City filing period opens Wednesday

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The races for Greencastle mayor, city clerk and city council will be heating up soon with the filing period for the May primary election to begin this week.

Anyone interested in running as a Republican or Democrat for these offices can pick up a form and file at the Putnam County Clerk's office beginning this Wednesday and continuing until noon Feb. 23.

All five seats on the city council are up for grabs this year, to include John Lanie in at-large; Bob Sedlack, Ward 3; Tom Roach, Ward 1; Mark Hammer, Ward 2; and Russ Evans, Ward 4. Hammer is the lone Republican

Also on the table this year is the position for Greencastle mayor and city clerk.

Current Mayor Nancy Michael, a Democrat, is nearing the end of her third term, having been first elected in 1995. She has not officially announced if she plans to run again.

The term of current city Clerk-Treasurer Teresa Glenn, a Democrat, is also set to expire at the end of the year.

While Greencastle voters are the only ones who will go to the polls in May, other Putnam County towns will conduct elections in November, provided candidates file to challenge the current office holders. Most town candidates run as independents.

At Bainbridge, terms are set to expire at the end of the year for Clerk-Treasurer Jason Hartman, along with town council members Naomi Barker in Ward 1, Mike Smith in Ward 2, and Richard Cope in Ward 3.

At Cloverdale, terms will expire Dec. 31 for Clerk-Treasurer Patti Truax, along with town council members John Davis as at-large, Glen Vickroy as at-large, Judy Whitaker in Ward 1, and Don Sublett in Ward 2. Council member Dennis Padgett's term doesn't expire until the end of 2010.

At Fillmore, terms set to expire Dec. 31 include Clerk-Treasurer Maxine Davies, along with council members Curt Leonard in Ward 1, Albert Epple in Ward 2, and Margaret Alexander in Ward 3.

At Roachdale, offices set to expire at the end of the year include Clerk-Trea-surer Jennifer Archer, along with Jack Jones as at-large, Bill Long as at-large, and Barbara Scott as at-large.

At Russellville, offices will expire Dec. 31 for Clerk-Treasurer Janet Kay Smith, along with council members Sally McAfee as at-large and Jim Rodgers as at-large. The third seat on the council, recently vacated by Scot Bushong, was not refilled as of the town's last board meeting.

County Clerk Marty Watts explained that anyone wanting to run for town offices as an independent must have a petition signed by residents in order to be placed on the ballot in November. The state determines how many signatures a person must obtain to be placed on the ballot.

Anyone running as a Republican or Democrat must petition the chairman of their respective party to hold a caucus which will determine if they're name will appear on the November ballot.

Finally, if no one opposes the individuals who are currently holding the offices by the July 2 deadline, then those officials will stay in their positions for another term.

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