By Phoebe Banks
InkFreeNews
Greg Anderson
PLAIN TOWNSHIP— Four Republican candidates are vying for the three-member Plain Township advisory board nomination. Democrat Gaynor R. Worden is the only candidate on the ballot for that party. The primary election is May 3.
Greg Anderson was raised in Leesburg. He is a member of the Leesburg Lions Club, NRA and American Legion Post 49. “It would be my honor to give back and serve my community I have grown up in. … I want to come alongside incumbent members running and continue to keep the taxes as low as possible for the township, using current taxes in the most efficient way,” Anderson said.
Robert Bishop has lived in Plain Township his whole life except two years. He is a farmer and is an active member of the Leesburg Lions Club and other Kosciusko County organizations.
Larry Kammerer, the incumbent, was born and raised in Plain Township. He and wife Kay raised two daughters and a son. They attended Leesburg school and graduated from Warsaw High School and Purdue. He has seven grandchildren and is a member of Wawasee Community Bible Church.
Jamie Pass is a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County and has lived in Plain Township for 20 years. She’s a legal assistant at a local law firm. She and her husband have three sons. “My husband and two of our sons are on Plain Township Fire Department. I have been looking for a way I can serve our community, and that is why I decided to run for Plain Township Board,” she said.
Robert Bishop
Q. What are your qualifications for the office?
Anderson: I’m the current office manager at Floras Auto Sales, Leesburg. My experience for the past six years has given me the opportunity to contribute to the development of the company by supervising its daily operations. I will bring a business background with practical solutions to support the council in managing the township’s affairs.
Bishop: I’ve served on the advisory board for 16 years. I have a good idea of the many things we have done in the past and projects we have planned for the future of Plain Township. I’ve served as chairman of the advisory board for 16 years.
Kammerer: I’ve served on the Plain Township advisory board for the last four years. I have been on the county extension board, 4-H Council, park producers board and church boards. I’ve been a farmer for 50 years and being responsible for the financial matters of the farm.
Pass: I have never run for political office before; however, I have experience raising a family without the use of credit cards. If we wanted or needed a big ticket item, or wanted to go on vacation, we planned a budget and saved up. Once we had the money saved up, we bought the item or took the vacation. I plan to use that experience to make financial decisions for the township.
Larry Kammerer
Q. What issues, if any, do you see within the office that you would have solutions for?
Anderson: There are very few people present at the board meetings. I would love to see more active participation from the community regarding any questions or concerns they may have. We want and need to hear your voice.
Bishop: I don’t see any real issues at this time. The advisory board has taken over the maintenance of all cemeteries in the township and have paved all the streets in Leesburg and Oswego cemeteries. The advisory board plans to erect tornado sirens in the township to help protect citizens from severe weather. I’ve strived to keep our tax rate as low as possible and not overspend on any projects. I think we as a board have done that, as our tax rate is one the lowest in Kosciusko County. We’ve provided the most affordable EMS service through Lutheran EMS. Our volunteer fire department is one of the best in the county. We thank them for the many hours they spend in training and taking care of our township citizens. We’ve provided them with the most up-to-date equipment available. I plan to continue providing them with the best equipment.
Jamie Pass
Kammerer: Our main responsibility is taking care of the finances of the township. One of our major budget items is the fire department. I’ve had a good working relationship with the fire chiefs the last four years. If we have issues in the fire department or the cemetery, I always try to be available to sit down and help solve the problem.
Pass: I don’t believe there are any issues currently. However, should any issues arise it would be my plan to work with the other township board members and the township trustee to address those issues and come up with a solution.