Occupation/Current Position
Retired-- Contracted by Dismas House of Indiana to help people convicted of sex crimes
Education
BA Earlham College in Theater Master in Library Science Indiana University
Campaign Phone
574-807-4937
Campaign Email
CherylAshe1@outlook.com
Through my volunteer experiences helping people apply for Social Security Disability and my part-time job helping people returning from prison, I know the financial difficulties low-income people encounter. I am running for the Portage Township Board because I believe my knowledge of these difficulties helps the Township provide better services to low-income residents.
Having served on various boards, I have experience overseeing budgets (YMCA Urban Youth Services, Neighborhood Partnership Center, Indiana CURE) and advising the organizations' executive directors. I know many community resources and have shared this information with the Trustee and staff.
The biggest challenge facing Potage Township is the amount of money it receives. Due to the 2025 Indiana Senate Bill 1, the amount of money Portage Township receives has decreased from previous years. Portage Township's budget has increased because the Township inherited two abandoned cemeteries that the Township is responsible for. The Township had to reduce the amount of money it gives people. This reduced amount of money occurs at a time when electricity/gas/rent are rising. In 2027, the Township’s Cooking Healthy Food Classes may be reduced due to a lack of funding. I have researched possible grants for the Cooking classes.
Having served on various boards, I have experience overseeing budgets (YMCA Urban Youth Services, Neighborhood Partnership Center, Indiana CURE) and advising the organizations' executive directors. As a librarian, I will use my skills to research for grants.
I attend many community events and for some events I wear a jacket with the Portage Township name on it. At these events, people asked me questions about Portage Township. Sometimes I can answer their questions. Other times, I take the people’s information and give it to the Trustee. Also, I share my contact details with people. On the Portage Township website
Portage Township Board appoints two members to the Fire Territory Board. Working with these members, the Portage Township Board balances the needs for fire and ambulance services with the need to raise taxes. The Portage Township Board held a public hearing to learn how township residents felt about the merger of the Portage and Warren fire departments. Portage Township holds a public hearing when it plans to increase tax rates.
Helping the public understand what services the Portage Township is required to provide and what services it can choose to offer may increase interest in how the Township’s funds are spent. I will recommend that the Township staff/Board go to various locations (libraries, community centers, community fairs, etc.) have a table to publicize Township services and answer people’s questions. By talking to people, the Trustee/staff/Board can encourage people to watch Board meetings online, follow the Township Facebook page and website
Education
Master's of Public Policy, University of Denver. Bachelor's of Liberal Arts in Political Science and History, IUSB
Campaign Email
rwhillsb@gmail.com
St. Joe County and Indiana in general have a problem with poverty and lack of opportunity. Our state doesn't provide the services and support needed to lift people out of poverty and ensure a reasonable standard of living.
We organize workshops to help residents get evictions expunged, drivers licenses restored, and have created a food pantry, community events for kids, and are sponsoring other programs to boost youth participation in sports and other areas known to decrease crime and improve long-term outcomes in a community.
I am running again for re-election to the township board as I feel we have done good work providing support and assistance for those who need it and want to make sure these programs contine.
I have a master's degree in public policy and my studies were on wages, healthcare, and the justice system. I support the township by making sure our programs have a look beyond the next bill for people. While that's important, we also need to think of how these programs interact in encouraging employment, community connections, and help build opportunities are critical to making communities more resilient.
The board also acts as oversight, watching the budget, serving as a general watchdog regarding the trustee, and bringing ideas and connections that can help serve our residents better.
SB 1 which was passed by governor Braun has led to a loss of funds in local government around the state. This has cut our assistance budget heavily, making it harder to do more than basic assistance. To bring people out of poverty, you have to be able to invest in them and with these cuts it is much harder. We have had to limit programs, let staff go, and adjust long-term goals due to these cuts.
My policy work gives me a good inter-disciplinary perspective on how to use our dollars to the maximum benefit. I also am an outspoken advocate in the community, connecting non-profits, activists, and others to services, whether they are specifically township resources or partners. My goal is to create a better list of community resources to share with partner organizations and use our data to create a needs map of the township to support city and non-profit community relief.
I am easy to find at public events, reachable through my email, and if someone calls the township to ask for me I will call back. I believe elected officials are public servants and should always work to be accessible to the community.
We have to measure critical needs and service gaps to make sure the support provided is appropriate. I supported the merger for the St Joe County Fire Territory as our previous situation did not provide needed medical support and heavily under-paid our firefighters, who are often the front line of any life-threatening situation.
Some increases in costs can't be avoided, but consolidating territories reduces overhead and duplication of services that aren't necessary. We have to focus on how to use those funds to the maximum impact for the community.
We currently post all meetings online and make our minutes available. We set up the processes for public posting of meetings long before it was required by the state as transparency is important. Our monthly meeting is always at the same day and time and I share the details with anyone interested in attending.
Campaign Phone
574-520-3548
Campaign Email
shapeck4@gmail.com
I decided to run because the township is closest to the people. You have the state, county, and city governments, but the township is the closest to the people we serve.
The township trustee plays an important role in providing poor relief, so it is important to offer clear guidance to help them succeed. First, I would advise the trustee to follow Indiana laws on township assistance, especially Indiana Code 12-20. Having clear written guidelines for who qualifies for help and what types of assistance are available—such as rent, utilities, or food—ensures fairness and consistency.
Second, the trustee should create a respectful and organized application process. This includes verifying a person’s income, residency, and need, while treating every applicant with dignity. People seeking help are often in difficult situations, so compassion is essential.
I would also recommend keeping accurate and detailed records of all decisions and funds spent. This helps maintain transparency and accountability, and it pr
There are several big issues facing Portage Township. From housing to food, people are in need more than ever. Since I was first elected, Portage Township has introduced several new initiatives to help residents address some of these issues.
With the state cutting funds, it gets harder to supply these services, but we have continued to do this work.
I graduated from IUSB with a BA in history and a minor in political science.
I have a Master's degree in Public Administration.
I worked for the Civil Rights Heritage while in undergrad, and from there, I worked 6 years in Voter Registration.
Today, I am an educator. I have decades of experience working within the community, and Portage Township in particular.
The Portage Township Board consists of three members. Every one of these board members are ctitical to the oversight and the legislative process of Portage Township.
I am accessible via telephone and email. I am often out and about in the community.
The advisory board is the legislative body of the township. Thus, it is our responsibility to fund these territories. To that effect, public safety must be weighed against the cost to the community. With St.Joe County pulling back on EMS services, it becomes increasingly important for fire territories to be well-trained and funded
All of Portage Township's meetings are public, as are our minutes. The public is free to join any of our meetings and speak publicly.
