‘”Your Community, Your Say’” Town Hall Brings Voters and Candidates Together

On Thursday night, the Dubois County Democratic Party hosted the first in a series of town halls intended to engage and inform the community as we approach election season.

Held at KlubHaus 61, “Your Community, Your Say” provided an open forum for voters to lend their voices to some of the most significant issues in Dubois County. The event was billed as “a town hall for everyone who lives here,” encouraging participation from both sides of the political aisle. Speakers and audience included both Democrats and Republicans, a number of whom are currently running for office. Panel members included Indiana Senate candidate Brad Hochgesang and Indiana House candidate Tiffanie Arthur, as well as Dubois County Council members Alex Hohl and Doug Uebelhor.

Hochgesang, who is running as a Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 48 (which includes Dubois, Perry, Spencer, Gibson, Pike, and Crawford Counties), spoke with WITZ before the event. Echoing the town hall’s bipartisan, community-forward sentiment, Hochgesang commented that party lines were less important than true representation for voters. Asked about what he thinks it means to be an elected official, he said, “it’s basically to seek out the views of the people most affected, bring their voice to the State House, and to make sure people know about the issues that are going to affect them before they actually happen.”

The Mid-States Corridor and BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) clearly dominated the minds and hearts of those in attendance. Procedure and public involvement at city and government meetings was also given significant attention. Another priority item was zoning. Attendees noted that due to its rural makeup, Dubois County has noticeably less zoning oversight than other more populous areas. Many of the public comments centered on the county’s legacy of prioritizing quality of life and addressing the potential threat that large private business interests pose.

The moderated event featured comments from the panel and a substantial question and answer period for those in attendance. Among the numerous bipartisan candidates in the audience, public comments were made by Mary Allen, Ed Cole, and Amy Kippenbrock. They lauded the importance of citizen involvement, an open dialogue between political adversaries, and most of all, responsible and ethical government. With strong momentum from a packed initial meeting, organizers are moving forward toward their next three events. On August 13, the Ferdinand Town Hall will be held at Station 313, followed by the Dubois County Town Hall on August 19 at Ruritan Park. The final town hall will be at the Huntingburg VFW on August 26.

To find out specifics about these dates, visit www.duboiscountydemocraticparty.com

- Drew Hasselbring