Obama yard sign stolen once again

Once again, a sign supporting my choice for president, Barack Obama, has been stolen from my front yard.

Do these people want to deny my First Amendment right and silence my voice? Do they want to deny my right to my own property? I purchased the sign with my honestly earned money. Do they not want me to feel secure in my own home? The sign was well within my property line and not in the easement, so they were just feet from my house. The last I checked, these were constitutional rights, though in the last eight years, that too seems to be in jeopardy.

Perhaps these people are against the Constitution. Perhaps they are, at best, closed-minded, intolerant and fearful of those who have a different opinion, or at worst, racists. Terrorists also share these attributes.

I’m an educated professional woman, and I arrived at my choice for president after measured and reasoned consideration of the issues. I am a former Republican, who in 1998, found that I could no longer support a party that didn’t measure up to my values. It appears that that decision was well-founded. This incident reinforces the evidence that some, perhaps many, who claim the conservative point of view, talk a good talk, but walk a hypocritical, illegal, immoral, threatening and cowardly walk.

Perhaps I should thank the individual who trespassed in my yard and stole my property, for it compels me to write this letter. Hundreds, rather than just the few, who would have seen my little sign on my little street will now know my commitment for Barack Obama and a new America.

Renda Hurst

Greentown

Minor: 1 candidate ready for surveyor

I have often wondered out loud to myself why we do not have an actual registered land surveyor as the Howard County surveyor. I have always been curious how a person could file for the county surveyor position and not be registered?

Recently there have been people making statements that the only responsibility of the county surveyor is to oversee the county regulated drains. What responsibilities does the surveyor have for mutual drains and waterways? It appears that these individuals making this statement have not read or understand Indiana Code 36-2-12 (Chapter 12, County Surveyor). This chapter lists the duties of the county surveyor. And what about the requirement by 36-2-12-13 that each year 5 percent of all original government survey corners in the corner record book shall be established and perpetuated by a registered land surveyor, only to list a couple of reasons for a registered land surveyor.

I called some surrounding counties and found that many of them do not have registered surveyors in office. We all have an elected official filling the position that is not qualified or registered.

I researched the issue and found that several years ago, the state Legislature wanted to make it so that to be able to file for the surveyor position, a person must be a registered land surveyor. Unfortunately, the legislators found that you must change the state constitution to do that. They did make a provision that if a county surveyor position was vacated during a current surveyor’s term, that the replacement must be registered. The Legislature took the next best option without changing the state constitution; however, that option still creates wasteful spending at the end of the day.

All duties of the Howard County surveyor that Indiana Code requires the surveyor to be a registered land surveyor under 25-21.5 or 25-31, shall, under the approval of the county executive, appoint a person who is a registered land surveyor. The administration of section; maintenance of corner record book; contents or record; procedure for establishment and perpetuation of corners, goes even further stating that the registered land surveyor is a resident voter of the county to administer this section.

Under 36-9-27-5 the Howard County surveyor is an ex officio, nonvoting member of the drainage board for Howard County. The surveyor is charged with certain duties designated by 36-9-27-30. These duties state that whenever the county surveyor is not registered ... and that statute prohibits an unregistered person from performing any function that the county surveyor is directed to do under this chapter, the surveyor shall employ and fix the compensation of a person who is so registered to work with the surveyor in performing those functions.

If the voters of Howard County elect a registered land surveyor, licensed under 25-21.5-7, it will not be necessary for most of the survey work to be subcontracted out of Howard County because of the lack of a true registered land surveyor. When you look at this situation in simple, fiscally responsible terms, why do the taxpayers of Howard County pay taxes to pay the salary of a surveyor that can’t or will not fulfill all the obligations of the office? That does not make any common sense.

Dan Minor is the only candidate qualified to fulfill the obligations of county surveyor and be able to fulfill the elected office by Indiana Code. He is registered and his opponent is not. We need someone qualified and not an empty suit filling an elected office, collecting a salary, not having the qualifications to hold the office.

Jim Watkins

Communications

Howard County GOP

Price has concern and compassion

Integrity and dedication to public service are just two of the many qualities exhibited by Howard County coroner candidate Jay Price. He brings with him years of experience as a professional firefighter with the Kokomo Fire Department, fire chief of Taylor Township Fire Department and most recently as Howard County deputy coroner. Jay holds many qualifications including investigative training and experience and is a state-certified medico-legal death investigator.

I have had the privilege to work with Jay many times over the past several years. He is always very professional and compassionate. The office of county coroner is demanding and many times complex. It requires working with multiple law enforcement agencies, health-care facilities and hospitals, medical professionals, funeral homes, churches, etc. However, the most important are the grieving family members often left behind as a result of a death. Jay approaches all families with genuine concern and compassion. He understands the dynamics that are required in order to aid those in the time of need.

Howard County has a great opportunity to elect a person of impeccable moral character and true concern for his community. I ask you to cast your vote for Jay Price for Howard County coroner because it is the right choice.

Dr. Steven J. Seele

Kokomo

Moore will serve community first

Tyler Moore is the best choice for our county commissioner! As part of a family-owned small business, Tyler knows the importance of financial responsibility and how to manage the bottom line of a budget. Sometimes, this means making decisions that are not popular, or that are not easy to make. Tyler has proven experience achieving positive results from well-considered decision making. Tyler will work with both city and county governments to control costs while maintaining high levels of customer service. Keeping customers happy is a prime rule of business, and keeping taxpayers happy is a key to good local government.

Tyler has a detailed understanding of real estate concerns, which is especially valuable for capitalizing on the new U.S. 31 bypass. Tyler will be proactive in guiding development along the new U.S. 31 so that new industry and businesses can grow east of town while businesses on the current U.S. 31 remain strong and thrive in our community. Tyler will continue to be involved in tax issues and other economic development issues that can bring terrific economic opportunity to the Kokomo area.

As a lifelong Hoosier and father of five, Tyler knows the values that we in Kokomo hold dear. He lives here, he works here, and he worships here. His parents and grandparents live here, his brothers and sisters live here, and his children live here. Every decision he makes will have the best interests of our community in mind, for this is the community in which his family lives. If you and your family love Kokomo and Howard County, you need to elect Tyler Moore for county commissioner!

Jeremy Burke

Kokomo