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Candidate Bios: City Council Third Ward
The following is part of a series of biographies of local municipal candidates for the upcoming election.
Candidates were asked to submit a biography of no more than 500 words describing themselves and their qualifications for office. Only candidates who submitted biographies are featured.
Editing by the Banner Graphic news staff is minimal for only style and clarity purposes.
Tina Nicholson
Tina Nicholson, a 30-year resident of Putnam County and political newcomer, is running for the city council’s Third Ward seat.
Nicholson has worked in the title and real estate profession for 28 years and closed numerous real estate transactions under Abstract & Title and Quality Title. Nicholson found opportunities to use her skillset – which includes detailed work requiring a discerning eye – in new fields, joining Co-Alliance Cooperative as a legal assistant, and putting her name forward for consideration by her friends and neighbors to represent them in city government.
Nicholson feels she can bring a unique perspective to City Hall reflective of the needs of citizens of the Third Ward.
“I’m a working mom. Both my kids went to Greencastle High School,” Nicholson said. “My son, Tanner, graduated in 2015. He went to Franklin College, and he’s now a police officer in Greenwood. I worry about him every day, but I’m a firm believer that you have to have faith and be grateful there are people who put their lives on the line for others. Police officers and firemen run toward danger when other folks run away. It has to be appreciated no matter what community you’re in because they need our support.
“Makenna, my daughter, is a senior this year, and I’ve been a 4-H mom as she’s shown beef, acting as support staff,” she continued. “She will probably want to go into something agricultural related. 4-H is awesome, and imparts so much onto kids, including work ethic. I’ve tried to guide and teach by example, and facilitating that has been a joy, watching her get up early in the morning to go feed and practice showmanship, instilling those values in herself by repetition.”
Nicholson described learning her own work ethic and leadership style.
“I was 20 when I started at Abstract & Title at the front desk, working my way up to managing our team. Customer service was vital to our success and the customer came first, which I learned from my old boss, Lee Comer. Going above and beyond is so engrained that, in any project, I strive to learn all I can because success necessitates a knowledge base from which you can base good decision-making in order to set the right example and be a good leader.”
With an opportunity to serve, Nicholson described her motivation to run for office.
“I love Greencastle and the people that live here. I’d be honored with the opportunity to collaborate with folks from all walks of life to address our many infrastructure issues and contribute to the growth of our downtown in order for it to thrive. It’s an exciting opportunity to represent the many diverse qualities and viewpoints of the Third Ward. I would like Greencastle to be a clean, safe community that attracts new business and families.”
Nicholson has been married to her husband, Travis, for 30 years. Among many things over the years, the two have also enjoyed supporting youth sports together.
Veronica Pejril
Veronica Pejril declared her candidacy for reelection to Greencastle’s Ward 3 Council seat on Jan. 4, running on the Democratic ticket.
Pejril was first elected to the Greencastle City Council in 2019. During her first term, she championed increased investments in city infrastructure, doubling Greencastle’s 2023 street repair budget. Councilor Pejril also supported pay raises for police officers, firefighters and other municipal employees to promote morale and retention.
“Working together, we’ve accomplished so much, all while navigating a historic pandemic,” Pejril said, “but there is still much to do. We must do more to support quality of life, especially for our underserved residents.”
She cites improving the housing inventory, investing wisely in impactful infrastructure and community safety as important challenges to address.
Pejril’s vision is to “inspire everyone in our community to come together around our common values to make Greencastle a more vibrant, more welcoming place for everyone.”
Councilor Pejril’s work includes service on the city’s Budget Committee, Human Relations Committee and Sustainability Commission.
Pejril is active with 100 Women Who Care of Putnam County, the county Housing Stability Committee, Greencastle NAACP Unit 3051 and she serves on the board of directors for Main Street Greencastle. She plays jazz/blues piano with her church community and in Putnam County’s music scene. She regularly seizes opportunities to donate her talents to benefit local and regional organizations.
An outspoken champion for our young people, Pejril’s community advocacy has been featured in regional press and television media. She serves on the executive board of Indiana Youth Group, and the board of trustees of Princeton University’s LGBTQ+ Alumni Association, BTGALA.
While a student, Pejril founded a small business, Black Squirrel Software, to market computer-music tools she developed, and she wrote a children’s book on accepting differences. In 2017, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin commissioned her as a Kentucky Colonel, the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
At DePauw, Pejril leads the university’s instructional technology team and is assistant professor of music. The daughter of a municipal water treatment engineer and a public school math teacher, Councilor Pejril is a 17-year resident of Greencastle and a proud parent of two Purdue graduates.
For updates on Councilor Pejril’s work and campaign, visit her campaign page: www.pejril.com