Shively, Dixon-Tatum square off in Anderson Township trustee race

Andy Knight, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Oct. 27—ANDERSON — In 2018, Mike Shively became the first Republican elected as Anderson Township trustee in more than 70 years.

After a four-year term largely spent navigating a host of budgetary and programming obstacles brought on by the pandemic, Shively believes he has demonstrated enough resourcefulness to earn re-election.

Shively said that after inheriting a budget deficit of about $96,000 at the start of his term, the three-member board passed a budget on Oct. 20 that will bring the office's budget into balance for next year.

"I'm excited about it," Shively said, adding that the budget will be balanced in 2023 — a year ahead of schedule — for the first time in recent memory.

"I think we've done a really good job, and we've watched our spending, and we're still (able) to pay out what we promised to do. We plan to increase that payout for poor relief next year."

Shively's opponent, Democrat Asauhn Dixon-Tatum, is hoping his recognizable surname — his mother, Tamie Dixon-Tatum, is running against Mike Gaskill for the state Senate seat in the 25th District — as well as what he considers a fresh set of ideas for maximizing the office's limited resources will help him unseat Shively.

"I want to bring positive and progressive change for the youth and the community," Dixon-Tatum said. "Starting with the community, I want to provide better emergency resources for residents who need them."

Dixon-Tatum said he and Shively share common ground when it comes to making sure community members have ample opportunities to take advantage of after-school and senior programs offered by the trustee's office.

If elected, Dixon-Tatum is promising to expand youth program offerings in athletics and broaden the office's current academic support programming to include the arts and other areas of interest.

"For the youth, I have a vision for providing a multitude of sports programs, more than basketball," he said. "There are various other sports that I want to bring to the entire community."

Shively pointed to activities at the Anderson Township Trustee Office and Youth Center's fieldhouse — including the Ike Jackson Youth Basketball League, which this year had nearly 140 participants — as evidence that the community is rediscovering the facility as a resource for both recreation and education.

"The last two years with the pandemic have been really difficult, just trying to get going," Shively said.

"It's kind of like running in the sand — you sink a little bit, but you keep moving forward. And that's what we're trying to do, just keep moving forward and making progress."

Follow Andy Knight on Twitter @Andrew_J_Knight, or call 765-640-4809.