Morgan County election board discuss campaign sign in Gregg Township Trustee race

The Morgan County Election Board spent more than an hour discussing a complaint from a candidate in the May primary Thursday afternoon.

Bryan Thompson is running for the Gregg Township Trustee position against incumbent Matt Bishop.

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Thompson had filed a written complaint with the election board over a sign supporting Bishop on property owned by the Gregg Township Fire Department.

According to Thompson, the sign is illegal because it did not list the person or group who paid for the sign.

He also contended the sign would lead residents of the township to believe the fire department supports Bishop, which is a violation of the department's bylaws.

Thompson told board members he was told by the department that Bishop had rented the sign. He asked the board to order the sign be removed.

The Gregg Volunteer Fire Department is a registered 501-4c business. The township trustee contracts with the department to provide fire coverage to the township. Over the years, various township trustees have purchased some fire equipment for the department to use. In Morgan County several of the township fire departments are private businesses that contract with their township trustee to provide fire coverage.

Bishop was in attendance at Thursday's meeting and told board members he had not asked for the sign to be put up and he did not know who had done it.

Board speaks

Board member Dakota VanLeeuwen, who is also an attorney, told Thompson the board could only take action on his original complaint, that is about the sign and its legality.

She said Indiana Code requires all candidate signs to have information on them about who paid for the sign.

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If it does not have that information, it is illegal and the person or person's who installed it could face litigation.

Bishop repeated he had nothing to do with the sign.

He said someone else had paid for it, and he did not know who paid for the sign.

Bishop said he does rent an office in the fire station for public business.

As for being allowed to place a sign on the fire department's property, board members felt that since taxpayer money had paid for the land, Thompson should be allowed to put his sign on the property,

The board's decision was that the Bishop sign had to be either removed or made legal by puting the name of the person or organization who paid for it on it. The board decided that Thompson should be allowed to place his signs on fire department property.

Both Bishop and Thompson left the meeting.

A short time later, Thompson allegedly called the election office and asked to speak with Morgan County Clerk Stephanie Elliott. Thompson allegedly said he was at the fire station and when he tried to put up a sign, an altercation occurred and law enforcement had been called.

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Elliott talked with the sheriff's department and explained the situation.

Later in the day, when the Reporter-Times drove by the station, the department sign still had Bishop's name on it, but a Thompson sign had been placed next to it.

Campaign finance reports

The election board meeting had been scheduled to review campaign financial reports of candidates running in the May primary. Since the board spent more than an hour discussing Thompson's complaint, they decided to review the reports at a later time. There were several candidates that had not filed their reports.

Elliott said under state law, if an elected position pays less than $5,000 a year and the official receives less than $100 in contributions or has less than $100 in expenses, they do not have to file the report. She and other board members felt that some of the candidates did not realize they had to file the reports. She would be sending those candidates letters asking them to file their reports. The board waived the late filing fees for those candidates who will be filing late.

The reporting period is from Jan. 1 to April 8.

County Commissioner

Incumbent Kenny Hale began 2022 with around $5,900 in the bank. He has received $21,449 in contributions. He has spent around $9,000 leaving him with a balance of around $18,400. Contributors include, Jeff Henson, $1,000; Sherly George, $1,000; Philip Beer II, $1,000; Sanjay Patel, $1,000; Richard Wallace, $1,000; Terry Baker, $1,000; George Ennis, $1,000; Dustin Frye, $1,000; Roger Huff, $1,000, Craig Fenneman, $1,000; Darrell French, $500; Steven Jones, $500; John McNeely, $200; David Rogers, $200; Rachel Doba, $200; Ralph Foley, $100; Candace Bankovich, $100; Don Adams, $100, Violetta Fritsche, $50; Linda Parker, $50; C. Hale, $949.

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Also Wallace Construction Inc., $1,000; Beam Longest and Neff LLC, $1,000; Meyer Najem Construction LLC, $2,000; Envoy Construction Service LLC, $1,000; GM Development Companies LLC, $1,000; Echo Lake LLC, $1,000; Foley, Peden & Wisco, $500; DPBG Political Action Committee, $1,000.

Expenses include Martinsville Chamber of Commerce, $425; Friends of Daniel Elliott, $200; Mooresville Chamber of Commerce, $125; misc. advertising expenses around $8,446.

Randy Mitchell has not filed a report.

Morgan County Council District 2

Laura Elliott began the year with $0 in the bank. She has had $2,390 in contributions and expenses of $2,016 leaving her a balance of $374. Contributor is John Phillips, $100. Her expenses are for advertising supplies. Elliott lists lending her campaign $3,296.

Incumbent Melissa Greene began 2022 with around $2,278 in the bank. She received $700 in contributions and lists around $928 in expenses. Contributors include Terry Mayfield, $500; Kim Merideth, $100, Brian Williams, $100. Her expenses are for advertising supplies. Greene lists lending her campaign $1,000.

