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Republicans to pick new Fourth Ward city councilman at Oct. 21 caucus
Residents of Greencastle's Fourth Ward will have new representation following a Republican Party caucus scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The party caucus is set for 4:30 p.m. next Tuesday in the commissioner's court on the first floor of the Putnam County Courthouse.
Putnam County Republican Chairman Jerry Ensor said the two Fourth Ward precinct committeemen, representing the Fourth East and Fourth West precincts, will vote to determine a replacement for T.J. (Terry Joe) Smith.
Smith was first elected to City Council in 2007, ousting seated Democrat Russ Evans. Smith was unopposed when he was re-elected in 2011.
However, the deputy's two felony convictions last month in a federal police brutality case resulted in his automatic explusion as a City Council representative as well as termination of his position as a police officer.
The replacement selection will come down to a vote by Fourth Ward precinct committeemen Steve Fenwick and Steve Smith, with Ensor casting a tie-breaker, if necessary, should balloting exceed two rounds.
Three candidates have expressed interest thus far, Ensor said, listing Fourth Ward residents Justin Long, Tyler Wade and Jim Wright as the current candidates.
Long serves as deputy prosecutor for Putnam County, while Wade, a 2008 Greencastle High School graduate and Wabash College alumnus, is an admissions counselor at Wabash. Wright, who is retired, is a former Greencastle Street Department superintendent now active in creating a Neighborhood Watch program in the Fourth Ward.
It remains an open process, Ensor said, as long as hopefuls are registered Republicans of voting age (18 or older) who reside in the city's Fourth Ward. However, an applications is necessary and can be obtained at the Putnam County Clerk's Office. It must be submitted 72 hours prior to the caucus.
The new Fourth Ward representative will join a five-member Greencastle City Council that includes fellow Republican Mark Hammer, Second Ward; and Democrats Phyllis Rokicki, at-large member; Jinsie Bingham, Third Ward; and Council President Adam Cohen, First Ward.
When the city holds its next election in November 2015, however, it will add two at-large seats to become a seven-member Council by virtue of Greencastle's population now topping 10,000 residents.
Meanwhile, Putnam County Republicans have another event scheduled this month, holding their annual hog roast on Saturday, Oct. 25, beginning at 6 p.m. at the fairgrounds.