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Dear Editor,
Election season is upon us in full force. While many of us can get bogged down in the political back and forth of candidates, I’d encourage you to do your research on all the races on your ballot. One race I’d encourage residents of White River Township to pay attention to is that of the local township trustee race.
As a general rule, the more localized your government, the more if affects you directly. Many of us have forgotten about the local trustee’s office even though they can affect your life the most. With the coming, and now going, of the COVID-19 pandemic many people found themselves in need of assistance with basic needs: Food, help with rent or the mortgage, the electric bill, basic necessities of life. It’s a time when your local trustee should step up to assist those who need it most.
In White River Township, the trustee also is entrusted with taking care of the Community building, the baseball diamonds, cemeteries, and the Fire Department. Until recently, each of these was all but forgotten about. Part of being the trustee is being a good neighbor and taking care of what is entrusted to you.
Over time, elected officials can “forget where they came from.” It isn’t their fault necessarily – they just get bogged down in the day-to-day duties of the job that they lose sight of why they originally took the position. Complacency sets in and before they know what happened they start just going through the motions of the job. One could argue we have reached that stage in White River Township.
White River Township has now become known as “the forgotten township” in Hamilton County. With the local trustee’s race, the “forgotten race.”
This May, we have an opportunity to breathe new life into a storied township. We have an opportunity to elect a fresh set of eyes to look at things. Someone who has deep roots in the township. We have an opportunity to resurrect what has been neglected with interest in reviving the baseball diamonds. We have an opportunity to build bridges instead of walls. To finish what we started by electing someone who will complete the unfinished White River Fire Station. We have an opportunity to elect someone who will respect our history while keeping an eye towards the future.
For those living in White River Township, you know how good we have it. We have a little slice of paradise in the northeast portion of the county. But, just like you may hire someone to perform maintenance on your home, it is time to hire someone new to maintain our township.
Having grown up in White River Township and now raising my family here, I have a keen interest in our township. Growing up, I was taught to leave things better than I found them – to be a good neighbor and help those in need without asking for anything in return. These values instilled in me from an early age have culminated in a desire to be your next White River Township Trustee.
I’d encourage you to check out my Facebook page, “Robbie Ping for White River Township Trustee” to see a glimpse of how I’d like to improve things.
On May 3, I’d ask for your vote to be White River Township Trustee. A vote to keep White River Township from being forgotten and left behind. A vote to leave White River Township better than we found it.
Robbie Ping
Candidate for White River Township Trustee