Robert L. Wirey (Taxpayer Uncertain)

Address: 1803 Garfield Street, Lebanon, IN 46052
Phone: (317) 590-5887
E-mail: robertwirey@gmail.com
Website:

Watchdog Indiana Center Township Trustee Candidate Questions - 2014 Primary Election

1. What in your background prepares you to manage the Center Township delivery of services? ANSWER: I have served on the Lebanon School Board for 31/2 years, while on the board I was part of a team. This team completed many projects with keeping the tax rate lower than when I become a member of the Board. Some of the projects, which were completed, was a 40 million dollar renovation to corporation buildings with 38 million being spent on the high school with technology and safety for the students being top priority, also with this project came a high school which can serve our community for years to come. Other projects included purchase of computers at the middle school, and the starting of a LCSC School Police Department starting with 2 SRO (School Resource Officers). Also I started in the fire service on my 18th birthday on January 12th 1988 as a volunteer for Perry Township Fire Department in Fayette, I continued to educate myself in the fire service, when I decided it was what I wanted to do as my career. So on January 12th 1991 on my 21st birthday I became a full time firefighter for the Lebanon Fire Department, where I am still employed. During my career on the department I have continued educating myself and have worked my way thru every rank until becoming Deputy Chief of Operations this past year. I have served on many State level committees for training, investigations, and communications. Also have been involved in getting youth involved in the fire service, by serving as President of the Hoosier Emergency Response Olympics, which is a organization which holds a competition that has been held in Lebanon for four years bringing youth organizations in from all around the state. Since I became a Firefighter in 1988 I have had the drive to learn and serve the community, which I have grown up in and raised my family in. The school board, my career in the fire service and serving on many other boards, has taught me that it takes a team of people working together to make good things happen. As your Center Township Trustee I will continue to challenge myself while engaging the Center Township Board to think outside the box to make our community shine, as I have done throughout my life and career.

2. How would you oversee the Center Township Fire Department operations? ANSWER: I would manage the Fire Department a way that I feel it has not been done before. I will choose a Chief, define expectations, set goals, and then oversee the department at what should be the trustee level.

3. How would you make certain the Center Township firefighters receive state-required training? BACKGROUND: The state EMS Certification Specialist reported on March 27, 2014, that the Center Township Fire Department has not met the certification requirements in Indiana Code 16-31-3 for the provision of emergency medical services. ANSWER: I would put the goals and expectations of the departments training training levels on the Chief, and hold that individual accountable for his or her duties of running a professional and well-trained department.

4. How would you deliver township assistance services? ANSWER: As I started deciding to run for Trustee, this is an area in which I have educated myself on, and continue daily to do so. I feel the office has to be available on a regular bases to assist people in need. I feel there needs to be strict guidelines used in dealing with this assistance. I feel strongly assistance is not just paying housing, and energy costs. This is where I plan on challenging the advisory board in exploring other things in which the township can assist. Some examples of other forms of assistance could be buy not limited to job training, drug rehab, parent counseling and budget counseling. Again this is something I feel myself and the board needs to work together to set priorities for our community. I think if we can think outside the norm we can lower the amount of traditional assistance, which would be needed.

5. What is Center Township’s proper cash balance as a percent of budget? BACKGROUND: The Center Township June 30, 2013, cash balance was 60.5% of the 2014 certified budget: see https://gateway.ifionline.org/report_builder/unit_reports/unitReports.aspx. ANSWER: I like to look at historic data while you are correct the cash balance is 60.5 percent of the 2014 budget, and if you go to 2013 it was only 23 percent. But both of these years the township was on the low side compared to other townships in the state. And the percentage going from 23 percent to 60.5 percent fits with the increase in all the other townships. With this being said I would have to research if there were any legislation, which had come down from the state to cause this in flux of cash throughout the state in township budgets. I would like to do more research on this before jumping to any conclusions on these numbers. But I can see where the high cash balance could be a concern, but Center Township is on the low side of the spectrum compared to the State.

6. Would the public benefit if the Center Township Fire Department ceased to be a separate entity and became part of the Lebanon Fire Department? ANSWER: I feel this is an area, which needs to be studied to see the feasibility. But let me share some quick numbers for the taxpayers to use to make their own decision. $170,173,547 is the AV outside the City, used for a $791,000 Fire Department 2014 budget., if the $791,000 Fire Department budget was spread over an AV of $893,398,781, which is the AV of the entire Center Township. Would that benefit the taxpayers?

7. Should Center Township merge with the City of Lebanon so that the unincorporated areas of Center Township become part of the City of Lebanon? ANSWER: I am uncertain if this is the best thing for the taxpayers, but feel I think there should be a feasibility study done to see if the taxpayers would be benefit. I am for what is best for the taxpayers, as my history on the school board shows.

8. How would you provide better public access, including Center Township Board meetings notification? ANSWER: I feel the board meetings need to be held when the public could come. I feel there needs to be a set meeting time each month and advertised in the proper fashion. I would also look at the possibility for public comment similar to the school board, which I have served.

9. Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? Do you have a campaign phone number and E-mail address? Do you have a campaign website? ANSWER: I want to thank you Mr. Smith for the time you spend listening and being involved. And to the tax payers I want to tell you I think it is time for a change, with the state making it more challenging on local government with excepting more and providing less we need to explore smarter and more efficient ways to provide services. If there are any questions my email is robertwirey@gmail.com

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This page was last updated on 04/05/14.