Wabash Township Board Candidates
Frank Hannan
I’m a regular attendee of
Township Board meetings. I know the challenges facing the township.
Jeff Stefancic
Exponential growth in the township calls for reasonable fiscal policy and committed servant leaders to embrace our new challenges.
Eric Hoppenjans
My goal is to utilize my experience as a small business owner by managing the township as a functional business entity.
Our Core Commitments
We are focused on the issues that matter most to our families and our future.
Fiscal
The past few years the budget process has relied upon potential revenue sources not actual revenue sources. Very few of those potential sources have panned out. (2025 Excess Levy Appeal and the past few years request for a share of public safety income tax have been denied) The trustee and the board need to budget with funds we know we will receive not funds we hope to receive. Hope is not a sound budgeting practice.
Twice in 2026, the trustee was forced by public pressure generated by us to withdraw his request for $40,000 to purchase a vehicle for the trustee’s office. The vote on that resolution has been postponed to “gather data” for the need. Data gathering will end shortly after the November election. When elected we will vote no on a vehicle for the trustee’s office.
When elected we promise to be a check and balance on the trustee’s resolutions. Since the 2022 election, We have not been able to find one board member no vote on any resolution proposed by the trustee.
Most of the provisions of the property tax relief and reform package known as 2025 Senate Bill 1(SB1) now Senate Enrolled Act (SEA1) don’t kick in until 2028. There are many reforms and new regulations that will affect township funding. We will realistically deal with those changes and develop strategies to handle funding shortfalls.
Township Growth
We have all witnessed the explosion of building in the township. With a population of about 25,000 residents, the unincorporated part of the township has no input into the zoning process. We have no representation on the Area Plan Commission. (APC) This is taxation without representation, and we will fight to have state statues and county ordinances changed to include larger townships like ours in the zoning process. We want a Wabash Township member on the APC.
From its inception, the website has been a disaster. It has been a topic addressed by the public and current board members for three years. Information is often not up to date. This includes future meeting dates, timely posting of agendas and financial reports. The site is not user friendly and requires knowledge of Google Docs. Some residents, especially senior citizens do not have extensive computer skills. We will dump the current website and replace it with user friendly website.
In addition, we have had numerous complaints from residents about the trustee’s office not getting back to them on a timely basis on concerns, questions and problems. We promise to pass a resolution requiring the trustees office to get back to everyone within two business days.
Accessibility
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