[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=55292.61

Candidates on the November ballot
KINGSBURY

Clerk/Treasurer: Democrat, Laura Matchette

Town Council at-large: Democrats Sherry Banic, Betty Durham, Diane Durham, Carol McMahon and Ed Ritter; Republican Jeffery Matchette

WANATAH

Clerk/Treasurer: Democrat, Stephen E. Mockler

Town Council Ward 1: Democrat W. Ken Massengill; Independent Larry Sellers

Town Council Ward 2: Republican Leslie (Les) Young; Independent Charles Jonas

Town Council Ward 3: Democrat Harry Bernstein; Independent Philip LaFoone

Town Council Ward 4: Republican, Jeffery Newburn

Town Council Ward 5: Democrats Scott Proud and Paul Young

MICHIANA SHORES

Clerk/Treasurer: Republican Steve Millick

Town Council Ward 1: Democrat Gray Carlson

Town Council Ward 2: Democrat Joseph Brekke; Republican Jean Poulard

Town Council Ward 3: Democrat Melissa Dillon; Republican Richard Young

Town Council Ward 4: Democrat Lorna Chronis; Republican Joan Lewis

Town Council Ward 5: Democrat Dana Dabagia; Republican Richard Pliske

TRAIL CREEK

Clerk/Treasurer: Democrat, Anne Dobbs

Town Council Ward 1: Democrat Jamie Baldwin

Town Council Ward 2: Democrat Warren Schacht and Daniel Tompkins

Town Council Ward 3: Democrat Brian Studtman

Town Council Ward 4: Republican John Bayler

Town Council Ward 5: Republican Ronald Lombard

POTTAWATOMIE PARK

Clerk/Treasurer: Republican Kimberly Gondeck

Town Counci Ward 1: Libertarian Michael Sloan

Town Council Ward 2: Republican Robert Wisthoff

Town Council Ward 3: Democrat Susan Tochell

LONG BEACH

Clerk/Treasurer: Democrat, Anne Heywood; Independent, Joy Schmitt

Town Council at-large: Democrat Bob Schaefer; Republicans Robert Angelo, Henry Bausback, Kevin Flemington, John Hayes, Mary Lou McFadden

LaCROSSE

Clerk/Treasurer: Republican Judith Kasten

Town Council at large: Democrat Jack Turner; Republicans Carl Albertson, Robert Wheeler, Kim Bos

Ballots Will Be Heavy With Democrats

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - The ballots for November's general elections across La Porte County have essentially been set, with only a few intra-party decisions still to be made in some of the county's smaller towns.

La Porte County Democratic Party Chairman Dr. Vidya Kora said Thursday the towns of Westville, Wanatah, Trail Creek and Kingsbury will have to hold town conventions to pare down the number of candidates running for their respective town councils.

In Kingsbury, five Democrats are running for four at-large seats, while in Wanatah, two Democrats have filed to run for the 5th Ward council seat. In Westville, two Republicans have filed to run for the 5th Ward town council seat and in Trail Creek two Dems have filed to run for clerk/treasurer.

Kora said Thursday the conventions will be held Aug. 18 in Wanatah and Aug. 16 in Trail Creek. The party is still deciding on dates for the other two conventions. Unlike in caucuses, where precinct committee people vote on a candidate, conventions allow all party members in a town to vote.

The November election will likely be noted for the relatively easy road for Democrats - especially in Michigan City - who have opponents in two races. Republican Keith Harris will face off against Democrat newcomer Mark Espar in the 2nd Ward city council race. Newcomer Barth Hobbs was chosen by a caucus to run for one of three at-large council seats.

Libertarian Mark Lindborg is also seeking an at-large seat against Hobbs, Democrat challengers Angie Starks and Bob McKee and incumbent Democrat Joe Doyle.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie, Clerk Tom Fedder, 1st Ward Democrat Richard Murphy, incumbent 3rd Ward councilman Ron Meer, incumbent 4th Ward councilwoman Pat Boy, incumbent 5th Ward councilman Willie Milsap and incumbent 6th Ward councilman Phil Jankowski are all unopposed.

"I'm happy that the party is strong, vibrant, and has strong participation at the grassroots level," Kora said about his party's relative lack of opposition.

"There's no significant opposition in Michigan City, but we had good races in the primaries."

La Porte County Republican co-chairman Tom Rutkowski said this week that he would've liked to have had more Republicans in Michigan City races. "But we've got some good candidates in there," he said.

Change will take place on the La Porte City Council, as two incumbents chose not to run again and another chose to run for a different seat. Democrats Gautama "Goot" Logwood and A.C. Pressler will face off against Republicans Fran Milo and Tim Stabosz for one at-large seat formerly held by Sharon Kirkham.

