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Dear Editor:
There is a huge choice before the voters of Noblesville, Jackson, Wayne and White River townships with regards to their representation on the Hamilton County Council on May 3.
On one side is the incumbent, who has the support of the entire Board of Commissioners and has an image of being a “nice guy.” Behind that façade is someone who doesn’t always disclose pertinent facts to his fellow councilors, acts as the Commissioner’s surrogate and cannot claim to analyze any financial details before voting however the Commissioners tell him how to vote.
He is being challenged by Mark Hall, a 30+ year resident, businessman and philanthropist.
I know the differences between the candidates are valid … I served on the County Council for 24 years and 18 years with the incumbent.
In 2004, he spearheaded the cancellation of the County Council’s contract to televise its meetings in order to limit the public’s knowledge of government spending and reduce transparency.
During the budget hearings of 2013, at the behest of the Commissioners, he requested a re-vote on the Council’s UNANIMOUS decision to implement a new pay structure for county employee salaries. The result: After a weekend to meet with Commissioners, he and three other Councilors reversed their votes to agree with the Commissioners’ desires.
In 2013, he orchestrated, behind the scenes and without any disclosure, to get $300,000 in funding for a fire district in a township where his father was a board member. Fortunately for Hamilton County taxpayers, the Township Trustee declined the funding.
In 2015, he walked out of a Council meeting, while it was in progress, because the Council had voted down a mega-million-dollar project to benefit a major supporter, the union of firefighters.
In 2016 and 2017, he refused to condemn the actions of another candidate who had stolen my campaign signs, was indicted for the crime, and was censured by the Council after he admitted his guilt in a plea bargain arrangement with a special prosecutor.
In 2018, he placed his campaign signs on private property without permission, then made news claiming they were stolen when they never should have been there to begin with!
On multiple occasions, to fill a vacancy on a board or commission, he simply deferred to either the mayor or the head of the organization for selecting a new person to serve, thus abdicating the Council’s role as a check and balance or independent body with its own appointments.
The citizens deserve someone who will give every project a thorough review and vote on its merits, not who is pushing it or who will benefit from it. Visit markfhall.com and be informed.
Urge your friends, neighbors and social media contacts to vote NOW through early voting or on May 3 for MARK HALL, District 3, County Council.
Rick McKinney
Westfield