Education
Morton College (Associates), Northern Illinois University (Bachelors, Finance), University of Georgia (MBA)
Campaign Email
kenlindsay@sbcglobal.net
Occupation/Current Position
Harris Township Trustee
Campaign Phone
5742728673
Applicants are respected and receive even-handed, consistent and fair treatment. We understand simply asking for assistance takes some courage. Our written standards were developed in conjunction with peer townships, reflect best practices, and are updated regularly.
While administering this state-mandated program, we aim to help people in the near term, and in the long term. Harris Township (HT) helps people in need, quickly. Our commitment to award assistance immediately addresses their emergency because landlords and utilities respect it. Awardees must seek employment and report on their progress. Those eligible for Workfare are asked to work off their award, starting with learning Dave Ramsey's approach to personal financial management.
Without a doubt, continuing to deliver quality fire protection and EMS services. We took two significant steps in that direction recently, but not without requiring a significant amount of creativity and effort. HT freed up money to increase Clay Fire Territory wages for 2026, making it easier for our valued, experienced employees to remain with us. And in March 2026 after a year of work, 7 units agreed to a new fire territory structure which will allow those wages to continue.
But the future is not certain. I’ll serve on the new governing board which faces a number of decisions related to optimizing operations and developing new approaches to keep costs down while maintaining or improving service levels.
Other challenges are new state pressure on townships and their finances, and addressing the lack of greenspace in our area.
We have it already and aspire to improve it. Harris is part of the Clay Fire Territory which includes German and Clay Townships. It helps and is helped by neighboring units through mutual aid and equipment loan programs. We recently approved merging with the Penn Fire Territory which also serves Osceola. That said, we also find ourselves in competition with our neighbors especially regarding compensation. The pressures, including from the state, will intensify. These issues can have life and death implications, and are taken very seriously. There are opportunities for more cooperation within the county, but it will require experienced leadership.
As the current Trustee, I’ve prepared an Annual Financial Report (AFR) and developed a balanced budget every year for the last decade. They can be seen at Indiana’s Gateway website. The State Board of Accounts audits townships, and through them approves of Harris's efforts. We also contract with a third party to conduct periodic audits. Overall, I’m not only fiscally conservative but run a tight ship regarding controls. My MBA and prior business experience doesn’t hurt to that end. Taxpayers are in good hands.
Like with financial records, under my direction the township has regularly kept records of proceedings, maintained a capital asset inventory, and created a capital improvement planning process as part of managing township assets. As the state modifies related requirements, we stay in compliance. The Harris Township Board including Karen Vargo, Bob Fox and Chuck Sulok acts on each, and they are maintained with some made available online for review.
I developed a township website and Facebook presence for purposes of communicating related information. And again, Gateway is a repository of much data that may be of interest.
Residents can call 574-272-2371, email HarrisTrusteeLindsay@gmail.com, review www.Harristwp.com, or locate the township’s Facebook page. All are welcome to attend any board meeting where you can meet the elected board and Trustee. Plus, I’m always open to talk one-on-one.
I write articles about the township and local issues for the Granger Gazette. Many past articles are available at the township website.
As we aspire to improve quality of life in Granger, inputs are more than welcome.
If demand for assistance rises, Harris Township would meet the need, which would likely be temporary. We’ve a Rainy Day Fund and the ability and knowledge to make an additional spending appropriation. What makes this possible is our sound fiscal management including a track record of raising non-tax revenues. In fact, this year non-tax revenues will exceed property taxes raised for the first time ever. This was a deliberate strategy that took a lot of work, but is paying off.
Regarding SNAP, townships should not ever be expected to close the gap on large federally or state-funded and managed programs. The media hype around this issue was hyperbole, if you ask me. Besides, HT’s operating expense budget is relatively small, so covering for the failures of other government units long term isn’t feasible.
Education
Indiana University Bloomington
Campaign Email
kathryntroesterharristownship@gmail.com
Occupation/Current Position
Marketing
My approach is simple: treat people with dignity, respect, and privacy.
If someone is asking for help, chances are they’re already dealing with a tough situation. The process should be clear, fair, and compassionate.
At the same time, these are taxpayer dollars, and we owe it to the whole community to be responsible. That means having clear, up to date defined policies and making sure assistance goes where it’s truly needed.
I also strongly believe in working closely with local nonprofits, county resources, and state programs so we’re not duplicating efforts—and so people get the right kind of help, not just a temporary patch.
One of the biggest gaps I see is communication—both getting information out and listening in.
