By Howard Greninger
TERRE HAUTE — Three Democrats have filed a written declaration of candidacy to be eligible for a Democratic Party Caucus election to replace David Decker, a former county commissioner.
The caucus will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the Vigo County Annex, at First and Oak streets.
Decker agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana to distributing methamphetamine and resign his county position. Decker admitted to distributing 3.25 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
As of Friday, Joseph Etling, chairman of the Vigo County Democratic Party, said three candidates have filed — Cindy Wallace-Andrews, Michael Ciolli and L. Bryan Kelsheimer.
Cindy Wallace-Andrews, 58, is a former Terre Haute street commissioner, serving under former Mayor Judy Anderson, and is a former superintendent of the Vigo County Highway Department.
She had worked in the county prosecutor’s office and now works in the Harrison Township Assessor’s office. She has worked in local government for 34 years.
Wallace-Andrews ran unsuccessfully against current county Commissioner Judith A. Anderson in the 2004 election.
“I think that it is a job, if you’re elected, where you are the public’s vision and hope for the future, to build a good foundation for our children and grandchildren in our community. I think I have a lot to bring into the office and have a lot of knowledge about government,” Wallace-Andrews said.
“I want to have a lot of contact with the public, because I think they should have the input that they deserve,” she said. Wallace-Andrews said she also would work to improve economic conditions in the county.
Michael Ciolli, 56, is retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he worked from 1976 to 2003. He served as associate warden in the Terre Haute Federal Penitentiary from 1992 to 1994 and his last position was as warden at the Federal Correctional Institute in Pekin, Ill., where he retired from the bureau in 2003.
He then worked as the Vigo County jail commander from 2003 until October 2007 under Sheriff Jon Marvel. Ciolli now does contract work, performing audits on jails.
“Basically, I thought it would be a challenge,” he said. “I worked with the public a lot. I like working with people. I am the type of individual that I like being involved in the community. I came back to Terre Haute [after working for the Bureau of Prisons]. This is my home.
“I think I bring integrity and honesty,” Ciolli said. “I understand the importance of budget oversight and good personnel management. I believe my experience will help me be a good county commissioner in service to the citizens of our community.”
Larry Bryan Kelsheimer, 40, merged his own advertising company last June with another direct advertising company, and now works for Great Deals Savings Magazine. Prior to that, he worked at Morris Plan, where he sought the collection of delinquent loans.
“I am a lifetime resident of Vigo County, at least all of my adult life. I have seen the county grow until this recession hit us. I want to see if we can’t get this county and city back on the map,” he said.
Kelsheimer said his experience as a small business owner will help him work as a commissioner with the County Council on budgets.
He decided to seek the caucus election after working on two campaigns, one for city judge, then for county judge, for current Superior Court Division 6 Judge Michael Lewis.
“I worked behind the scenes and got the itch and thought I will give it a shot,” Kelsheimer said. “I got to know a lot of good people and want to be able to serve those people.”
All candidates must live in District 1. The district covers the eastern third of the county, roughly divided along 19th Street through the city of Terre Haute.
The voting districts include 3A, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 4C, 4D, 6C, 7F, 7G, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8E, 8F, 8G, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F and 9G. Also Lost Creek A, B, C, D; Nevins A, B; Pierson A; and Riley A,B.
Candidates have until 5 p.m. Monday to submit a written declaration of candidacy to Etling.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Who can vote?
There are 87 precincts. Democratic precinct committee members in those precincts can cast a ballot to select a replacement for the District 1 Vigo County Commissioners seat. Below is a January 2008 list filed at the Vigo County Clerk’s office. Three precincts, 5C, 6C and 3B, have been updated.
Chairman Joseph Etling said the lists are no longer required to be filed with the county clerk and are not considered public record. The lists are kept by the county and state party chairmen. The Indiana Democrat Party rules adopted March 23 do not require the chairman to file a list with the county clerk.
Jim Jenkins, 1A; Norma J. Garrett, 1B; P. Mick Love, 1C; Le Anna K. Moore, 1D; Rita L. Coleman-Alsop, 2A; John Mullican, 2B; Robert H. Lawson Jr., 2C; John Kesler, 2D; Alyse Mansard, 2E; Beverly A. Lester, 2F; None, 3A; Judy Mullican, 3B; Catrina S. Barrett, 3C; Pamela J. Decker, 3D; Robert Fischer, 3E; Thomas E. Hays, III, 3F; Linda L. Calloway, 3G.
Also Karen Calloway, 3H; Karen S. Base, 4A; Judy Chumley, 4B; Clarence Harris,4C; Barbara Ford, 4D; Shelva J. Warner, 5A; E. Nick Peters, 5B; Michael McManaway, 5C; Barbara R. Houston, 5D; Jean E. Bolk, 5E; Jim P. Chalos, 6A; Cheryl Loudermilk, 6B; Monica Van Hook, 6C; Rita J. Kendall, 7A; Sharon A. Hensley, 7B; Patrick Gainor, 7C; Bruce W. Allen Jr., 7D; Patricia R. Mansard, 7E; Pamella Otte, 7F; and Henry Carpenter, 7G.
And Patricia Etling, 8A; Naia Lawson, 8B; Richard J. Shagley, 8C; Mikael Hensley, 8D; Burton L. Mains, 8E; Harold L. Staggs, 8F; Eileen Legg-Wilkinson, 8G; Ramona K. Russell, 9A; Dan Holland, 9B; Patricia Beddow, 9C; Andy Atelski, 9D; Robert J. Grider, 9E; Roger T. McDonald, 9F; Susan G. McCarthy, 9G; Virginia Dunkley, FA-A; Gayle L. Decker, FA-B; Jon R. Marvel, HC-A; Julie Farah Lake, HC-B; Jeffrey Dabelow, HC-C; Clint Crockett, HC-D; Dora May Abel, HC-E; Delores Carbon, HC-F; Sandra D. Myers, HC-G; Kal Ellis, HC-H; and Debbie S. Van Horn, HC-I.
And Christopher B. Gambill, LI-A; Rowdy G. Willams, LC-A; Laura J. Myles, LC-B; Tim Gossett, LC-C; Lois Smith, LC-D; Marietta Herb Cooper, NE-A; Robert E. Moreland, NE-B; Joe McKanna, OC-A; Carolyn Nevins, OC-B; Mike Mahalek, OC-C; Kenney Depass, OC-D; James R. Lewzader, OC-E; John E. Gallion, OC-F; Michael Slagle, OC-G; Janice L. Morris, PC-A; Michael E. Peters, PC-A; Traci Hart, PR-A; Lisa Barbee, RI-A; William C. Bryan, RI-B; James M. Chrisman, SC-A; Larry Likens, SC-B; James W. Bramble, SC-C; Clark Cottom, SC-D; Jim McKinney, SC-E; and Nikki McClain, SC-F.
