The League of Women Voters of Brown County chose the questions to ask the candidates in each race and sent questionnaires to each candidate who has opposition in the primary.
Other candidates will be questioned before the November general election.
Answers appear in the candidates’ own words. Some answers were trimmed to stay within the 150-word limit.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization.
1. Please describe the occupations, education/training and experience that qualify you for this office.
District 1
Tracey Callahan Burnett (D): Education: Tri-West Hendricks High School, volunteer firefighter. Guardian ad Litem/Court Appointed Special Advocate. Bail, private investigations, courtroom testimony training/experience. Disaster planning and response for corporate loss prevention. Specialized interview and evidence collection techniques. School volunteer, foster parent, IEP parent. I am proficient in state code, promulgation of administrative code, rules and regulations, compliance and enforcement, internal auditing, preparing, submitting, providing justification for and daily management of state budgets, state board of accounts rules and regulations, inter-agency communication and cooperation, supervision of multiple departments. Serving the public efficiently, professionally, and in a manner that ensures the public’s right to information is not impeded and that protects the confidential data of our citizens. IT development and its relationship to complex public business operations. Public speaking, employee recruitment, retention and development, public relations, and conflict resolution in a high demand, high-yield environment. 2020 master electrician program student. Career/occupation: Retired/Indiana BMV IT department manager.
Chuck Braden (R): I am currently the zoning inspector for Brown County. I have been in this position since May 2017. I approve sign permits, inspect tourist rentals for safety compliance, assist the building inspector with construction inspections, and assist in the application of various requests that come through the planning office. I was previously employed as a construction superintendent for a builder in Indianapolis. I worked with new homeowners from the planning of their new homes through the closing, scheduling the sub-contractors for the different stages of construction, working with municipalities for inspections, and meeting with the homeowners after closing and providing customer support when warranty items needed addressed. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1980 to 1988. I worked primarily as an aviation electrician of fighter/attack aircraft.
Blake Wolpert (R): Education: Brown County High School, Indiana University, University of Texas (El Paso). Career/occupation: U.S. Navy, transportation industry. As far as qualification is concerned, neither occupation/training, education or experience is a prerequisite for most county elected offices. Being a resident of the county and complying with deadlines is about it. Being reasonably intelligent, educated and possessing some common sense are benefits in all aspects of life, and local government is no exception. I’ve spent the majority of my working life in the transportation industry, and as is standard in all industries, sound business practices are a great first step to success. Radical deviations from best practices have a significantly lower success rate.
District 3
Ronald E. Fleetwood (D): Education: Graduate of Brown County High School. Career/Occupation: Currently retired, over 30 years of management and technical experience, Cummins: customer quality liaison, Customer Assistance Center representative, manager Cummins Uptime & Access programs, field test support, heavy duty service engineer, new product service engineer, technical support manager, superintendent of Brown County Highway Department, service manager at Sternberg International Bloomington, dealer support manager at Cummins Crosspoint. Training: Quality Customer Service Training Program Purdue University (3.0 continuing education units), Disney Approach to Management, Keep Your Customer Satisfied Dun & Bradstreet, Publications Development, Product Liability Write Smart, Common Approach to Continuous Improvement, Computer Applications Word, Access, PowerPoint, Excel, 3D Customer Focused Training Process, Application/Installation Engineering Course, Technical Leadership Seminar, Cummins Technical Systems Training, Cummins Society of Technicians, Cummins Electronic Engine Control Systems Insite Program, Marine Application Engineering Training.
Jerry Lee Pittman (R): I am a lifelong resident of Brown County. I graduated from Brown County High School and obtained my bachelor of science degree in education from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. I have operated multiple businesses here for 50 years, some of which employed as many as 20 people. I served on county council for six years prior to being elected commissioner in 2016. I have experience in both the public and private sectors, i.e., finance, human relations, regulatory matters, etc.
2. Why are you running for this office?
District 1
Burnett: Brown County deserves a commissioner that embraces the history of this place, the art of it and the joy, all while vigorously protecting and providing for the future of it. A commissioner that actively listens, one that makes evidence-based decisions and that understands the law of unintended consequences, in addition to Roberts Rules of Order. A commissioner that is respectful and inclusive of the rights of all. A commissioner that ensures that Brown County is a gracious host to visit, a secure home for raising a family, an excellent employer and a top-notch provider of public service, public safety and legal infrastructure. Every penny of tax money collected or committed should be necessary, used for public benefit and should never be misused by ignorance nor intent. I would be proud to be that commissioner for Brown County for as long as you’ll have me.
Braden: To serve my community. I have lived in Brown County for 20 years, raised and am still raising my family here.
Wolpert: As a public service. Compensation for some offices, boards and committees are such that enhancing the quality of life for family, friends and residents is its own reward. Brown County is a unique and special place. Keeping our character is of primary importance.
District 3
Fleetwood: Concern about the lack of transparency, no comprehensive plan for the highway department available for the public, no oversight or accountability on the part of the commissioners.
Pittman: I am running for this office because I have enjoyed serving county government these past 10 years. This community has been good to me and I feel I owe it to them to give back of my time and talent. I can bring stability and common sense to local government, and have a track record of doing so.
3. Please identify three key challenges that require action by our local officials. What are your plans for addressing these?
