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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54839.26

Three GOP Candidates Unopposed For At-large Council Seats
LA PORTE - The three candidates running on the Republican ticket for three at-large positions on the La Porte County Council are guaranteed to make it past the May 6 primary.

From now until the November general election, area residents are sure to see a lot more signs and a lot more speeches from unopposed candidates Cary Kirkham, Geoffrey Sellers and Roger Wolff.

Kirkham, 60, retired from a 33-year career with NIPSCO as a control room operator, is a member of the United Steelworkers. He has not held a political office, although his wife, Sharon, served one term on the La Porte City Council.

Cary Kirkham is running for a County Council seat because he wants to help bring business and jobs to the county, and uses the theme of "Field of Dreams:" "If you build it, they will come."

"My desire is to get the county more business friendly and look to the future," Kirkham said. "We may have to do some infrastructure things and lay out some money to bring sewer and water in areas of growth."

A lifelong La Porte resident, Kirkham graduated from La Porte High School and attended Purdue University for a year. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968-1969 and was stationed in Vietnam. Kirkham received a Purple Heart and a Navy Commendation Medal. The Kirkhams have a son and three grandsons. They attend Agape Christian Church in La Porte.

Sellers, 40, has been a quality control technician for three years, owns a personal tax preparation business and does other seasonal work. Sellers served a term on the La Porte City Council from 2004 to 2008.

As a County Council member, Sellers said he would encourage an open dialogue among government entities and work with departments to cut spending by becoming more efficient.

"We need to find a way to do things more efficiently and less costly," Sellers said. "We need to look hard at how the county spends the people's money and find a better way."

A La Porte native, Sellers attended Purdue University-North Central in the business administration program with an emphasis on accounting. He served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman stationed in Frankfurt, Germany, from 1986 to 1989.

Sellers is a city precinct vice chairman. He is a member of the United Steelworkers and National Rifle Association, National Turkey Federation, Phea-sant Forever and Fish Lake Conservation Club. He and his wife, Jodi, have two sons and two daughters.

Wolff, 66, has lived in La Porte for 48 years. He retired after 20 years of service as a La Porte firefighter and 18 years as the La Porte County Hazmat director.

Like other candidates, Wolff emphasized the pursuit of "all avenues" for economic development and job growth. He says the biggest challenge facing the County Council is continuing to fund county government with less tax revenue, and he urges fiscal responsibility.

"There will be some tough decisions to be made on priorities of what is funded and what will be cut," Wolff said. "We need to develop a five-year master spending plan that would set spending goals for the future."

Wolff was born in South Bend. He has an associate's degree from IVY Tech and graduated from the National Fire Academy.

Wolff has been a member of the Scipio Township Board for 20 years and is the current president. He has been a Scipio Township precinct committeeman for 15 years, served on the Republican 463GOP Club and the Republican Men's Club. He belongs to the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 363. Wolff and his wife, Georgiana, have two sons. They attend Mill Creek Baptist Church.