COMMISSIONERS & COUNTY COUNCIL
Wells County has two elected boards with governmental responsibilities and authority.
The three-member Board of County Commissioners is an executive and legislative
board. The seven-member Wells County Council is the fiscal arm of county government
and appropriates all sums.
The three Wells County Commissioners are:
Randal Plummer (R), Commissioner president -- Commissioner District 1, which the
southern third of the county, from Ind. 218 south. Home address: 10880S 600E,
Keystone 46759; phone 346-2522 or 346-2577.
Paul Bonham (R), Commissioner vice president -- District 2, which is the central
third of the county from Ind. 218 to CR 300N Home address: 5656W State Road 124-90,
Huntington; phone 694-6106.
Kevin Woodward (R), --District 3, which is the northern third of the county, from
CR 300N north. Home address: 2900E 1050N, Ossian, phone 622-7389.
All three of the commissioners are elected countywide but they must reside in
the district they represent. They are elected for four-year terms. The District
1 commissioner is elected in even-numbered non-presidential election years. The
District 2 and District 3 commissioners are elected in presidential election years.
The seven Wells County Council members include four who are elected from and by
council districts and three who are elected countywide and serve at-large:
District 1 (includes all of Chester, Liberty, Nottingham and Jackson Townships
and the Harrison Township precincts outside Bluffton): Jim Oswalt (R), 2781S 200E,
Bluffton; Phone 824-8597.
District 2 (includes Lancaster and Rockcreek Townships): Karolyna Farling (R),
Council vice-president, 120 Greenbriar Drive, Bluffton, phone 824-2372.
District 3 (includes Jefferson and Union Townships): Larry Brown (R), P.O. Box
21, Ossian, phone 219-622-6046.
District 4 (includes the five Bluffton precincts in Harrison Township): Michael
Kracium (D), 1431 Stogdill Road, Bluffton, phone 824-3870.
At-Large: Peter Cole (R), Council president, 2559W 300S, Liberty Center (P.O.
Box 222), phone 694-6224.
At-Large: Gloria Gordon (R), 4207W 100N, Bluffton, phone 694-6645.
At-Large: James Van Winkle (R), 1203 Echo Lane, phone 824-4160.
All council members are elected for four-year terms. The four district council
members are elected in even-numbered non-presidential election years. Only voters
in their respective districts vote on the district council members. The three
at-large members are elected in presidential election years, and they are elected
countywide.
The county commissioners meet in regular session in the commissioners room of
the Courthouse at 9 a.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month, except
for county holidays. They also meet as the Wells County Drainage Board at 8 a.m.
on those same days in the same place.
Wells County Council meets in regular session on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the commissioners room of the Courthouse. (Schedule
changed for holidays, election week situations)
County Auditor Mary Towne is the secretary for both the commissioners and council.
Word to them can be sent via the auditor's office in the courthouse.
OTHER ELECTED COUNTY OFFICIALS
Mary Towne (R) County Auditor, Courthouse, Suite 205, Bluffton, phone 824-6470.
Home: 9455S 300W, Poneto, 46781; phone (765) 728-2273
Beth Davis (R) County Clerk, Courthouse, Suite 302, Bluffton, phone 824-6479.
Home: 11831S 500W, Montpelier-90, phone (765) 728-8210. (Also County Election
Board chairman and Passport Information office supervisor)
Rinda Harnish (R) County Treasurer, Courthouse, Suite 204, Bluffton, phone 824-6512.
Home: 707W 400N, Bluffton, phone (260) 543-2838.
Sandra Fair (R) County Recorder, Courthouse, Suite 203, Bluffton, phone 824-6507.
Home: 308 West Washington Street, Bluffton, phone 824-4964.
Connie Prible (R) County Assessor, Courthouse, Suite 202, Bluffton, phone 824-6476.
Home: 4361S 200E, Bluffton, phone 824-0135.
John Studebaker (R) County Surveyor, Courthouse, Suite 107, Bluffton, phone 824-6414.
Home: 7726S Meridian Road, Poneto, phone 694-6472.
David Hanselman Sr. (R) Wells Circuit Court Judge, Courthouse, Suite 301, Bluffton,
phone 824-6485.
Everett Goshorn (R) Wells Superior Court Judge, Courthouse, Suite 303, phone 824-3287.
Michael Lautzenheiser (R) Prosecuting Attorney, Courthouse, Suite 401, phone 824-4102.
Barry Story (R) County Sheriff, 1525 Western Ave. (County Jail building), phone
824-3426. Home; 633W 100S, Bluffton, phone 824-5146.
Douglas Cale (R) County Coroner, Carnegie Government Annex, 223 West Washington
St., Bluffton. Home: 3724E State Road 124, Bluffton, phone 824-5650. Phone 824-3852
(Goodwin Memorial Chapel).
These county elected officials are chosen countywide for 4-year terms, except
the Circuit Court Judge and the Superior Court Judges are chosen for 6-year terms.
(Judge Hanselman’s current term is through 2006. Judge Goshorn’s current
term is through 2008.)
The Auditor, Clerk, Assessor, Prosecutor and Sheriff are elected in even-numbered
non-presidential election years. The Treasurer, Recorder, Surveyor and Coroner
are elected in presidential election years.
COUNTY APPOINTED OFFICIALS
Trent Patterson, County Attorney and County Drainage Board Attorney, Gal-Ham Building,
Bluffton, phone 824-0100.
Edward Herman, County Highway Supervisor, 1600 West Washington St., Bluffton,
824-6430.
