The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/973584
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LARGE VARIETY OF PATIO POTS AND FLOWER BASKETS Spring Is The Time For Planting! By Andy Heuring A retired banker incum- bent is being challenged by a retired Whirlpool super- visor in the Republican pri- mary for District 3 County Council seat. Incumbent Max Elliott is opposed by Jim Johns. MAX ELLIOTT Max Elliott, who recently retired after 42 years in the banking industry, including working in the summers as a teller, being president of Spurgeon State Bank, pres- ident of Pike County Bank, executive vice-president of National City Bank, execu- tive vice-president of Integ- ra and executive vice-presi- dent of Home Building Sav- ings Loan, and serving on the board of directors of nine different banks, is seek- ing his third term. He has three sons, Hunt- er, Garrett and Gabe. El- liott is treasurer of the Pike County Basketball Club and a member of the Petersburg Moose, Winslow Eagles and Winslow Legion. He attained a finance de- gree from Indiana Universi- ty and is a graduate of the School of Banking of Wis- consin at Madison and Okla- homa. "I have spent all my life in finance. I have been on the council for eight years now. With the banking, I oversaw the budget at one time for 18 different banks. My whole life, I have overseen bud- gets and set budgets." "I have enjoyed serv- ing the last two terms. We have a lot of positives going in the proper direction. We have a very good and com- petent council at this time, and I want to continue to see growth in Pike County," said Elliott about why he is seek- ing re-election. Elliott said his goals are to get industry at the inter- state. "We have all the utili- ties that are needed. Work- ing with the Growth Coun- cil, I really believe we are going to get something out there," said Elliott. He add- ed, being able to partner with Solar Sources "is a big positive." "We have accomplished a lot with upgrading equip- ment at the highway ga- rage," said Elliott. He continued, "We have a top notch ambulance ser- vice. The two locations of ambulances has lowered re- sponse time from 18 min- utes to nine minutes." "We have accomplished that, while keeping our tax rates low. We are the 87th lowest tax rate out of 92 counties." He added, due to im- proved collection of ambu- lance fees, it had lowered the cost of the EMS several hundred thousand dollars. "I want to keep the coun- ty on a forward path. Keep making headway," said El- liott. He said people should vote for him because, "I'm experienced, fair, sincere and committed." "I think we have accom- plished a lot and have things going in the right direction in the eight years I have been on the council. If any- one has any questions, they can ask me. I have kids and grandkids in the communi- ty. I want to see it prosper," said Elliott. JIM JOHNS Jim Johns, of rural Win- slow, is retired after 35 years at Whirlpool and now does home repair "on the side." He and his wife, Nancy, have two adult children, Richard and Rochelle, one grandchild and one great- grandchild. "I have served the Lord since 1983, working with the JAM Club, Gideons In- ternational and I'm a Dea- con at the Ayrshire Valley Church." Johns is also president of the Arthur Foundation in Vincennes, which promotes the common good and wel- fare of youth in Knox, Law- rence and surrounding counties. He also serves as secretary-treasurer of Pike Gideons. "The mission of the Gideons is to see every man, child and woman come to know the Lord as their person savior," said Johns. He also serves as the board president of Flat Creek Association of Gen- eral Baptist Trustees, which is responsible for a 160 -acre camp in Knox County for youth activities, including the Boy Scouts. Johns has volunteered with the Winslow JAM Club, serving about 160 Winslow grade school kids on Thursday afternoons for 14 years. "I helped start and was a past president of Winslow Community Club when we ran the Winslow Little League program." He is also a past president of the Winslow Jaycees and volun- teers with Habitat for Hu- manity in Daviess and Van- derburgh counties. He has served two terms on the board of Pike County Christian Assistance Associ- ation, which operates Some- body's Place, where he con- tinues to volunteer. He graduated from Win- slow High School, complet- ed five years of apprentice schooling at Whirlpool and took continuing education classes at Evansville Uni- versity on business man- agement. Johns said about his expe- rience, "I have management skills, from supervising, hir- ing and managing people. I have problem-solving skills from many years working in manufacturing. I was re- sponsible for the mainte- nance of several acres of buildings at Whirlpool. I have money-management skills from working with a $17 million budget at Whirl- pool, where I was supervisor of maintenance." "If I don't know things, I have tenacity to talk to peo- ple and search for it online, and talk to taxpayers in Pike and surrounding counties to find an answer," said Johns. He added, "I have been to Gibson, Knox and Martin counties to find answers and I will continue to do so at my own expense." "I would like to see things done differently and effi- ciently," said Johns on why he is running. He said he has several goals: 1) I would like for the EMS service to be let out for bids. 2) Almost $2 million is spent on health insurance. The health department needs to implement pro- grams for the county em- ployees on health insurance to reduce health costs. "My ideas of these could be a smoking cessation pro- gram, weight management, exercise programs and healthy eating. Other coun- ties have controls to reduce costs, Why not Pike Coun- ty? " asked Johns. 3) Before any offices are located outside the court- house, costing taxpayers more money for rent pay- ments, we should do a floor- space utilization study to prove need. 4) For any raises to be ap- proved, all county employ- ees should be evaluated for performance according to their handbook. That is what they are supposed to do and they never do. 5) Any person employed where health insurance is available should be required to take that health insurance instead of the county's. 6) Incentive ordinance should be evaluated every year at the budget meeting as it is written. It has total- ly lost the reason it was put in place. 7) All overtime paid by any department should be documented for its neces- sity. "I think I have the skills and energy for the job. I will serve with no pay and no in- surance," said Johns on why people should vote for him. Johns to challenge Elliott in District 3 County Council GOP primary Jim Johns Max Elliott 271 South Clay Street, Jasper • 812-482-3292 SPRING SUMMER into Sale PRIMO for a cookout & demonstration Join Us Hot Spring Spas SATURDAY, APRIL 21 ON IN-GROUND POOLS Specials SPECIAL FINANCING POOL, SPA CHEMICALS & ACCESSORIES UP TO ON ALL $ 500 OFF BIG SAVINGS * *Some exclusions apply J K - JAY-KEM, INC. APRIL 20 - APRIL 28 Jay-Kem at New Petersburg Little League to kick off opening day with parade Saturday Petersburg Little League will have its season-open- ing celebration on Saturday, April 28, beginning with a pa- rade through downtown to the American Legion Little League Park. Teams will begin lining up near the Old Petersburg Gym at 9:30 a.m., with the parade scheduled to start at 10 a.m. The parade will travel west on Main Street, turn south on- to Fifth Street and conclude at American Legion Little League Park on Illinois Street. Official opening ceremo- nies will be held in the boys' middle field at American Le- gion Little League Park im- mediately following the pa- rade.