Three Republicans look to advance in District 2

Republicans have three declared candidates vying for the Greene County District 2 County Commissioner's seat.

The candidates include: Nathan Abrams, Route 5, Bloomfield; Willard Neill, Route 1, Bloomfield; and Darin Stalcup from Bloomfield.

Commissioners run as at-large candidates and will appear on the ballot throughout the county.

Nathan Abrams

Nathan Abrams says elected officials need to follow the law and be ethical about the way they carry out their jobs.

Wise use of tax dollar is something the first-time political candidate supports.

"I just think it's time we started using some common sense in the way we start using our tax money," Abrams said. "It's not about me as a commissioner. It's about the taxpayers. There is a difference between what is legal and what is ethical."

He continued, "It's legal for the county commissioner to pave his/her road. But that's not ethical. There's nothing illegal about it, but it's just not right."

Abrams added, "I live on a state road and I don't need one (paved) so someone is going to get my mileage."

In Abrams' view, economic development, roads and land use planning are the key issues in this year's election.

Admittedly, land-use planning is a controversial topic that he believes few people really understand.

"It can become a huge mess," he added.

He doesn't feel land-use planning or zoning should be such a big issue in this agriculture-based county.

"I don't think a county like us we can stand it (from a cost standpoint)," he stated.

He feels zoning might be unnecessary if many state and county regulations on the books currently were enforced.

Abrams said with shrinking state support and shifting of responsibilities to the local government level, budgeting will be key in the next few years.

"We need to make sure we get as much for those tax dollars and make them stretch as far was they can," the Republican candidate said.

He also thinks the county highway department needs improved and they need to stop at the top of the leadership.

"The commissioner's job is a management position and I really don't think we are doing a very good job with that," he added. "We've got to take our buddies out of the system and do what is right for the taxpayers."

Abrams, a 1980 North Daviess High School graduate, has lived in Greene County for the past 16 years.

He operates a quarter horse training business in the Calvertsville area called "Karen's Few Acres," which is named after his wife.

The couple has three boys.

Willard Neill

Highland Township Trustee/Assessor Willard G Neill has held his township post for the last 21 year.

He says he has budgeting and property assessing experience that qualifies him to make good "common sense" decisions as a county commissioner.

Neill said running for commissioner is something he has thought about for some time and had considered running in past elections.

"I believe in a government for the people by the people, I think you have to use common sense in making some decisions."

Neill also said that zoning and land use planning is also something commissioners will be dealing with first hand in the near future.

The GOP candidate said from what he knows about zoning now, he would not be in favor of it if it resembles the stringent plan that is now in use in neighboring Monroe County.

"Myself, from what I know about it at the present time, I am really not for it," Neill stated. "I think there are some good things about zoning, but you don't want it written up the way their (Monroe County) is."

Neill is a 1954 graduate of Worthington High School and retired from Wetterau Foods Grocery Company in Bloomington in 1993 with 31 years of service.

Neill said roads and maintenance of roads remains as a key duty of a county commissioner.

"I believe that the main roads need to be taken care of first. All roads need continual upkeep," he stressed.

Neill said if elected he would like for the public to have better access to the meetings and that means scheduling at least some of the meetings in the evening hours.

He has been married to the former Sally Waskom since May 1958. Neill has resided on the family farm in Highland Township since 1963.

The couple has a daughter and a son.

Darin Stalcup

Darin Stalcup is making is first bid at elected office.

He calls himself "a new face with new ideas."

The 30-year-old, 1996 graduate of White River Valley High School grew up in the Switz City area.

He currently lives in Bloomfield.

He is employed at the Worthington VFW as a bartender.

In his job, he says he has often been talked to by patrons who discussed affairs at the courthouse and with the highway department and wondered why some changes couldn't be made.

As a result, he decided to seek a spot on this year's ballot.

"I'd like to see our tax dollars put to a better use. We need roads better taken care of and we need more roads," Stalcup commented.

The young candidate also left little doubt where he stands on land use planning and zoning.

"I personally don't think it would be a good idea for Greene County. I can see some benefits, but to me the downfalls outweigh the benefits," he said.

Stalcup says roads need attention in all parts of the county.

The Republican candidate and his fiancé, Karen Fisk, are the parents of a 12-week-old daughter, Piper.

The couple lives on South Seminary Street in Bloomfield.