Two candidates are seeking the Ward 2 seat on the New Whiteland Town Council in the May 3 Republican primary.
Current Ward 2 council member John Purdie replaced Scott Alspach on the town council in a January caucus. Purdie, a banker, is challenged by Derek Cox, a Whiteland police officer.
The Daily Journal asked both candidates questions about their approach to leadership and the futures they want for the small town.
Why are you running for town council?
Cox: We’ve lived here for the last 15 years. I’ve raised my family here. I work in town, live in town, stay in town. I feel like I’m very in touch with what people want, what people see, and what’s going on in town. I know what people want to see change and stay the same. The town has been good to us raising our kids here, so I want to give back.
Purdie: I’ve never sought elected office and I’ll probably never seek another one. We’ve lived in New Whiteland for 25 years and it is a wonderful community. What I’m interested in is seeing that New Whiteland remains a terrific place to live and raise kids. I think some of the things in my experience and my work background lend themselves well to the position. I’ve been banking for between 30 and 35 years, and I’ve been in senior management at Citizens for six years. I’m the chief credit officer so that means I’m in charge of all the lending functions — consumer mortgage, commercial and the things that go along with that. I’m comfortable supervising people. I’m involved in budgeting on an annual basis, spending decisions, strategic decisions and I’m fairly comfortable with HR decisions.
How would you make decisions if elected to this office?
Cox: I would listen to what my constituents have to say, and make my decisions based off what’s best for the people of the town, not what any other type of group has to say, just completely on what I think is best.
Purdie: What drives my decision-making is I’m very fiscally and politically conservative. I look at tax revenues as the people’s money. It doesn’t belong to the town. It is the people’s money … and needs to be spent in a conservative way. That’s not to say I think it is not being spent that way now — I think it is. I believe that taxes ought to be low and they ought to be predictable. Those are the things that make living and raising a family easier and more conducive for business. My goals are to seek what is best for New Whiteland and put those things first.
What are three strengths of New Whiteland?
Cox: It has a very small-town feel where everybody knows everybody. Neighbors know neighbors. Families have family members living a few doors down or in other parts of town. It is very family-oriented. It is very housing-oriented. There’s not a great deal of business or traffic from businesses in town. Right now (the town) has a very good employee base of people who live in town and work in town who are very dedicated to working for the town. The crime is low.
Purdie: The biggest strength is the people in the community. We have raised three boys here; my oldest is 25 and my youngest is 19. One of the best strengths is simply the sense of community. It is a safe place, a good school system and we haven’t had to worry about crime. Our financial position is another (strength). The town has no debt (and) has a reasonable amount of cash in the bank. I think we’ve got options that other towns don’t have. Being in Johnson County and Indiana you’d expect us to be conservative, but I think the conservativeness that exists on the council is the third thing I’d say is a strength.
What are three weaknesses of New Whiteland, and how would you tackle those?
Cox: New Whiteland lacks an identity. There’s nothing really in the town that (says) ‘this is New Whiteland.’ People who live in the town don’t know where they live — if they live in Whiteland, New Whiteland or outside the jurisdiction of the towns. The lines are rather blurred. Somebody asks (about) the difference between New Whiteland and Whiteland, and it’s like somebody took a crayon and gave it to a kid and told them to draw a line. I would take ideas from the public on whether it be some type of a sign, a statue, a fountain, an intersection — something that says New Whiteland that someone can identify with. We have to get people involved. That’s one reason why I decided to run. I’ve been told it’s been 20 to 30 years since someone decided to run against someone in this town for the local election. It has generally been whoever runs for council runs, and (when) they quit, whoever they wanted to put in that position was put in that position. The council has been likeminded and nothing has changed and there’s been no new ideas or a breath of fresh air to the town council for a long time.
Purdie: The conservatism that I mentioned as a strength can, at times, be a weakness. Small towns think we are what we are and we can never change. I am interested in growth, a thriving community and a growing tax base. I think those things give a town opportunities. I’m not coming onto the council because I think things need to change. It is probably fair to say I don’t have an ax to grind and I’m not dissatisfied with the actions the council has taken in the past. I’m not dissatisfied with local government, local police, fire department (or the) parks department. I think they’re all people doing a good job.
There has not been as much commercial and housing growth in New Whiteland compared to other local towns. Is that something you’d like to see change?
Cox: With housing right now there’s one addition being built on the border of town by County Road 25 West. Past that, New Whiteland is almost to the point of being landlocked. The town has not expanded or attempted to expand or take in new lands in many, many years, if ever. I’d like to see the town take in land to the west that Bargersville and Greenwood have not taken up. I believe the town should try to expand and take in those for future opportunities. As far as businesses, I’d like to see the town adopt a more business-friendly attitude. In the past, there have been businesses that have tried to come to town and have left because of over-regulation. It’s almost as if businesses have been driven away. I’d like to see more small-town businesses.
Purdie: I would like to see more growth in housing. Like in many of the communities around, you have to be careful about where those homes go. I think planned growth is important. I would absolutely like to see more businesses grow in New Whiteland. There’s certainly room for that on (U.S.) 31. The council can be careful and deliberative when requests come to us. No. 1 is to make sure the growth that comes to us is well thought out and placed. But I also think the town council has to have an open mind and be willing to say this growth, even if it may not be what in my opinion is the ideal growth, is positive for the town.
