Contested incumbents fare well

By SHEILA SELMAN
sheila.selman@goshennews.com

May 07, 2008 10:56 am

— LAGRANGE, Ind. — Incumbents fared well in LaGrange County’s contested primary races Tuesday.
Roger Boots defeated Jack Dold and Phil Tripi for the Republican Party nomination for LaGrange County Commissioner — South District.
Boots, a Wolcottville resident, said, “I was a little nervous about this election. I knew a lot of people were pulling Democrat ballots. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
He added, “I’m not a Democrat, but that Obama got a lot of young people energized and I hope it stays that way.”
“I’d sure like to thank everyone who supported me,” he said. “I hope I can live up to their vote for me. But I have to get elected yet this fall.”
The final tally was Boots, 941 votes; Tripi, 520 votes; and Dold, 495 votes.
As Boots pointed out, although the Democrats had no one file for any county seats, Democrats still have a few more months to slate someone to run against him or other Republican candidates.

County Council at large

In the LaGrange County Council at-large race, three people could be nominated. Four ran.
Receiving top votes were: Larry N. Miller, Wolcottville, 1,350 votes; Steven E. McKowen, Wolcottville, 1,277 votes; and Fred J. Brown, Howe, 1,215 votes. Joy Sharp of Howe received 974 votes.
Miller said the election “was kind of surprising.” In an election, he pointed out, there are a lot of highs and lows. “You never know how it comes out or if the people like and appreciate what you’re doing,” he said until the final vote.
And Miller said, he hopes that people voted for him because they think he’s doing a good job.
“I have a lot of people to thank for their support,” he said.
And if he’s elected in the fall, he said, “I look forward to serving the people for the next four years.”
Miller has served the community for a long time. He was on the Board of Zoning Appeals for 14 years before being elected to the council four years ago. He was on the county plan commission 14 years before that. Miller said he is still on the plan commission representing the council.
“The board that we’ve got now, I enjoy working with everyone on that board,” he said. Miller admits that they don’t agree with everything, but “we work together good as a board. To me that’s important.”

Uncontested

• Judge of Circuit Court — James Scott VanDerbeck
• Judge of Superior Court — George E. Brown
• Clerk of Circuit Court — Beverly S. Elliott
• Recorder — Sharon E. Martin
• Treasurer — Vonda L. Akey
• Coroner — Bruce L. Coney
• Commissioner — Middle District — George R. Bachman