LOGANSPORT —
All three Logansport mayoral candidates agreed Thursday night that the city and county should be working together but disagreed on how far that partnership should go.
“In order to work together, we have to realize there are two separate entities,” Democratic Mayor Mike Fincher said during a candidate forum at McHale Performing Arts Complex.
Independent candidate Seger Mathew said city officials should be willing to give up some power to forge a closer relationship with the county — if only for the financial gain that could result.
“We have enough money to operate now, but we don’t have enough to grow on,” Mathew said.
Republican Ted Franklin sees government consolidation as the “wave of the future” and a necessity to survive. He said Logansport should be working more closely with the county.
He cited the city’s veto of the fire territory last year as a prime example of what Logansport shouldn’t be doing.
“That cost the city $700,000, and not just this year but every year,” he said. “We have to get that back.”
The three men’s comments came during a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Cass County and Logansport-Cass County Chamber of Commerce. About 100 residents attended the event, which also featured candidates for Logansport City Council, Galveston Town Council and Royal Center clerk-treasurer.
Fincher disagreed with Franklin’s assessment of the city working with the fire district. The two men squared off in the mayoral election four years ago.
Fincher said it wasn’t costing the city $700,000 a year. In fact, he said, it wasn’t costing Logansport anything.
When asked, Fincher said he has no intention of allowing the city to join the fire district.
“Putting city dollars in the fire district — it’s not necessary,” he said. “It is about the money.”
Newcomer Mathew said he’d be in favor of joining the district, but for Franklin, it was non-negotiable.
“I support reunification of the fire departments, period,” said Franklin, a fire investigator for Logansport Fire Department. “We don’t care how much it costs if it’s our families.”
His remark prompted applause from many people sitting in the audience.
He said if he’s elected, the two fire departments would merge.
Mathew said the mayor has less control in this issue. It was a decision made by the City Council.
“We’re just an administrator in this,” he said.
Fincher defended his veto, saying the City Council was wrong to “randomly give up control” of the fire department in the first place. But now that the fire district has formed, Fincher's plan is simply to get along with the new entity.
“We have to be able to work together,” he said.
Fincher said he would entertain the idea of having a mutual aid agreement with the district.
The candidates’ ideas aligned more on the issue of what Logansport Municipal Utilities should do with its power plant.
Mathew said the generators at LMU are small and inefficient.
“If we don’t have the money to upgrade the plant, then we should look at who can help us,” he said.
Franklin said the Utility Service Board did the right thing by hiring a consultant because no one in the city has the expertise to figure out how to make the plant viable again.
Fincher and Mathew both agreed that the city should be looking at alternative fuel sources. Fincher suggested solar power and using gas turbines.
When asked, all three candidates said that the mayor’s position is a full-time job, especially after the city eliminated the deputy mayor.
• Lindsey Ziliak is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or lindsey.ziliak@pharostribune.com.
Voters' Guide
Related Photos
-
SOUNDING OFF: Logansport mayoral candidate Ted Franklin (on left) makes a point during a candidate forum Thursday night, while Mayor Mike Fincher (center) and candidate Seger Mathew wait for their chances to respond. P-T photo | Angi Turnpaugh
Discussion
Logan mayoral candidates talk about fire protection, LMU
- Voters' Guide
-
-
State court judges may be least known candidates on the ballot
Most voters may not know a state Supreme Court justice up for retention election next Tuesday wrote the opinion in a landmark ruling that cleared the way for the maker of some “copycat” toy machine guns to be criminally prosecuted.
-
Budget is concern to some candidates
Five Cass County residents – three Republicans and two Democrats – are vying for three vacant Cass County Council seats in next week's election.
-
Two candidates vie for Circuit Court position
In the race for Circuit Court judge, incumbent Leo Burns, a Democrat, is focusing on education and programming while Douglas Cox, a former judge and the Republican candidate, is turning to the workings of the court system.
-
Last debate has sparks, no KO blows
Democrat John Gregg came out swinging in the third and final gubernatorial debate Thursday, in what might have been his last, best chance to further narrow the race.
-
Sailors faces Banter in District 2 commissioner race
Democrat Timothy Banter Sr. is opposing incumbent Republican Jim Sailors in the race for District 2 county commissioner.
-
GOP’s Mourdock stands by rape, abortion remark
Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock refused to apologize Wednesday for saying that pregnancy resulting from rape is “something God intended.”
-
Indiana’s third party sees progress beyond its wins
Inside the Indiana Libertarian Party headquarters in downtown Indianapolis is a hardy band of volunteers who don’t see losing a political race quite the same way other people do.
-
Libertarians try to leverage ‘Survivor’ celebrity to win votes
The Democratic and Republican candidates running for governor this year are spending millions upon millions of dollars to get voters to pay attention to them. The third guy in the race just has to show up.
-
Coroner candidates both cite experience
In the county coroner’s race, the incumbent coroner and his opponent, a former police chief, each say experience is the asset that will win the election.
-
Freshman lawmaker makes jump to statewide ticket
Last April, not long after returning home from a contentious legislative session, freshman state lawmaker Sue Ellspermann got a call from someone who said he was with Mike Pence’s gubernatorial campaign.
- More Voters' Guide Headlines
-
State court judges may be least known candidates on the ballot
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
Obama: US Has Helped Syrian Rebels
Afghan Forces Take Afghanistan Security Lead
Raw: 100K Protesters Flood Brazilian Streets
California Cops Cruise on Stand-up Paddle Patrol
Transgender Candidate Running in NYC
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
Man Who Disrupted Flight Ranted About CIA
Feds: 7-Eleven Stores Exploited Immigrants
Fla. Teen Catches Ride With Whale Shark
Iran's Rowhani Urges 'Path of Moderation'
Investigators Probe Origin of Colo. Wildfire
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Family Tweets Say Kim Kardashian Gives Birth
