Heirbrandt named Commissioner of the Year

Will serve as 2023 president of Indiana Association of County Commissioners

As first reported in the pages of the Hamilton County Reporter, Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt was recently honored with a top award from the Indiana Association of County Commissioners (IACC). Heirbrandt was named 2022 “County Commissioner of the Year.”

His work across Hamilton County has captured statewide attention since first being elected in 2013, and he has been recognized with an additional five statewide awards during his time on the board.

“I’m honored to continue serving the residents of Hamilton County. No matter what award I may receive, this job is critical to improving the quality of life for our community,” Heirbrandt said. “Making a difference in the lives of the people that I encounter every day is my top priority.”

Heirbrandt has been responsible for driving and completing many transformational county projects requiring extensive partner collaboration, as well as identifying and securing major funding in order to improve the lives of Hamilton County’s constituents and visitors.

Through Heirbrandt’s help, the county now has a taxpayer savings of $25 million over 25 years in new energy-efficiency initiatives and currently maintains 600 miles of roads and over 300 bridges. His work has also assisted in strengthening businesses and encouraged millions of dollars in investments for Hamilton County.

Some of Heirbrandt’s notable accomplishments so far include working to expand adequate infrastructure projects like roads and bridges as the county continues to rapidly grow. The major challenge is financing these projects while maintaining a tax-neutral environment for citizens. He has worked tirelessly to coordinate a county financing team to model the county’s future needs against its financial resources. These efforts produced a fresh, budget-neutral, long-term capital plan for the county.

Heirbrandt says his additional priorities include a focus on public safety, road safety and infrastructure, cost savings, and communication and transparency. He continues to work with Commissioners Christine Altman and Steve Dillinger to ensure Hamilton County is at the forefront of positive change.

“I’ve always communicated consistently and honestly with residents,” Heirbrandt said. “When people come together with new ideas and new solutions, we have a greater impact. In order for our community to succeed, we need to be proactive about providing the best resources while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

Now, Heirbrandt will take his work to the next level. He was also elected to serve as 2023 President of the Indiana Association of County Commissioners during the recent annual conference.

As president, Heirbrandt will represent the elected county commissioners in the 92 counties of Indiana. He will be President of the IACC’s Board of Directors, which determines policies and legislative goals for the association. The elections were held during the IACC’s 2022 conference, the largest gathering of county commissioners in the state.

“I’m humbled that my colleagues have selected me to serve in this new capacity. It’s truly an honor,” Heirbrandt said. “This new position allows me to reach every corner of our great state, and I’m hopeful to use the resources at hand to continue to push county government forward not only for the residents of Hamilton County, but for all members of the Hoosier community.”