Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Incumbent Tippecanoe Township Trustee Chris Francis, Republican, is seeking to hold off Democrat Barbara Fabyan in the November general election.
Both were asked to answer three questions, in 250 words or less. Below are their responses.
1. Why are you running for trustee?
Francis: The township trustee is a position of public service, not political activism. I am your homegrown, eighth-generation Tippecanoe Township incumbent; the fourth member of my family to hold the position. Beginning at age 16, I have dedicated 27 years to serving our community. Twenty-two of those years have been in law enforcement, with a significant amount of time spent in Tippecanoe Township.
I am seeking my third term as Tippecanoe trustee, along with Board members Ed Clayton, Mark Lawson and Jim Rhodes, to continue the priorities we set forth during the past eight years.
First and foremost, I believe in strong, local emergency services. I have seen quite the transition during my career with the fire department. We reached an important milestone this year with the 50th anniversary of our ambulance service. I intend to continue to do my part to ensure we have local emergency response for another 50 years. Every time a fire or EMS call is made in Tippecanoe Township, our dedicated men and women are there to answer the call.
I believe in government transparency and maximum services through minimal taxes. We are in the process of implementing a website that will have our meetings, minutes and resolutions posted for the public. We are also one of the few townships that have social media to connect with our constituents.
Working with the board, we have accomplished numerous achievements for the betterment of our township. We recently started the third year of cemetery restoration with completed stone repair in both North Webster and Oak Grove Cemeteries. We recently began the stone restoration in Mock Cemetery, and the improvements were instantly noticeable. We are partnering with the restoration company to host a gravestone cleaning course in the spring that will be open to the public free of charge.
Fabyan: In Indiana, the township trustee is the closest government to the people, responsible for developing and filing an annual budget in order to manage and administer local tax dollars. In Tippecanoe Township your tax dollars are used to provide you with fire protection and emergency services, manage and maintain local cemeteries, provide assistance to township residents in need, and support local nonprofit organizations. Senate Enrolled Act 270 seeks to make government more efficient by evaluating townships on efficiency. Those that do not meet the state's standards set forth in the law will have to merge with another township or reorganize with a larger city within the township. I wish to guide Tippecanoe Township through these changes to assure it continues to be sustainable and tax dollars stay local. As the state continues to cut resources to local entities, a significant amount of time and attention will be needed to monitor and adjust to these changes. This is probably the main reason I threw my hat into the ring.
As a retiree I am able to meet that time commitment. I have served people in every community in which I have lived and wish to continue serving my Tippecanoe Township neighbors by offering my professional and personal experience to them and giving people a choice on the ballot. I would like to bring a fresh perspective to the trustee's office, and I am excited for the opportunity to serve my community.
2. What qualifications and/or experiences do you have that make you the best choice to serve in the elected position?
Francis: I am a descendant of original Tippecanoe Township settlers. My family has deep roots in the community, from religion to public service; it is literally in my DNA. That has generated deep connections with our residents throughout the years.
Beginning with the fire department and EMS at age 16, I held every board and officer position through deputy chief, the second in charge of the department. Throughout my career, I have served four different trustees, learning from each of them. I am a fiscal conservative and believe that every dollar spent shall be justified for the betterment of the township.
In 2012, I was appointed via caucus to the Tippecanoe Township Board, the first of two terms I would serve. I was elected to my first term as township trustee in 2018. During my two terms, working alongside the township board, we enhanced our emergency services through the Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory. A dedicated group of full-time, part-time and volunteer first responders ensure premier service to our residents and guests. We upgraded our fleet of ambulances and purchased three state of the art, four-wheel drive, units.
I have overseen the growth of our budget and understand the creativity that is required to benefit the taxpayer, while maintaining necessary services. Upon reassigning the clerk position, I created ease to township assistance services, which are now available 24 hours a day. We have an obligation to help those in need. We also donated the baseball park to the youth league, who we continue to sponsor; in addition to many local non-for-profit organizations, including the North Webster American Legion, North Webster Food Pantry and the Senior Primelife Enrichment Center.
By choice, I am the only township employee to not receive a wage increase during my tenure.
Fabyan: I am a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and have earned a Masters in Education from Oakland City University. I have worked as a teacher and recreation director for individuals with disabilities, as a licensed social worker in the medical field managing state in-home service dollars for individuals and families who needed medical help in their home, as a hospital discharge planner, and as an intake counselor for mental health services. I am a graduate of Leadership Knox County which focused on all aspects of county business and economy in an effort to brainstorm plans to move Knox County forward by encouraging growth and development.
These endeavors prompted me to start a private case management and consulting business to allocate and assist in managing state care funds which I ran for several years I am a retired teacher having served high school “at risk” students with the goal to see them through to graduation.
Serving as the president of the Unit 20 Teachers' Association I helped negotiate two contracts. We have owned a home in Tippecanoe Township for 20 years and have family in the area. Although retired, I continue to substitute teach in the Wawasee and Whitko school districts, am an active member of Friends of the Library, and volunteer at the food bank. These roles helped me develop strong ethical standards, excellent communication skills, leadership and budget experience, and creativity in managing resources while working across the community in service to others.
3. What do you believe is the most important duty of the trustee and why?
Francis: The most important duty of the trustee is to be a servant to the public, 24 hours a day. My office regularly receives calls that may not be the responsibility of the trustee, but I still strive to find an answer or guide the caller to the appropriate channels. I have a flexible work schedule outside of my trustee role that affords a significant amount of time that I fully commit to my township duties.
Whether I am meeting a family at the cemetery at two o’clock in the afternoon or responding to an emergency at midnight, I fully understand the needs of our township.
The past several legislative sessions, with bills specifically targeting townships, have presented challenges to local government. I regularly attend the trustee training sessions and stay briefed on the legal updates. Again, this has required creativity with the budget. Being a taxpayer, I also do not want to pay more than necessary. I am the candidate who is currently tasked with overseeing the budget.
Secondary to servitude is accountability to the taxpayers. My audit, completed by the State Board of Accounts, was pristine. I have high expectations for my township clerk, who is well suited for the role. We have been able to shift responsibilities and finances due to outsourcing several of the prior clerk’s responsibilities, with substantial savings and increase efficiency.
In closing, I am your experienced incumbent, serving the area for nearly three decades. I will continue to evolve and improve Tippecanoe Township to the best of my ability. I am greatly appreciative of the community support I have received throughout my career.
Fabyan: The most important duty of the trustee is ensuring the safety and security of residents. Therefore, assurance that our fire territory remains solvent and there are long range plans for building upkeep, equipment maintenance/replacement, and firefighter/EMT training and retention is a top priority.
Local safety services reduce homeowners' insurance rates, and the fire territory brings in income from EMT runs as well as assistance to neighboring fire departments when required. We can all agree that a local emergency response time of a few minutes versus 20-30 minutes can be a significant difference in outcomes.
I believe that part of making township residents feel safe and secure is the trustee's duty to provide assistance to residents who are facing unexpected financial challenges such as food insecurity, issues with utility bills or rent, or emergency housing needs. It is important for the trustee's office to coordinate with all local charities and organizations to assure that such needs are met regardless of whether or not the trustee's office can meet those needs. Tippecanoe Township has had a record number of requests for assistance this past year which isn't surprising, therefore maintaining a comprehensive directory of entities and the types of assistance each could potentially offer would be another priority. I wish to make it easier for residents to contact the trustee's office with expanded hours and develop a dedicated website for accessing meeting minutes and township information in an effort to increase transparency and encourage residents to be informed about local government.
