The Porter County Board of Commissioners will be solidly Republican come the first of the year following the reelection of President Jim Biggs to the North District and Porter Township Trustee Ed Morales to the South District.
Biggs beat Democratic challenger and Chesterton Town Councilman Dane Lafata, D-3rd, by 15 points with over 57% of the vote and Morales led former Porter County Council President Dan Whitten by 6.5 points with 53% of the vote.
“I think it’s a reflection of the people’s frustration with the economy and what’s been going on at the national level,” Biggs said.
Porter County voter turnout settled at 62.15% of the 139,708 registered voters.
Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs– Original Credit: Porter County
Lafata said the presidential race likely affected local tickets. “You have to imagine that the momentum from (former President Donald) Trump definitely made it through,” he said.
He said he’s content to continue with his work for Chesterton’s Third District and will focus on his town’s needs in the larger scope of county affairs. “I hope they take getting that ambulance contract and providing adequate ambulance service for Porter County seriously,” Lafata said.
Morales has been Porter Township Trustee for 17 years. Porter County Republicans will caucus someone into that role come January. “To keep that running in the right direction is very important to me,” he said Wednesday.
“I want to thank my supporters,” he added. “It’s truly a privilege to represent District 1. You never take that faith they’ve put in me for granted.”
Like Republican councilwoman-elect Michelle Harris, Morales is a big proponent of developing a strategic plan for the county. “It seems obvious,” he said, “but if you look back at the past, it hasn’t been done.”
Biggs doesn’t think an all-Republican board will be any more effective than the current board which includes Vice President Barb Regnitz, R-Center, who is finishing up her second year in office.
“In the last 22 months we’ve accomplished a lot as a board and she’s been right there with us,” he said, referring to working with Blaney who did not seek reelection, but instead ran unsuccessfully for Porter County Treasurer. “There’s a lot of experience leaving the room.”
Blaney lost the treasurer race to Porter County Chief Deputy Treasurer Jim Albarran by 7 points. Current treasurer Michelle Clancy was prevented from seeking reelection this year due to term limits.
Albarran has been her deputy for nine years and is full of ideas for improving efficiencies and cutting costs while continuing to use his background as a minister to put taxpayers at ease at the payment window.
“I’m hoping to get appointed to the legislative committee with the Indiana Counties Treasurers’ Association,” he said, explaining that the body plays a role in helping state legislators understand the impacts of laws they’re attempting to pass.
The treasurer, along with a county’s board of commissioners, makes up the county’s board of finance. Albarran would like to remove some fees that garner very limited profits but would improve office efficiencies if dropped.
The $10 mobile home fee, for example, can’t be processed electronically and makes very little revenue. If the fee were discontinued the treasurer’s office could allow homeowners to file for this permit electronically instead of in person.
Blaney has served nearly two decades in county government, six as a councilwoman, 12 on the Board of Commissioners, the last five as president of the Porter County Foundation which manages the proceeds from the sale of the hospital.
“I wish all of the winners the best, especially my opponent,” she said. “He will do a good job for Porter County.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