Milo is a former La Porte School Board member and Stabosz currently represents the 2nd ward. Democrat Sherrie Hammons will face Republican Spencer England in the race for the 2nd Ward seat and Democrat Bill Proud will face Republican Donald Heichel for the 3rd Ward seat.

Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

[JHeath]

Town Council Ward 3: Democrat Melissa Dillon

Isn't this Mike Bohacek's significant other?

[RedDevilMC]

Yes it is.

I have a Port-a-Pit fundraiser on September 22nd at Movie Gallery. 10am- 2pm. $5.00 donation. I have tickets for sell also. Anyone interested let me know. I probably should put this under another heading.

Angie

[Southsider2k12]

Yes it is.

I have a Port-a-Pit fundraiser on September 22nd at Movie Gallery. 10am- 2pm. $5.00 donation. I have tickets for sell also. Anyone interested let me know. I probably should put this under another heading.

Angie

You can start a new thread if you want for all of your information.

[Ang]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41337.15

Changes To Come For City Council
The nine-member board will have at least four new members.

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The voters of Michigan City wanted change on their City Council. Come Wednesday, they're going to get it.

The nine-member Michigan City Common Council is assured of at least four new faces after Tuesday's election, and the possibility exists that more could come.

"It's going to be different," council Vice President Ron Meer said last month about the overhaul. "But I think whoever comes on will be able to work well with everyone."

Of the nine seats on the board, only two races are contested. One, however, is the at-large race, which looks to replace two incumbents in a three-seat race.

Virginia Martin will retire in January, and Evelyn Baker was beaten in the May primary. Incumbent at-large councilman Joe Doyle was a top-three vote getter in the primary, which means he'll run against four contenders to keep his seat.

The at-large candidates are Democrats Doyle, Angie Starks and Michigan City Park Board President Bob McKee, Republican Barth Hobbs and Libertarian Mark Lindborg.

Doyle, 69, is finishing his first term on the council, while Starks, Hobbs and Lindborg are seeking their first elected office. About the changes on the council, Doyle said "new faces, new ideas, professionalism, teamwork and dealing with facts in a positive way should produce greater results."

Doyle is a proponent of North End redevelopment and of doing "whatever it takes" to develop business near the U.S. 421/Interstate 94 interchange.

Starks, 36, pointed to the business acumen of many of the "fresh faces" vying for council seats as a positive to changing what many have called an unprofessional attitude on the current council.

"Most of the newcomers are business professionals with heavy ties in the community," she said. "Hopefully that will help balance economic development with community neighborhood improvements."

McKee, 46, laid out a list of his priorities for the city, which include North End redevelopment, work on the Michigan Boulevard corridor and presenting all major entrances to Michigan City in the "best possible" way. He also will push for open access to Lake Michigan on the city's West Side.

He also found on the campaign trail that Michigan City is essentially the city he always thought it was.

"Most of my assumptions have held true," he said. "It's a blue collar town that's reasonably resistant to change." He said when residents oppose something, they form an "impenetrable wall" to whatever it is they oppose.

"I intend to meet with all the council members sooner rather than later to develop a top-10 list of things that need to be done in the city," he said.

The two newcomers to the race face stiff challenges against three candidates well known to city politics, and both have said they're ready to do what it takes to better Michigan City.

Hobbs said the election will bring "more balance" to the council and "more meaningful debate on important issues (like) property tax relief." Lindborg, though, hinted that the changes won't make much difference.

"Due to voter apathy, I presently don't foresee much change from its present thinking process as there wasn't any radical change."

Hobbs, a 49-year-old Republican, said he'll vigorously support" development of the North End, while Lindborg, 44, took a more tempered approach.

"I'd keep an open mind to change and stand behind those in business that would add to our tax base and not ask for government to acquire someone else's land for them," he said. "Self-sufficient business would be a priority."

[Ang]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41337.15

2nd Ward Hopeful Wants Dem Backing
Republican trying to take a seat on a council known for Democrats.

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - He's got the mayor, a sitting city councilman and a potential new council member campaigning for him, and Marc Espar says he isn't afraid of his opponent in Tuesday's municipal election.

"I don't see the race being tight, as much as I see us making sure we get Democrats elected," said Espar, who's running for the vacant 2nd-Ward council seat against Republican Keith Harris. "I'm not taking anything for granted. Not that I'm afraid of my opponent in any sense of the imagination. We're just trying to ensure a large turnout of Democratic voters."

Mayor Chuck Oberlie, at-large councilman Joe Doyle and at-large candidate Bob McKee have been hitting the 2nd-Ward pavement in support of Espar, who beat long-time councilman Paul Przybylinski in the May primary.

Harris was unopposed in his Republican primary.

