Three men are seeking the candidacy for southern district county commissioner in the May 6 primary election. There are no races for county council seats, however, four Republicans are vying for re-election.

Two Republicans and one Democrat are seeking the southern district commissioner seat. The two nominated in the May primary will be on the general election ballot in November.

Southern District County Commissioner

The Republican incumbent, Robert (Bob) M. Conley, Warsaw, is seeking his third term as commissioner. A lifetime Kosciusko County resident, Conley owns Bob and Nelson Conley Barber Shop, Warsaw. He has been married to wife, Sue, for 42 years. He has been active sheriff’s department reserve officer for 38 years. He serves on the county’s solid waste and recycling board of directors, Warsaw Community Development Corp. and Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission.

The other Republican candidate, Jon Fussle, is a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County with a passion to serve and preserve the community he grew up in. He is a graduate of Wawasee High School and attended Delta Connection Academy and Holy Cross College. He and his wife, Katye, attend Warsaw Community Church and live on the south side of Warsaw with their 1-year-old daughter, Savannah. The couple is expecting their second daughter in June. Fussle currently serves on the county council, is a professional pilot and a local, small business owner.

Gale Owens, a Democrat, is unopposed on the party ticket. Owens is a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County. He has been married 34 years. He has three children and six grandchildren and is a member of Gospel Hill Church, Silver Lake. Owens is employed by Symmetry Medical, Warsaw. He attended Silver Lake Elementary School, Claypool Junior High, and is a 1974 graduate of Warsaw High School. He has served on Silver Lake Town Council for 11 years and currently serves on Lakeview Cemetery Board. He has also been a Lions Club member and past president in Silver Lake.

“Not only do I feel civic organizations serve our communities, but I have always felt that good leadership can always be at its most beneficial when observed by our youth,” he stated.

Owens served as president, vice president, umpire-at-large and coach for Silver Lake Youth League for more than 21 years.

The Mail-Journal asked each candidate, except Owens because he is unopposed, two questions. Here are their answers:

If elected, what do you hope to improve or change in the county?

Conley: “As the incumbent, I pledge to continue on the path we have already embarked upon. I work with all sectors of the county and small towns to keep our unemployment rate low and incentivize companies already located in our county to continue to grow and prosper, which will help keep our tax rates low and other companies will look at Kosciusko County and say ‘what makes them so attractive.’

“I have initiated conversations with the elected officials of small towns within the county to see what benefits could be brought to them by joining our area plan commission. This would help them with zoning, compliance with ordinances. This would continue to add to our already open and transparent and responsive county government.”

Fussle: “I hope to use the commissioner’s seat to help diversify the economy. One of the most important ways I can see doing that is through a small business incubator. With all the engineers and machinists in this community, I guarantee that there are more than a few ‘potential Biomet’s’ out there in the form of ideas or ‘projects in the basement.’ With an incubator, when the time comes, those ideas can be brought to fruition, companies can be launched, and helped to grow through angel investors, mentors, or access to other professionals. That is what really excites me: creating jobs.”

What do you intend to bring to the position if elected?

Conley: “I pledge to bring honesty, integrity, dependability and experience. Cooperation and considerate service for all the people of Kosciusko County assisting our citizens in any way possible. Continuing with open, public meetings and accessibility to me as their representative through my email ([email protected]), website bobconley.us, telephone, 574-551-3871, and the county website (kcgov.com). Any county information can be accessed through the website, such as meeting dates, times, minutes of meetings, and department heads. Please take time to visit our website. You’ll be amazed.

“I want to continue to do my part in keeping Kosciusko County the best place to be in Indiana.”

Fussle: “I am running to bring a fresh perspective, energy and ideas to the commissioner’s office. Our community has so much talent, so much potential and so much depth; we need leadership who will help us do the most with what we have. Most importantly, I believe the people of this community deserve a choice in their elected officials, and I truly believe that a clean, honest and thoughtful campaign between two respectful opponents helps make them both better leaders. Also, as the youngest elected official in Kosciusko County government, it’s important for me to reach out to other young leaders to encourage their involvement in local government. We have some great leadership throughout the county, but we need to do a better job filling the pipeline and getting some movement. Visit JonFussle.com for more information.”

County Council Candidates

Four men are seeking re-election for Kosciusko County Council. All are running unopposed.

Jon Garber, District 4 councilman, is seeking re-election in the May primary. Garber, a Republican, is a 1971 graduate of Warsaw Community High School. Garber received an degree in political science from Indiana University. Garber returned to IU graduate school for studies in public administration in parks and recreation.

In December 2011, Garber retired from Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department with more than 37 years of full-time service: 10 years as an assistant superintendent and 27 years as superintendent. Garber has been active in the Republican party, currently serving as vice-precinct committeeman for Seward 2, and having been a county delegate to several Republican state conventions.

Bradley J. Tandy, District 3 councilman, is seeking re-election. He became a councilman in 1995. He is senior vice president, general counsel and secretary at Biomet Inc. He joined Biomet in 1992. He and His wife, Jennifer, have two children, Eric, 21, and Emily, 19. The family resides in Winona Lake.

Doug Heinisch, District 1 councilman, has been a county council member since 2010 and is seeking re-election. He is married to wife, Heidi, since 1993. The couple have four children: Brett, 19, Cal, 15, Meg, 13, and Cam, 9. He is a member of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church since 1997 and has been a resident of Syracuse since 1997. He has been chief financial officer of Renegade Specialty Vehicle since 2011.

James Moyer, District 2 councilman, is seeking re-election. He also serves on the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission.