three elected County Counsel members representing the area. It is important for the Trustee to have a good working relationship with the Counsel and represent the townships need through those members. I think I can do that.

Thanks for the feedback and I hope you vote for me on November 2nd.

Ken, voters did ask for a change. That’s why Jay lost the primary.

Remember, Jay ran for office in 2006 telling folks he was going to clean things up after Danny Maple got into trouble.

It would appear that Jay didn’t actually impress enough of those voters, as Mark Messick won the 2010 primary on a platform that one of the owners of this site described as “cleaning up the accounting, trimming the budget and working with the county, Bargersville and Greenwood”.

You’re not doing a very good job of explaining why you’re running for political office, from the perspective of what you plan on doing. You may well be correct that you’ve got a better personality than Mark Messick, but give me some idea of what you want to do! I’m trying to HELP you come up with a viable platform here.

Given how far out of their depth the Jay Marks Three (aka the Township Board) will be once they get into office, I’m afraid a township trustee who can’t articulate a solid plan for his time in office is not a good choice. The trustee will need to lead the township the next four years.

Mr. Devoe,

I do think Mr. Messick is different than Jay Marks. So, I stand corrected, people could vote for Messick and be voting for change from who was elected Trustee in 2006.
But real change? Mark Messick has been a part of the most bloated ten years of local government in the history of WRT. I have nothing to base any hope upon that Mark Messick will do any better as a Trustee than he has as an Advisory Board member. Look at his tenure and assess the issues that have deterioated the reputation of the local Trustee office.
The folks that are satisfied with the past ten years will likely vote for my opponent.
I am asking the voters to vote for real change in personnel.
Three of the four people in the office are gone and one more needs to leave.
The relationship between me as the Trustee and the new Advisory Board will be a professional business relationship that good decisions for the tax payers can be created and implemented. (that is a change worth voting for)
I, as Trustee, will conduct public meetings without the political posturing between the Board and myself. (that is change worth voting for)
I,as Trustee, will be accountable to the people of the township to be Honest and fair. (that is change worth voting for)
I, as Trustee, have a goal to represent ALL the citizens of WRT and mend the wounds Messick and Marks have caused between the north and south portions of the township. (that is change worth voting for)
So for REAL change we can not continue to go to the polls and vote for the same ole folks and expect a different result.
One more has got to go!

Thanks for sharing your insight.