A 50-year-old computer technician, Harris is one of only two Republicans running in Michigan City races. The city has been known for decades as a "Democrat town," with only a smattering of Republicans having held public office, a notion that Harris takes issue with. He said it's been straight-ticket voting that has kept Democrats in power for so long.

"It's only a perception that this is a Democrat town," Harris said. "There are plenty of Republicans out there, they just never have candidates. The Democrats are very good at the 'punch 10' mentality. That's very irresponsible. They need to vote the person, not the party."

The 2nd Ward is open for the first time in more than 10 years with the ouster of Przybylinski. He had strong support in the 2nd Ward for many years, and Espar, 44, said he thinks reaching out to those voters is important in getting him elected.

"He was so entrenched in the ward. But voters who were aligned with him no longer have allegiances," Espar said. "They're fair game, and that's why it's important to have people like the mayor and Joe Doyle campaigning in this ward."

Harris agreed, in part, that 2nd-Ward voters are now up for grabs. He contends, though, that sitting Democrats simply ran Espar to get rid of Przybylinski and are now happy simply that he's gone.

"So there are a lot of voters out there that are looking for a candidate," he said. "I've heard from a lot of people in the ward who say they're Republicans who just haven't gotten out and voted. "Hopefully we get them out to vote."

[Southsider2k12]

Well good for the Espar camp for admitting they are running on Oberlies coattails. I just wish they would have done it before the primaries instead of acting like it was some big secret. Treating people like they are stupid isn't a very effective campaign technique.

[Roger Kaputnik]

It depends, SS!


By the way, for fun at the Michiana meetings, try asking the bohacek squeeze a question!

[Ang]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=45707.58

Second Ward
Ward Offers 2-Party Choice Tuesday

Editorial

No matter who voters in Michigan City's 2nd Ward choose to represent them Tuesday, they will have someone who is deeply committed to their needs.

Voters will choose between two newcomers - Democrat Marc Espar and Republican Keith Harris - who are life-long residents of the ward and promise to bring professionalism to the City Council.

After meeting with both candidates, The News-Dispatch Editorial Board has endorsed Espar.

Espar, 44, views North End development as vital to moving Michigan City forward. "North End development has to be a priority. This is an opportunity we need to grab," he said of the potential of the Trail Creek corridor.

On the major issues, there isn't much to separate the two. Both see a need to develop the U.S. 421/Interstate 94 interchange, even if it means Michigan City needs to extend water and sewer service south of I-94. They both see tourism as vital to the economy and they both view Washington Park as the crown jewel of the city's attractions.

But it's also Washington Park where the two differ a bit. After the Washington Park Master Plan presented earlier this year called for development of a restaurant on the lake, the idea created controversy and caused the City Council to back away from supporting the idea.

Espar isn't opposed to private development in the park as long as it remains a place where the public can go to enjoy the lake. Harris is a bit more cautious in his approach to development in Washington Park. There is a need for Washington Park to be upgraded and there's no reason there shouldn't be a restaurant in the park and other amenities.

Because both are long-time residents of the 2nd Ward, they know the issues. Both are concerned about crime and promise to meet regularly with residents and neighborhood groups.

Espar, who is a financial manager and administrator for a medical office, would bring his fiscal abilities to the council. He promises to approach his council responsibilities in a business-like manner. Harris, who owns a computer business, pledges to bring a "customer service" approach to city government.

The dilemma for 2nd Ward voters is that two able candidates are on the ballot. Both will represent the ward well, which is why endorsing one over the other is difficult. We lean toward Espar.

This letter is in today's Anvil Chorus....

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=45841.87

Break City's One-Party Rule
Voters of the 2nd Ward, especially the more thoughtful Democrats, have a unique opportunity on Tuesday to crack the hard shell of One Party Rule that has been responsible for so much of Michigan City's "quality of life" over the last 20 years.

Even though Paul Przybylinski showed genuine concern for the welfare of the city, he sometimes chose to oppose. That didn't sit well with the administration and the party hierarchy. "Well, why don't we just run the brother of the city attorney against him?" the party "leaders" asked, "that'll repair that particular crack in our wall."

And so the party coffers were opened and one of the two disloyal Democrats was summarily dumped. The rest of us await with bated breath to see if you voters of the 2nd Ward will vote to reverse the downward spiral. Your vote can help return the two-party system and the genuine dialogue and transparency in local government that has been missing for so long.

Your vote for Keith Harris will do just that.