Larry Owen, County Highway Engineer, 1600 West Washington St., Bluffton, 824-6430.
Jan Ray, County Highway Administrative/bookkeeper, 1600 West Washington St., Bluffton,
824-6430.
Dr. Donald Dian, County Health Officer, Caylor Nickel Square, Bluffton, 824-3500.
Linda Mauller, County Sanitarian, Carnegie Annex, 223 West Washington, Bluffton,
824-6489.
Marlene Hoag, County Health Office Administrator, Carnegie Annex, 223 West Washington,
Bluffton, 824-6489.
Karen Tuttle, Maplewood County Home Superintendent, County Home Road (Stogdill
Road), Bluffton, 824-6434.
Jenny Tsakos, Division of Family & Children (Welfare) Director, 221 West Market
St., Bluffton, 824-3530.
Patti Christian, Wells County Jail Commander, 15125 Western Ave., Bluffton, 824-3426.
Rick Myers, Chief Deputy Prosecutor, Child Support IV-D, Courthouse, Suite 401,
Bluffton, 824-4102.
Blake Poindexter, Wells County Community Corrections Director, Courthouse, Suite
403, Bluffton, 824-6405.
Gregory Werich, Chief Probation Officer, Courthouse, Suite 404, Bluffton, 824-6496.
Roger Sherer, William Horan, Judi Merkel, Cooperative Extension Service, 1240
South 4-H Road, P.O. Box 607, Bluffton, 824-6412. Fax 824-4891. Home page: www.ces.purdue.edu/wells/
Jerri Lehman, Emergency Management Director, Carnegie Annex, 223 West Washington,
Room 101, Bluffton, 824-6433.
Bobbie Studebaker, Courthouse and Carnegie Annex Custodian, Jim Somers, Custodian
2, Courthouse, Suite 101, Bluffton, 824-6401.
Brad Buening , Wells County Area Plan Commission Director and GIS director, Becky
Longenberger, APC administrative assistant, Carnegie Annex, 223 West Washington,
Suite 221, Bluffton, 824-6407.
Claude McMillan, Veterans Service Officer, Courthouse, Suite 104, Bluffton, 824-6403.
WELLS COUNTY EMS
Wells County EMS Inc. has been created by action of the Wells County government
and has contracted with the county to provide Emergency Medical Services in Wells
County. Completed and placed in operation in 2001 were the new Wells County EMS
headquarters at 100 West Spring Street and the new Southern Wells facility as
part of the new Chester Township Fire Station building on County Road 300W just
south of the Southern Wells School. Ambulances are being housed at, and services
provided from, the Southern Wells 300W facility, the 100 West Spring St., Bluffton,
headquarters-central facility, and the Northern Wells facility in the Ossian Fire
Station in the Ossian Town Hall building complex on Ind. 1.
Although emergency calls for the EMS are to 911, administrative and other calls
can be to (260) 824-0166. Tina Dudgeon EMS director.
WELLS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
The Wells County Sheriff’s Department provides police and law enforcement
services throughout the county in cooperation with municipal departments, Indiana
State Police and others. The sheriff also is responsible for operation of the
Wells County Jail and for serving of papers for the courts.
The sheriff’s department and jail are located in the modern Wells County
Jail building at 1615 Western Avenue on the west end of Bluffton, IN 46714, phone
260-824-3426 or 260-824-6425. Fax 260-824-6424. The jail had a 2003 average of
78.09 prisoners per day but has accommodated more than 100 at times.
The sheriff is Barry Story (home phone 824-5146). The chief deputy sheriff is
Tim Schaffer. The jail commander is Patti Christian. The detectives are Det. Lt.
Diane Gilliam and Det. Sgt. Jim Paxton.
Other deputy sheriffs are 90-6 Monte Fisher; 90-7 Ron Campbell 90-8 Kurt Powell;
90-9 Doug Masterson; 90-10 Randy Steele; 90-11 Steve Wendling; 90-12 Jeff McClish;
90-13 Tom Newnum; 90-14 Scott Holliday. 90-15 Ryan Mounsey.
Other jail officers are George Addington, Ryan Hartup, David Johnson, Dan Jones,
Gary Neptun, Gary Shadle, Lance Huffman, Don Huffman, Tyler Sonnigsen, Tom Mayne,
James Warthman. Jailer/dispatchers: Diana Hazelet; Joe Pettibone, Angela Bower;
Dispatchers: Gwen Betz, Pam Warthman, Jennifer Weldy.
Office Staff: Karen Thompson, administrative assistant; Elaine Stoppenhagen, receptionist/clerk.
Kitchen Staff: Bev Mounsey, matron; Charlene Pace, head cook; Judy Pence.
Janitor/Maintenance: Dewey Zent.
Civil Process Server: Larry Farling.
When you reach the Sheriff’s Department on the administrartive line, 260-824-6425,
you may dial the extension of the party to whom you wish to speak at any time
during the message: Barry Story 13, Diane Gilliam 14, Patti Christian 15, Karen
Thompson 18, Elaine Stoppenhagen 11, Bev Mounsey 17, Jim Paxton 31, Dewey Zent
32, Doug Masterson 34, Monte Fisher 36, Tim Schaffer 12, Ron Campbell 39, Stephen
Wendling 40, Kurt Powell 41, Randy Steele 42, Jeff McClish 35, Tom Newnum 43,
Scott Holliday 37, Ryan Mounsey 38.
|
