Hi Folks,
I am a township Trustee / Assessor in Madison County, Green Township. I just attended
the 3 day Indiana Assessor's Winter Session, where most everyone had heard of this
proposed study committee to look at removing township officials. I too am concerned about
my 9 cemeteries I must maintain. I am concerned that I have no VFD and pay 4 surrounding
VFD's to cover fire and ambulance in my township. I am more worried over the little
old 77 year old lady I help a couple of times a year with utility bills on Poor Relief.
Once she called me at 8 pm on a Friday evening, to tell me her electricity had been shut
off due to non-payment. I had her power restored so fast she said her teapot on the stove
didn't even cool off. Do you folks think a county person would be able to do that on a
Friday? Not in a minute. They would send the application out in the Monday's mail, get
it returned in a couple of days, go visit her (18 mile drive from courthouse), then take
their 72 hours to respo!
nd, and by the next Friday possibly have it turned back on. In the mean time she freezes.
Now, also remember, they can't call her, since she can't afford a phone. See where
I'm going with this?
I am writing the legislators on this matter, and I hope you will also. I challenge any one
of them to go take a ride with me to the poorer trailer park in my township and visit a 78
year old lady who lived with her brother for years, after their spouses passed away.
Unfortunately, her brother died, and now she has only one SS check to make it on, and not
two. They lived fairly well on 2 checks, but guess how far $429 a month goes these days.
Right, not very far when rent on her 700 sq. ft. and very old house is $350 / month. Get
my point? Think a county person would care?
Also, as learned at this session, we discussed the new SB#1 that requires all elected Twp.
Assessors after the 2006 election to keep up with continuing education and obtain 2 levels
of training certification, as we presently do. Keep in mind, not everyone does well in
classes or on tests, but know the ins and outs of twp. assessing better than most any
legislator does. But assuming this person to be re-elected in 2006, and for some reason
can't get the level 1 in one year, they can be jerked out of office. The bill goes on
to say something like...."any person removed from office can be replaced in a
political caucus by the appropriate party".....even if their first day appointed to
the job is indeed just that....."their first day to ever assess". Yes, they do
have one year also to get certification. My question to them in the wrap-up was like
this..." What are those legislators thinking....who in their right mind would they
ever get to take my lousy job". Yes, I got a large !
round of applause,....... thanks very much!
Here again, Legislators need to follow a Twp. Assessor around some day during appeals with
the county and the state level when the taxpayer appeals. Also, in my township, due to the
old Urban Sprawl problem, I have 2780 new homes on the books in the planning stage or
already approved by County Commissioners. Yes, I have to visit and measure all them. My
salary, yes very low...about $6.00 per hour. No complaints, just do my job.
Believe it or not, some of us just like to work with the community we live in, and return
some bit of service to the community we call home,....... just like most of you work your
tails off with physical work and overseeing that our township cemeteries are very well
kept up. Please keep up the great work. My county has a real good bunch of volunteers on
the Cemetery Commission.
Gotta go....take care and thanks for reading.
PS.........Write a few of these turkeys a letter for me, please,
Greg Valentine
Green Township Trustee / Assessor
Madison County
-----Original Message-----
From: Marjorie Hoppas [mailto:margkeybd@rexnet.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 9:29 PM
To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [INPCRP] Township legislation
Thanks for the info. I had heard something on the radio about this and was
wondering at what extent the bill might reach. I, for one,am getting sick
and tired of our politicians messing with my daily life. They can't even
keep their own back yard clean, let alone messing in ours. We have a great
township trustee. He has been so helpful with the cemetery that I have been
working on. I know for a fact that the county people would not be as
helpful. When I had to go to the courthouse to check on some deeds for the
cemetery. They looked at me like I was someone from outer space and said
that I would have to come back because they were busy at that time!
Progress - I believe not!
Is there anyone that we can voice our objection to doing away with the
Township legislation? Our rights will be lost to the "BIG BOYS" of politics
if the township goes away.
Marge
----- Original Message -----
From: <KidClerk(a)aol.com>
To: <INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 10:32 AM
Subject: [INPCRP] Township legislation
I don't know how many of you here in Indiana watch politics very
closely,
but
there are some issues that have arisen in the last few months that
seem to
be
getting more and more attention in the Indiana General Assembly that
would
have a direct affect on our activities. I'm not sure if it will be good
or
bad
to tell you the truth when it comes to cemeteries, but it is
something to
start keeping on our radar screen. Maybe our township trustees and
township
association reps here on the list can let us know what they're
hearing. I
personally think it will affect me as a volunteer firefighter and fire
chief more
than
my interests in cemetery preservation.
There is proposed legislation this session in SB0187 which would require
the
merger of townships and in HB1155 to eliminate townships totally.
While
there
have been efforts to do this in the past that were not successful, it
appears
that gubernatorial candidates from both parties are at least saying
that
this
should be looked at. And with the recent re-assessment debacle still
going
on, our legislators seem to want to blame everyone but themselves for
screwing
things up...and are going to take it our on the township, and
possibly
county,
forms of government. Without getting on my soapbox about government
closer
to the people being the most effective (I guess I just did :) I will
say
that
the legislation that eliminates townships transfers most if not all
services
previously administered by the townships over to the county. Now
let's
think
about this...if you have a problematic township trustee that lives a
mile
from
a neglected pioneer cemetery and can't get any cooperation, what
about
trying
to convince two out of three county commissioners, none of whom live
anywhere
near the cemetery, let alone in that township.
I should add that HB 1155 appears to form a study commission that will
propose legislation in 2005, so it won't happen for over a year, but it is
something
we here in Indiana should watch closely.
Having gotten my start in government as a township board member and then
county clerk, I can assure you the county is in no position to take on the
responsibilities of the townships..and therefore they will be considered,
pardon
my
language, the "adopted bastard stepchildren" of county
services...and we
will
all lose in the process.
OK...so I lied..I did get on my soapbox....
Thanks for your time.
Kyle D. Conrad
Brook, IN
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
Scott Satterthwaite < ssattert(a)localnet.com > is the INPCRP State
Coordinator. Feel free to contact him directly regarding questions or
comments you may have about the INPCRP.
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
Scott Satterthwaite < ssattert(a)localnet.com > is the INPCRP State Coordinator. Feel
free to contact him directly regarding questions or comments you may have about the
INPCRP.
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