John H. Vail

Michigan City

[Mr. Mark S. Lindborg]

I met with Mr. Keith Harris and Mr. Barth Hobbs today and feel they would be serve our community with the fiscal respect and a devoted heart that has been missing for some time. As for the News-Dispatch's Editorial recommendations I do appreciate that they made an arrangement to meet with me. I do however question their objectivity with the exception of Angie Starks. In review of the facts; Our budget has grown considerably under Mr Doyle's leadership. Bob Mckee is the brother of the N-D's outdoor sports writer and the growth of the park department budget speaks for itself. Judicial vs Legislative ethical issues are at question for Mr. Espar. As for my experience and vison. Before my employ at New Energy Corp. I was employed at Indiana State Prison for over ten years. Successfully completed annual training during my tenure in Criminal Justice, Ethics, Departmental Policy, Self Defense, Fire Arms and First-Aid/C.P.R. and Government is by far not new to me. While in my employ I was instrumental in returning $300,000 from the Powerhouse budget to our State coffers while not compromising service in just ONE of those years. I've been involved in politics for many years and have run for County Council twice before this election. I've attended workshops on municipal govenment to futher my education. Our budget has grown more than Threefold thru this One-Party leadership from Eighteen Million to Fifty-Seven Million in the last decade, questionably outgrowing the earnings of our residents and my vision is one of more fiscal responsibity.So it is with profound sincerity that in my opinion there are underlying issues with their choices and I hope on Tuesday the intellect the public wasn't belittled and will gather the facts; Not punch Ten and get fooled again... P.S. Don't to forget to VOTE!

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=49738.31

Five Candidates Seek Three Seats

Editorial

Michigan City voters have choices in the at-large race for the Common Council when they go to the polls on Tuesday. Five candidates are running four three spots - four of them newcomers to city politics.

After interviewing all five candidates, The News-Dispatch Editorial Board has endorsed the slate of Democrats Joe Doyle, Bob McKee and Angie Starks. Also on the ballot are Republican Barth Hobbs and Libertarian Mark Lindborg. Both are running spirited campaigns but neither has the vision or professional experience required of the responsibilities for City Council.

Doyle, 69, is the only incumbent running for at-large and has completed his first term. By far he is the most visible of the candidates because of his years of involvement in the Summer Festival and other public events in the city. But as a retired executive from Bethlehem Steel, Doyle also has the business background necessary to help guide the city through a very crucial time in its history.

Michigan City is on the cusp of major change and Doyle has been a vocal advocate for change and moving the city forward, especially along the Trail Creek corridor and on the North End. "It is without a doubt that we must utilize the various studies and create a plan and implement it as soon as possible," said Doyle of the North End. He also sees tourism as playing a key role for the city and that it's important for the community to "capitalize on what we have."

McKee, 46, is the current Park Board president and has been around local politics his whole life because of his late father, Roger McKee, a Democratic operative in the city for decades. McKee, who owns Krieger-McKee & Associates, an investment and financial planning firm, is knowledgeable about budgets and financing, skills vital to position the city for growth.

McKee sees development of both the North End and Washington Park as crucial and said he supports plans to move efforts in both area ahead. He also wants to build bridges with the Statehouse and the governor's office, something that can only benefit the city. Given the city's less than rosy relationship with the governor, any kind of a step in that direction would help the community.

"Not only the North End, but the Michigan Boulevard Corridor and other major thoroughfares like U.S. 12 need to be developed," said McKee. "The minute you do that, things will change."

Starks, 36, is a dynamic force who has returned to the city she grew up in after years away working for major corporations. This is her first attempt at public office and she has not shied away from any issue. She is a fresh face and new voice that will serve to energize the council.

Starks said she supports development across Michigan City, because with that will come good paying jobs. "The more things we can do to help downtown, the more things there will be to do for people," said Starks.

Hobbs, 49, has lived in the city most of his life. The graduate of Elston High School is committed to the city, but in discussing what he would do to move the city forward, he spoke in generalities and offered few specifics.

Lindborg, 44, has run unsuccessfully for county office twice before, but this is his first attempt at City Council. Lindborg is right when he says Michigan City's economy shouldn't be totally dependent on Blue Chip Casino because there's no guarantee it will be around forever.

While he supports North End development, Lindborg isn't a proponent of government acquiring land to do it. That is fine in theory, but without the city acting on a plan to develop a vital corridor like the one along Trail Creek, nothing would happen.

Lindborg said he was running for office as a way to get more people involved in local government. That ought to be the goal of every candidate. Public participation in government is necessary in order to make sure elected officials are responding to the public's needs and not merely acting in their own interests.

All five candidates deserve the public's praise for putting themselves on the ballot. That is a step few of us will ever take. That said, the three that we feel will best serve the city's interests are Doyle, McKee and Starks.

The Issue: Three Democrats, a Republican and a Libertarian are competing for the Michigan City Common Council at-large seats.

Our Opinion: We feel the best qualified candidates for at-large are Joe Doyle, Bob McKee and Angie Starks.

[Roger Kaputnik]

The last thing MC needs is a rubbery stamp for Oh-No Oberlie.