Joe Irwin, an Atwood area farmer, announced his candidacy Thursday for the Kosciusko County Council District 2 seat.
He is the second person to make the public declaration after Mason Charlton did so on Tuesday.
The council seat became vacant after the death of Republican Councilman Mike Long on Feb. 27. Long’s term expires Dec. 31, 2026.
Irwin was raised near Atwood, where he now resides with his wife, Amy. He is a 1991 graduate of Warsaw Community High School and has dedicated his entire career to working at Irwin Farms, his family-owned and operated business, according to a news release from Joe Irwin.
In addition to farming, Irwin serves the as president of the Atwood Lions Club and vice chairman of the Atwood Community Building. Since January 2019, he has served as a member of the Kosciusko County Drainage Board, which is responsible for the construction, maintenance and repair of the county’s regulated drains.
In his release, Irwin said his background has equipped him to be “a strong member of the county council by giving him experience with budgets and government operations, knowledge of the issues affecting District 2’s large agricultural community, and a heart for service to others.”
“We are a county with a strong agricultural heritage, and we are also a developing county with a growing population,” Irwin said. “It is important that we strike a good balance that allows for responsible growth while preserving the values, traditions, and resources that make our county unique.”
Irwin says that he would take a common sense, conservative approach to government service, never forgetting that the county council is tasked, first and foremost, with protecting the interests of the taxpayers and ensuring that their tax dollars are used wisely and efficiently. If elected, he said he would do his best to honor the legacy of Long by being a steady advocate for the taxpayers and a strong voice for his constituents.
Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Ragan announced late Tuesday night the caucus will take place at 6 p.m. March 19 in the old courtroom of the county courthouse in Warsaw.
Eligible members of the caucus are the Republican precinct committee members who have served continuously for 30 days before the commencement of the caucus.
A new District 2 councilman will be elected by a secret ballot of the majority of the voting caucus members to fill the office vacancy. Candidates must reside in Kosciusko County and be a Republican in good standing.
Declarations of candidacy are available at the office of the Kosciusko County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, be filed with Ragan no later than 72 hours before the commencement of the caucus.
Eligible candidates will be allowed a maximum of three minutes to address the voting caucus.