April 20 – Two battle it out for Perry Township trustee seat

Bohnke, 49, is running as a Republican on the ballot. He attended Indiana University and Purdue University of Fort Wayne. Bohnke described himself as a business entrepreneur and owner who works with Andersen Windows & Doors, as well as being a volunteer firefighter/EMT. He is married to Stacy Bohnke and has two children, Alexandrea and Cameron.

Tippmann, also 49, is also running as a Republican on the ballot. He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Purdue University and his PhD in Organic Chemistry from Ohio State University. Tippmann is a fourth-generation Hoosier with more than 1,000 relatives in Allen County. He is the eldest of 11 children and a graduate of Bishop Dwenger High School. He works as a scientist with a Fortune 500 company and was previously a chemistry professor at several universities, most recently Purdue. He has over 30 scientific discoveries to his credit. He has served two years as an Allen County councilman at-large before becoming the trustee of Perry Township for the last three years.

Q. Huntertown’s population has been rapidly growing over the past few years. What plans do you have in making sure the area is adjusted to the influx in residents?

Bohnke: With the rapid growth over the past few years, it will be imperative that we work closely with many other levels of local government to ensure a brighter future. I have working relationships with the Huntertown Town Council, Allen County Council, and State Representatives to ensure that we can obtain the best funding for projects in Perry Township. Roads, sewer capacity and bridges all need to be addressed, working relationships with those entities that oversee this work will make a real difference for our Township. While the township did upgrade to 24/7 paramedic ambulance service, providing a better working environment will keep our current first responders and help us hire more as needed. Our township has gained a reputation for a difficult workplace solely because of the current trustee. As a business owner and former volunteer firefighter, I know how to manage and keep our paramedics and fire fighters.

Tippmann: As Trustee we provide Fire and EMS coverage as well as emergency financial assistance. As Huntertown has grown, and revenues have increased, I have already added numerous full-time fire and paramedic staff. I bought land for a second fire station to accommodate our growth for at least the next 15 years. I will continue to invest heavily in public safety as we grow.

Q: What do you see as the three main issues in this race and how will you address them?

Bohnke: The three main issues that face Perry Township today are expanding the paramedic/firefighter program, retaining our full-time paramedic/firefighter staff and properly positioning our resources throughout township. After adding the Paramedic program to our emergency services offering in Perry Township, we will need to add additional personnel to maintain a high level of service to our community. The staff cannot make 10 or more runs in a day and still maintain a high level of care. Once in a while, they will be called upon to make that number of runs, but this should not be the norm. We will also need to retain our full-time paid staff. There is a shortage of qualified paramedics available at this time in our area. Offering better opportunities for growth and better working conditions will help us retain our staff, so that they do not go looking for “greener pastures.” Maintaining a good work life balance for our paid staff is imperative. When every second counts, proper placement of these services are vital to saving lives and property. We also will need to plan for future investments into capital expenditures to maintain a high level of service.

Tippmann: The main issues are public safety, keeping taxes low and continuing the legacy of Roger Gump (who died last year and had served as the Perry Township Trustee for 32 years) in improving quality-of-life issues. I previously laid out all the past and current plans I have taken to secure the highest level of public safety by adding more people, equipment and buildings. The Huntertown area is special because it is affordable but also because it is home to one of the best school districts in the State. Taking only what we need in taxes means we never put ourselves in competition with NACS. The tax rate for public safety has actually gone down under my watch and yet I’ve made $100,000’s more per year in increased safety investment by working smarter. Our EMS & Fire response times are routinely in the five to six minute range. In my first week in office I changed our investments around and earned more than $35,000 in interest and immediately invested in a lift-assist for the ambulance to prevent injury to our paramedics’ backs, I also cut my Trustee’s salary by more than 20%. I make less than Trustee Roger Gump did 10 years ago. For quality-of-life issues, we will be adding a Baby Box to the next station, possibly a second dog park and we already heavily support the Heritage Days festival and the Huntertown Lions.

Q: Why did you decide to run for office?

Bohnke: I have always been interested in helping our community. I have experience as a volunteer firefighter, and I understand the needs of township government. Over the past few years as a township resident, I have heard from former volunteers and those close to the township about the poor management practices and inconsistent schedule of the Trustee. I was encouraged to consider this office by many friends, both involved with other campaigns and those who haven’t been involved at all. Township government is the closest level of government to constituents, and I believe that a trustee should be accessible and have the skills to be a good manager. I believe that I can provide both in a way that will be a dramatic improvement from those being provided currently. After raising my children and finding myself with more available time, I felt this was the right time.

Tippmann: I ran for office because I saw an opportunity to keep taxes low and prevent high taxes from damaging our NACS district. I see public office as a form of community service. As a Tippmann, I was taught very early the importance of community and to donate my time and money to those in need around us. Whether it is the truly needy at Vincent Village or those in spiritual need requiring housing for single pregnant mothers — all things Tippmanns heavily support in the area — being in elected office for me is a natural off-shoot of all the other philanthropic and volunteer work I do and a way to give back to the community I was raised in.

Q: What qualities/ideas do you possess that make you the right candidate for the job?

Bohnke: With almost 10 years of serving as a firefighter/EMT and owning my own business, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to be the next Trustee of Perry Township. I also have the ability to work within a budget and the foresight to envision our next 5-year plan. Being the Trustee is not a “my way or the highway” kind of a job. You need to be able to work well with your board, the paramedic/firefighter staff, and other local officials to make the best opportunity for a brighter future for our township.

Tippmann: I believe the way you do anything is the way you do everything. I have lots of experience trying to keep taxes low: I had the most fiscally conservative voting record on County Council. As Trustee, I have come up with creative ways to save money or increase return on investment. I have been highly successful in all my professional pursuits. I earned a PhD in the most difficult of subjects — Organic Chemistry — and I did it in just approximately 3½ years, well below the average. I have mentored more than 30 people, published 30 scientific discoveries and contributed to enterprises worth nearly a billion over the course of my career. I’ve then used all this experience to greatly increase the benefits, training and professionalism of the firefighters and paramedics that serve Huntertown.