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Friday, March 29, 2024

Township tussle: Constable and trustee candidates race to the finish

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Center Township in Indianapolis is a hotbed of election excitement.

More than 142,000 residents live in the township, and many of them will select candidates for constable in the primary election on May 8. Early voting is open at the Marion County Clerkā€™s Office in the City-County Building.

In the race for Center Township Constable, incumbent Mark ā€œTonyā€ Duncan is challenged by Denise Paul Hatch. According to Indiana law, the constable acts as the bailiff of the township small claims court, serves court documents and uses police powers to make arrests, keep the peace and carry out orders of the court.

ā€œItā€™s important to do the job as prescribed by law, but to also do it with the compassion that is necessary for people in need,ā€ said Duncan.

Compassionate toughness

Ā Much of the constableā€™s work involves enforcing evictions and court orders related to disputes between landlords and tenants. Duncan says he has earned a reputation for being tough on criminals and people who refuse to pay rent. However, he also believes in helping those who cannot afford rent or do not have the ability to work.

ā€œBefore you can put a family and some kids on the street, itā€™s important to expend every option before eviction takes place,ā€ said Duncan, who has been constable since 1993.

Previously, Duncan worked in property management and served as deputy trustee for then Center Township Trustee Julia Carson, who was later elected to Congress. He credits Carson for inspiring his passion for public service.

Duncan recalled recent examples of eviction situations: a single mother with three children, an elderly woman who has a crack-addicted son and is confined to a bed filled with human waste and a man with no legs.

In each instance, Duncan did what he could to help, including contacting the trusteeā€™s office to arrange for immediate rental assistance or health care providers to deal with medical issues.

ā€œMany people think the constable is just there to be this tough guy,ā€ said Duncan, who is also treasurer of the Marion County Democratic Party. ā€œBut if youā€™re about anything, youā€™re about helping people.ā€

Another view

Ā Denise Paul Hatch is not impressed with Duncan and believes it is time for a change. She is running against him because of dissatisfaction she experienced with the constableā€™s office as a landlord and property owner.

ā€œIā€™m OK because I have resources,ā€ Hatch said. ā€œBut what about folks such as the tenants and poor landlords? He (Duncan) has really taken advantage of these people.ā€

Hatch also is frustrated that the constable does not appear to have a central office, phone number and website. She wants to make the officer accessible to residents.

ā€œI donā€™t want to be a ghost,ā€ Hatch said. ā€œOur present constable is a ghost. No one knows who he is, what he does or how to reach him.ā€

Hatch would also like to create a program where youth in local schools under the age of 18 can become a deputy constable. She believes the initiative can get more youth engaged in the community and improve the relationship between them and law enforcement.

Prior to running for constable, Hatch served as an active volunteer for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and was elected as a delegate to the 2016 Indiana Democratic State Convention.

Hatch and her campaign manager, Justin Renquist, accused Duncan and his supporters of intimidating their attorney, vandalizing campaign signs and using supporters of sheriff candidate Kerry Forestal, a Duncan ally, to harass Hatch and eject her and her supporters from Democratic meetings.

Duncan chooses to rise above the allegations. He wonā€™t discuss them or anything else negative, instead focusing on what he wants to do if chosen for another term.

ā€œI would like to make landlords file for the eviction immediately so that the healing process can start immediately,ā€ he said. ā€œNinety percent of these situations are not just about money.ā€

Trusting the trustee

Ā Kris Owens is challenging incumbent Center Township Trustee Eugene ā€œWallyā€ Akers, who has been in office for over a decade.

Akers did not respond to attempts to reach him by press time. However, on his website he describes himself as ā€œa provider for the less fortunate, a protector of the taxpayerā€™s dollars, and a champion for the citizens of Marion County.ā€

In most Indianaā€™s townships, the trustee administers assistance to low-income residents, manages township funds, maintains township properties and oversees some fire services.

Akers, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, previously worked for Indy Parks and Indianapolis Public Schools. He touts himself as someone who takes pride in serving all residents, with particular concern for children, senior citizens, the underemployed and veterans.

Owens is an educator best known for his work in the communications department at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, where he worked with and taught non-traditional students from Center Township. He is an active volunteer with various neighborhood organizations dealing with issues such as hunger, poverty and the environment.

ā€œAfter two four-year terms, the current trustee has become complacent, a little too comfortable, and not helping as many in need as possible,ā€ Owens said.

If elected trustee, Owens would like to be more open and accountable, so that residents will know how taxpayer money in the office is being spent. He also plans to help the trusteeā€™s office become more efficient and increase outreach efforts in order to be more visible in the community.

ā€œI would ensure that we are not turning people away when the trusteeā€™s office is sitting on millions of dollars at the end of the fiscal year,ā€ Owens said. ā€œI would work with staff to identify ways in which we can help serve clients better.ā€

Contact Reporter Brandon Perry at 317-762-7848.

Center Township Constable Mark “Tony” Duncan

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