District 1
Burnett: Transparency and public mission: Public meetings and any documents that are presented during those meetings should be posted online in a timely manner. County business should be conducted in a manner that is professional, open and receptive to feedback and cooperative with the public that it serves. Commissioners are the top business official in the organizational chart for county government. They absolutely set the example for all other county officials. Maintenance and infrastructure: Road and bridge maintenance and repair funding must be an absolute priority. Brown County should have clearly communicated long- and short-term plans for equipment, maintenance and replacement. Oversight and budgeting: Budgets should be justified and regularly supervised. Standard operating procedures should be updated on a regular basis. Commissioners must be familiar with every facet of the businesses they rely upon to deliver public safety and utility services. Commissioners have a major role in the success of every county department.
Braden: A. Aging infrastructure: Work with local, state and federal officials to fix it. This is a common problem in many communities like ours. We need to find the available resources necessary to remedy it. B. Affordable housing: There are a few areas out in the county where affordable housing communities can be established. It will take working with the landowners, developers and neighbors to make it a reality. In those areas, infrastructure will need to be established. C. Developing infrastructure in areas like Bean Blossom: There are several areas which would benefit from a sewer system there, and it could revitalize the area, allowing for more businesses.
Wolpert: Although the board of commissioners is the “executive branch” of local government, its authority is limited. Perhaps most important is the board’s appointive powers in selection of members to fill positions on boards, commissions, committees and certain department heads. That being said, if we pick three, say, infrastructure, public safety and public health, once those positions are filled and boards seated, we should support management and staff and forego the temptation to micromanage.
District 3
Fleetwood: The highway department needs restructuring and planning for the future. Training for highway department employees in an investment in proper knowledge, cost reduction, work efficiency and employee improvement, morale boosting and good attitudes, safety and reducing liability. Much work needs to be done in the area of the septic ordinance and evaluation of spending the county tax dollars.
Pittman: First, declining population, both general and school enrollment. We need affordable housing to attract and maintain younger couples. We are getting better roads and high-speed internet that will attract people to work and retire here. Second, we need economic development to create more jobs and increase our tax base. This is always a challenge because of lack of infrastructure. Encouraging more home-based businesses is an ideal way to generate revenue without affecting our environment. This is possible now with high-speed internet capability. Third, taxes must be kept low enough to be affordable for all residents. The county council did a good job of holding the line on taxes this past year, but it is difficult to balance the true needs of government with the desires of constituents for services.
4. How will your plans align with the county comprehensive plan, the county financial plan and the economic development strategic plan?
District 1
Burnett: Comprehensive plan: “The ability of residents to commute easily to jobs in neighboring counties and to operate mail-based, telephone-based, and internet based businesses in Brown County should be protected and, where possible, enhanced. … The desirability of Brown County as a place to live in retirement also should be protected and, where possible, enhanced.” My goals align with the comprehensive plan. One my primary goals is to make sure every stakeholder understands the plan and their role in it. Financial plan: My focus will be on justification for current funding, estimating future funding and ensuring it is compensated for within the budget. Economic plan: The plan should be part of Brown County’s short- and long-term goals. It can also be detrimental to the over 50 percent of our population in the lowest income brackets. Planning for future jobs, support resources and overall quality of life over generations must be agreed upon and set into action.
Braden: The economic plan calls out the need for housing and infrastructure. The comprehensive plan lists water and sewer as necessary for areas where commercial development could take place. The comprehensive plan also speaks of residential growth and what is needed for that growth. By adding small housing communities, enrollment in the schools would increase, the tax base would increase, and overall tax burden individually would decrease. In Bean Blossom, the empty buildings could be made into thriving businesses.
Wolpert: Lots of dedicated and intelligent folks have been involved with the comprehensive plan over the years. Where the plan is still viable and appropriate, I support it. County council has final say on fiscal matters, but I support the concept of “less is more” with regard to taxes and government. Let the free markets work their magic. A credible economic strategy is for government to create an environment for small business to thrive and get out of the way.
District 3
Fleetwood: The highway department is one of the most important items in each of these. There have been four sets of commissioners and five highway superintendents in the last 13 years with no continuity, no plan to follow. We need to develop a “standards of practice” manual to guide all future superintendents. Water accessibility is another major restriction for development. Currently, the water company has no strategic expansion plan. Commissioners need to connect with Brown County Water Utility to develop a plan for the future. According to the board of commissioners, the 2020 county financial plan will not be available until sometime in April. Looking at the 2019 and projected 2021 plan, an aggressive review of all spending needs to be completed. Claims that are paid by the board need to be published for public review.
Pittman: Our comprehensive plan is in need of serious update and I am encouraging the plan commission to attend to this as soon as they are finished with updates to current laws. I supported the lowering of lot sizes to encourage more home building. We recently received a county financial plan update from Baker-Tilly and it will provide a pathway to our financial future. We have come very far from the days of just reacting to problems. I will encourage all leaders to buy into this plan. The economic development strategic plan is dependent on many factors. I am supporting an update to our onsite septic systems as well as determining the need for sewers in some areas of our county. This issue will always be problematic with lack of infrastructure countywide, but with the creativity of talented people, I am confident we will find a way to better Brown County!
