On your Ballot: What are all these offices, anyway?

Although there will be choices on the 2018 General Election ballot on races ranging from U.S. Senate down to Town Council in Hope, there are many uncontested races on the ballot also. 

In Bartholomew County, these uncontested seats are all held by Republican incumbents and most will continue to be held by the current officeholder. But that raises the question of what all these offices are for? Below is a quick summary:

County Commissioner - District 2: Currently held by Republican Carl Lienhoop, who is unopposed. Four-year term.

• The County Commissioners are the executive body of the county government. It is a three-person panel that basically serves the same role as a city's mayor. They are in charge of paying the week-to-week bills, signing contracts, making decisions on county property and personnel, maintaining county buildings and roads. They also serve on board and commissions and appoint others to those roles.
• County Commissioners have to live in the district they represent, but voters across the county make the choice on who holds the position.
• You can get more information here.

County Council -- District 2 and District 3. Currently held by Republicans Laura DeDomenic and Mark Gorbett, who are unopposed. (Note that in northeastern Bartholomew County, voters will be choosing between Democrat Hanna Omar and Republican Scott Bonnell for the District 1 seat on the council.) Four-year term.

• The County Council is the county's legislative body, which is almost entirely about handling the county's money. Every year, every department in the county submits a budget and the County Council determines how much of that request will actually get funded. The County Council sets the county budget everyone else in the county has to follow, which determines how much you pay in taxes. They also set how much county government employees and elected officials are paid.
• Whenever more money is needed in an area of county government, the County Council has to approve those budget changes and decide where that money can come from. 
• The County Council also makes appointments to some boards and commissions.
• The County Council is a seven-member panel.  Three of the council members are at-large meaning that everyone in the county gets to vote on them. But they are up for election the same year the president is elected. The other four council members have to live in their district and are only voted on by residents of that district. Those council members are up for election this year. 
• You can get more information here.

County Sheriff -- Currently held by Republican Matt Myers, who is unopposed. Four-year term but limited to two terms.

• The sheriff is the top law enforcement officer in the county. The sheriff and the sheriff's deputies patrol county roads and the streets of towns and cities, enforcing the law, making arrests and serving legal documents such as warrants or court filings. They are the first officers called in during emergencies in the areas of the county that are not towns or cities with their own police force, and they back up those other community officers as needed.
• The sheriff is responsible for operating the county jail, including holding everyone who is arrested in the county, keeping in custody those who are awaiting trial but have not made bail, and incarcerating those who are sentenced to jail after being convicted of low-level offenses. Recently that includes the lowest level of serious crimes, called felonies. The sheriff (and the jail staff he employs) are in charge of feeding those in the jail, ensuring their safety, maintaining the peace inside the jail and providing for the medical care of those being held.
• The sheriff keeps the peace and the order in county courts.
• You can get more information here.

Superior Court I Judge -- Currently held by Republican Jim Worton, who is unopposed. Six-year term

• The county has three courts, Circuit Court and Superior Courts I and II. Superior Court I is a general court that hears felony cases, some misdemeanor cases and civil cases including medical malpractice, automobile accidents and property damage. The court also hears cases of child support, divorces, wills, trusts and other disputes. Civil collection cases of more than $6,000 also are heard by Superior Court I.
• Superior Court I is in charge of cases of adult well-being such as protective services, protective orders and mental health cases. 
• Superior Court I recently took on the role of having a veterans treatment court, where those who have served in the military can be referred for substance abuse or mental health issues.
• You can get more information here.

Prosecutor -- Currently held by Republican Bill Nash, who is unopposed. Four-year-term.

• The prosecutor and deputy prosecutors argue the government's case against those accused of crimes committed in Bartholomew County. The prosecutor also represents the government in traffic cases, state law violations and against juveniles accused of crimes. 
• The prosecutor decides if there is enough evidence of a crime to file charges against someone who is being accused or who has been arrested. 
• The county prosecutor convenes and supervises grand juries in the county.
• The prosecutor enforces child support orders issued in divorces.
• The prosecutor's office is in charge of adult protective services, which investigates abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults.
• You can get more information here.

Clerk of Circuit Court - Currently held by Republican Jay Phelps, who is unopposed. Four-year term, but limited to two terms.

• Commonly referred to as just  the "county clerk." The clerk is in charge of collecting payment of judgments to the county courts, keeping court records, taking child support payments and issuing various licenses and certificates.
• The voter registration process and the overseeing and conducting county elections also fall under the county clerk. 
• You can get more information here.

Assessor -- Currently held by Republican Lew Wilson. Republican Ginny Whipple is running unopposed for the office. Four-year term, limited to two terms.

• The assessor determines how much your property is worth for tax purposes. That includes parcels of ground, the buildings or other improvements on that ground and the equipment kept there. The assessor then provides that information to the county auditor.
• You can get more information here.

Auditor -- Currently held by Republican Barb Hackman. Republican Pia O'Connor is running unopposed for the office. Four-year term, limited to two terms.

• The auditor is in charge of keeping track of the county's money and is the fiscal officer for the county. The auditor makes sure that incoming money is put into the proper funds. And that outgoing money is paid from the correct funds.
• The auditor prepares the county's bills for the county commissioners approval and then provides those bills to the auditor to pay those bills.
• The auditor maintains maps for the size and property lines for parcels of property throughout the county (plat books) and keeps track of the filing of requests for deductions or other corrections to the value of properties.
• The auditor keeps the official records of what was decided at meetings of the County Commissioners and County Council. Those records are called "minutes." The auditor also documents the county budget and keeps track of any changes made by the County Council.
• You can get more information here.  A summary of all the duties is at the state website here.

Recorder -- Currently held by Republican Anita Hole. Republican Tami Hines is running unopposed for the office. Four-year term, limited to two terms.

• The recorder maintains various records for the county. That includes property records such as deeds, mortgages, real-estate contracts, surveys, federal tax liens, etc. Also maintains records such as military discharges, firms doing business under assumed names, mechanic's liens, affidavits and other contracts or legal documents.
• You can get more information here.

Treasurer -- Currently held by Republican Pia O'Connor. Republican Barb Hackman is running unopposed for the office. Four-year-term, limited to two terms. 

• The treasurer is the county's tax collector. The treasurer and the office staff send out property tax bills and and take payments on those bills. The treasurer also collects inheritance taxes and excise taxes. 
• The treasurer receives money paid to the county. The treasurer is responsible for where the county's money is invested and where the county banking is done. Once the county auditor approves for a county bill to be paid, the treasurer actually disburses that money. 
•  The treasurer keeps records of the current addresses of owners of properties, who holds alcoholic beverage licenses and when mobile homes are moved or ownership is transferred.
• If any money is found on a dead body in the county, the treasurer has to deliver it to whoever should receive it or use it to pay for a coroner's investigation.
•  You can get more information here. A summary of all the duties is at the state website here.