People shouldn’t have to dig to understand township services, budgets, or decisions. And they shouldn’t only be heard when there’s a problem.
I’d focus on improving transparency, increasing touchpoints throughout the year, and creating more ways for residents to share feedback. When people feel informed and heard, they trust their local government more - and that trust matters.
Our relationship with the fire department goes beyond coordination. It is a true partnership built on ongoing communication, education, and knowledge sharing. We actively work to ensure both teams understand what the partnership includes, how we support one another, and how shared expertise strengthens safety and preparedness for everyone involved.
I think it’s a great example when townships work together to solve shared needs and protect services in our area. My role would be to stay connected, ask questions, and look for ways we can improve, evolve. Equally important is to also ensure residents understand what they’re getting for their tax dollars.
Partnerships work best when everyone feels supported and when the community understands the value behind them.
I’ve spent over 20 years managing budgets from small nonprofits to multimillion dollar operations. That experience taught me how to set priorities, make tough choices, and be clear about where money goes and why.
I don’t want my taxes going up either. That’s why I care so much about being responsible with public dollars. I believe budgeting should be transparent and understandable, with clear reporting so people know how their money is being spent.
I also believe in working closely with other local governments and community partners to avoid waste, share resources, and stretch dollars as far as possible without cutting the services people count on.
My entire career has been built on organization, accountability, and clear communication.
I’ve led large programs where accurate documentation and transparency weren’t optional, they were essential. Public records should be easy to access, clearly organized, and written so people can actually understand them.
If it’s public information, the public shouldn’t have to work to see it.
I want people to feel comfortable reaching out because I’m a neighbor first.
That means:
o Regular updates people can actually understand
o Community meetings that invite conversation
o Open channels like email and social platforms
o Surveys and outreach that actively ask for input
I don’t want to sit back and wait for people to come to me. I want to go where people already are and listen.
When demand increases and resources are limited, there’s no single easy answer but I believe responsibility and compassion have to go hand in hand.
Trustees should work closely with local nonprofits and county resources, make sure policies are current and clear to define how to prioritize those in greatest need.
It’s also about being proactive and paying attention to trends early, planning ahead when possible, and finding efficiencies so dollars go further.
At the end of the day, it’s about helping people through hard times while being a careful steward of the resources our community trusts us to manage.
Education
University of Notre Dame
Campaign Email
vote4veronicavos@gmail.com
Occupation/Current Position
University Staff
Township government is the most local level of government in Indiana. I believe that entrusting the poor relief program to this level of government ensures that government aid closely resembles neighbors helping neighbors. We are all tired of the distant and impersonal bureaucracy that most people encounter when they interact with government services. Township government can change that and allow Hoosiers to continue to build strong. local communities where all neighbors are helped and treated with respect.
I am running with three of my friends. Ryan Callahan, Sharon Brinker and Jake Baska who are all running for township board. We are running because we believe it's time for A New Era in Harris Township. For too long the township has only held two public meetings a year and done little or no public outreach. We believe it's possible for township government to do so much more. We want to make this township dynamic and relevant to people's everyday lives and we need your help to make it happen!
Maintaining excellent fire service will be the top priority in our "New Era." We have started conversations with neighboring firefighters unions and have attended all of the public meetings and voting sessions for the recent fire merger (unlike our opposition who decided to skip voting day...) We promise to continue to build these relationships during our campaign and during our tenure if we are lucky enough to win your vote!
Compiling a government budget is a collaborative process. I have professional experience working at the municipal level of government where I was involved in the budgeting process for an entire city. The most important part of the process involved consulting all departments to ensure that the proposed budget matched the needs of the participating units. I am confident that I can apply my previous experience to the budgeting process for Harris Township.
Our first goal for Harris Township's New Era is transparency and accessibility. We want to ensure that not only are the Township records maintained, but that they are accessible to everyone in Harris Township. We hope to launch a new and improved website to help make this possible, as well as hold regular office hours when the physical records from the township held in the Township Office on Elm Rd can be made accessible to any interested parties.
As a team, we commit to holding regular public meetings and office hours at least once a month. I would be happy to meet with any constituents that reach out to our email address with questions or concerns and we will plan direct neighborhood outreach even after the election!
Township government is community government. I see this role as responsible not only for direct government services, but also as a community connector, collaborating with other aid programs in the township, and in the wider county to help meet rising need. I would also coordinate with citizens directly to sponsor coat drives and food drives in support of local organizations because there is no limit to what is possible when we work together to help our neighbors!
