Democrats add mayoral, City Council candidates

Two men heavily involved in the post-IBM departure recovery of Greencastle want to be part of the next generation of city government.

Filing their candidacies for spots on the 2015 Democrat city primary ballot earlier this week were William A. Dory, 56, 320 Highfall Ave., and David C. Murray, 66, 514 E. Seminary St.

Dory, the longtime director of the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center, becomes the first announced Democrat candidate for mayor.

He hopes to succeed Democrat Sue Murray, who is in the third year of her second four-year term and does not plan to seek re-election.

Meanwhile, the mayor's husband, David Murray, former president and long-time member of the Greencastle Development Center Board, becomes the first Democrat to file for one of the three at-large City Council seats on the primary ballot.

Dory joins Republicans Haywood Ware, 208 S. Arlington St., and Jim Wright, 902 S. Illinois St., in the primary field seeking the Greencastle mayoral position.

David Murray is just the second at-large Council candidate to declare overall, joining Republican Mark Hammer with his eye on one of three spots to be voted on citywide.

As the noon Friday, Feb. 6 primary filing deadline draws ever closer, the ballot shapes up this way:

Mayor -- Democrat William Dory; Republicans Haywood Ware and Jim Wright.

Clerk-Treasurer -- Democrat Eric Wolfe; Republican incumbent Lynda Dunbar.

Council at-large (three seats avialable) -- Democrat David Murray; Republican Mark Hammer.

First Ward -- Republican Danny Mesecher; no Democrat.

Second Ward -- Republican Stacie Langdon; no Democrat.

Third Ward -- No candidate.

Fourth Ward -- Democrat Bennet ("Benny") Whitlock; Republican incumbent Tyler Wade.

Putnam County Voter Registration Officer Clerk Stacia Hathaway reminds city residents that Republican and Democrat hopefuls alike can file a declaration of candidacy for any of the nine city positions in her office (Room 21) at the Putnam County Courthouse until noon Friday, Feb. 6. Office hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The primary is scheduled for May 5 when Greencastle voters will choose their party's candidates for mayor, clerk-treasurer and seven City Council seats (two of those at-large seats are being added beginning in 2016 by virtue of the city topping 10,000 in population.

Meanwhile, anyone pondering an independent bid for a city office must go through a petition process with a June 30 deadline to complete and file necessary paperwork to have their name placed on the November ballot.