Morgan County Council District 3

Incumbent Kelly Alcala lists having $90 in the bank on Jan. 1. She has received around $4,749 in contributions and expenses of $3,582 leaving her a balance of $1,257. Contributors include Louis and Rebecca Lang, $250; Matt and Bethaney Latham, $500; Bret and Kim Merideth, $250; David Rogers, $500; Kelly Alcala, $3,000. She lists $249 in unitemized contributions. Her expenses are for advertising supplies.

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Brian Clup lists have $0 in the bank Jan. 1. He lists receiving $3,430 in contributions and $1,940 in expenses leaving him a balance of around $1,490. Contributors include Marty Weaver, $250; Ryan Grimes, $500; Jim Beebe, $200; Gordon Crone, $100; Pamela Siddons, $100; Pamela Siddons and Gordon Crone, $200; Ruth and Larry Fox, $500; Don Adams, $200; Brian Culp, $598. He lists receiving around $780 in unitemized contributions. Expenses are for advertising supplies.

Morgan County Clerk

Ann Miller lists having $0 at the beginning of 2022. She reports receiving $5,115 in contributions and expenses of $5,115. Her contributors are Phillip Fowler, $150; and herself, $4,965. Her expenses are for advertising supplies.

Tammy Parker lists having $1,889 at the beginning of 2022. She received $10,873 in contributions and expenses of $12,763 leaving $0 in the bank. Contributors include James and Marlyn Parker, $500; Roger Coffin, $3,366; Ernest and Dorothy Dalton, $500; Bret and Kim Merideth, $340; Lisa Blackman, $200; Kelly Alcala, $100; Craig Haggard, $!65; Michael Carter, $125; Elizabeth Mundell, $135; David Rogers, $200; Dustin and Jill Hunter, $190; Daniel and Kimberly Conway, $200; Darrell and Karen French, $235; Jerry and Ana Smith, $500; Brian H. Williams, $140; Rick and Mae Cooper, $100; Brian and Shannon Kohl, $100; Darrell Brown, $100; Mike and Debra Ellis, $130; Matthew and Bethany Lathem, $150; David and Terry Clelland, $784; Dean Mayfield, $200; John and Karen Mayberry, $100; Kathy Taylor, $250; Diane Hubbard, $903; Samuel Larister, $250; Doug and Denise Bass, $150; Elliott Electric LLC, $210. Parker lists receiving $550 in unitemized contributions. Her expenses are for advertising supplies.

Mooresville Ward 1

David Jones lists $300 in his bank on Jan. 1. He lists $550 in contributions and nearly $600 in expenses leaving him a balance of around $350. Contributors include Joe Lindsey, $50; Morgan's Corner Cafe, $200; and David Jones, $600. Expenses are for advertising.

Greg Swinney lists no funds collected or expended.

Mooresville Ward 5

Joshua Brown lists having no funds on Jan. 1. He lists contributions of $2,838 and expenses of $2,328 leaving him a balance of around $509. Contributors include Bill Armstrong, $100; Marsha Green, $75; Kimberly Walker, $75; Tiana McGee, $50; Robert Black, $100; Garry Witfang, $50; Tiffany Stahley, $100; David Rodgers, $150; Karen Griffin, $50; Dale Greene, $50; Amanda Gady, $!50; Mel Paris, $100; Dustin Stanley, $500; Marinda Barger, $50; Larry Brown, $100; William Frost, $40; David Saddler, $75; Michael Young, $99; John Hast, $100; misc. contribributions, $874. Expenses are for advertising.

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Virginia Perry lists having $0 at the beginning of 2022. She lists $2,720 in contributions and $2,712 in expenses. Her contributors include Pamela Williams, $500; Ryan and Amy Cook, $200; Toby Dolen, $500; Sharon Allman, $200; Virginia Perry $795 and unitemized contributions of $525. Expenses are for advertising.

Party reports

The Morgan County Republican Central Committee reports having $14,074 on Jan. 1. They have contributions of $500 and expenses of around $3,529 leaving them a balance of $11,045. Contributions came from the City of Martinsville, $500. Expenses are for operational costs and advertising.

The Morgan County Democratic Committee lists having $3,350 on Jan. 1. They had contributions of $427 and expenses of $150 leaving them a balance of $3,627. They list 26 contributors of $24 or less. Expenses are for advertising.

The Libertarian Party of Morgan County lists having around $1,378 on Jan. 1. They had around $1,300 in contributions and expenses of around $400. Contributors include LPIN Convention Fundraiser, $319; Liberty is Essential, $300; Libertarian Party of National Committee, $200. No expenses are listed.

This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Morgan County election board discuss campaign sign in Gregg Township Trustee race