Voters listen to experts speak about issues affecting Johnson County during a voter forum on April 23 at the Johnson County Museum of History in Franklin.
Daily Journal file photo
Quality of life is the buzzword that drives the conversation on growth. With growth on the minds of voters around Johnson County, it was a natural focus for an upcoming voter forum to be hosted by the Daily Journal and community partners.
The newspaper joins with Bridges Alliance of Johnson County, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County and Franklin College’s Department of Political Science to invite voters and candidates to the forum. The event will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Branigin Room in the Napolitan Student Center on Franklin College’s campus.
Candidates from all parties for all offices on the ballot have been invited to join the forum. Voters from all over Johnson County can hear from and meet candidates running for local and statewide offices. Meanwhile, candidates can opine on issues impacting voters to a large group and share their vision in intimate conversations with voters.
About 20 candidates for local and state offices will attend. This includes school boards, Johnson County Council and Board of Commissioners, Superior Court 1 Judge, Indiana House of Representatives and Senate, Indiana governor and U.S. Congressional District 6.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with an introduction by emcee Jody Veldkamp, marketing and communications manager for the Johnson County Public Library.
For approximately 30 minutes starting at 6:40 p.m., local experts will give presentations on quality of life, housing, schools and health care. Candidates in attendance will give short remarks after the experts speak.
Discourse on the four topics will be followed up by general questions from the audience, which can be directed to a particular candidate or candidates in general. The program will end with a 30-minute meet and greet between candidates and voters beginning at 8 p.m.
For the presentation on quality of life, Amanda Rubadue, Aspire Johnson County’s vice president of economic development, will speak on how quality of life impacts a community’s ability to grow and diversify its economy by attracting business and increasing jobs. She will be sharing conversations she’s had with site selectors and how quality of life can direct a company’s decision to locate or grow within a community.
On the topic of schools, Jim Halik, Edinburgh’s interim superintendent, will share ideas and food for thought from lessons he’s learned during 50 years in public education, including two terms on a school board and 26 years as a school superintendent. He will focus on the primary roles and responsibilities of school board members and touch on the importance of a clear vision, transparency, confidentiality, retention of records, oversight and children first philosophy.
Amanda Ott of Johnson County Housing Coalition, a newly formed group focused on attainable housing, will discuss the role of housing in quality of life. Ott will speak about the myths that exist surrounding attainable housing and how those affect Johnson County. Some of the myths she will discuss include that no one wants a small house and that rental housing reduces property values.
A Johnson Memorial Health representative will discuss topics in health care. Affordable and good quality health care impacts quality of life in several ways. This topic is important as Indiana is ranked among the highest in the nation for health care costs.
Candidates or voters with questions can email Daily Journal Editor Leeann Doerflein at [email protected] or Jody Veldkamp at [email protected].
WHO’S COMING
The following candidates have confirmed they will attend by a noon Friday deadline. Candidates who didn’t meet the deadline are still welcome to attend:
Donald Rainwater, Libertarian candidate for Indiana Governor
Cinde Wirth, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress — Indiana District 6
Dr. Chele Heid, Democratic candidate for Johnson County Commissioner — District 3
Michael Chiappetta, Blythe Potter and Saad Tawfeeq, Democratic candidates for Johnson County Council at-large
Brandi Foster-Kirkendall, Republican candidate for Johnson Superior Court 1
Rodric Bray, Republican candidate for Indiana Senate District 37
Kimberly Schofield, Democratic candidate for Indiana Senate District 37
Suzanne Fortenberry, Democratic candidate for Indiana Senate District 36
Michael Potter, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 47
Sandy James, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 58
Michelle Higgs, Democratic candidate for Indiana House District 60
Rob Daniels, Nicole Kemp and Dr. Charity Flores, candidates for Center Grove School Board
Debbie Gill and Jennifer Briggs-Mann, candidates for Franklin School Board — city of Franklin seat
Maureen Burkardt, candidate for Franklin School Board — Franklin Township seat
