The Comet welcomes letters to the editor responding to articles and events in the news. They must include the author's name, address and telephone number. The letter writer's name and city/town will appear in the paper - no exceptions. Letters must be 400 words or less in length. Please send your letters to: editor@carrollcountycomet. com; Letters to the Editor, Comet, P.O. Box 26, Flora, IN 46929 or P.O. Box 179, Delphi, IN 46923; or fax 574-967-3384 or 765-564-2010. By submitting a letter or opinion article, the author grants the Comet the right to publish, distribute, archive or use the work in print, electronic, on-line or other format.

Clerk-treasurer, not a team player

I read with interest, the story in the Comet on Nov. 17 entitled "Time to Dig In - and Dig Out." Having been Delphi mayor from 2000 through 2007, prior to Randy Strasser, I feel like a response is proper.

The City of Delphi had undergone audits prior to the one reported in the newspaper. In the years prior to the 2007 audit, the same discrepancies had been noted and Janice Roe had been counseled about what her job entailed and how to correct these at the State Board of Accounts Exit Conference which is conducted with the mayor and the president of the City Council.

Interestingly enough, the 2006 Exit Conference, which was conducted in 2007, Ms. Roe originally did the Exit Conference with just herself and the auditors and did not notify the mayor and the Council president until after the Exit Conference. When Ms. Roe was asked about the audit, she reported "everything went well."

When a complaint was lodged with the State Board of Accounts about the Exit Conference not including the mayor and Council president, another Exit Conference was scheduled. At this conference it was learned that "everything was not well."

If you look at the copy of the letter that was written in response to the 2006 audit, you can see these discrepancies have been discussed on many occasions with Ms. Roe. Visit www.in.gov/sboa/resources/r eports/audit/Default.aspx to see a copy of the report.

In addition, Ms. Roe had informed the State Board of Accounts in 2006 that department heads had not prepared the GASB34 reports involving inventory of city property. She had been shown these reports and instructed on how to access them prior to the Audit.

It should also be noted that Ms. Roe had not been filing liens for all the additional cleaning of yards and weeds that property owners were not taking care of and had to be cleaned by city employees. The statements were being prepared and submitted to her office as required, with no action being taken by her as required by law.

She had been personally instructed by me and other employees on what forms to use and how to fill them out in relationship to filing liens.

Ms. Roe lightly infers in her statements that since she was not doing any postings herself that possibly her office staff was to blame.

During my eight years as mayor I found the office staff in the clerk's office to be well versed, professional, and courteous to everyone they came in contact with.

I think it is interesting that since the Comet has published the report about the last audit that Ms. Roe is going to "take this job very seriously." I question why she never took it serious in the past when so many people tried to help her.

It's my opinion that since Ms. Roe has been city clerk/treasurer she has never worked as part of the "city team," but rather against it creating problems for employees that were unnecessary. That was my experience with her and I wonder if the current mayor may not be experiencing the same.

Lee W. Hoard, Former Delphi mayor Former Carroll Co. sheriff

Township government is needed

I am writing in regard to the article on the Kernan-Shepard report, and comments attributed to Senator Brandt Hershman. I believe that Senator Hershman in general has done a good job, but this is just another example as to how out of touch with the real world our representatives are.

Senator Hershman states that if township government was abolished that services would remain intact. As township trustee I get many calls for township assistance after normal office hours and on weekends. If those needing help are working, they may not be available to contact the trustee, or to meet during normal office hours without loosing even more precious income. What happens to the lady who calls crying on Saturday afternoon saying that she is behind on her rent, and her landlord was just there telling her if she doesn't have some money by Monday she must be out by Monday morning? I doubt that anyone else is available after hours to see her.

I also get referrals from the other assistance offices who can't give help due to some technicality. Where do they go?

He also states that township funds are used to support libraries. That may be true in some cases, but if Jefferson Township residents would check their recent tax statements they will see a township tax rate of .000308 and a separate library tax rate of .001108.

When have you ever seen a larger more remote government be more responsible for using your tax dollars or providing better common sense services? Harold Erdmann Jefferson Township Trustee

Concerned about Kernan-Shepard Report

There is a lot Carroll County residents should know and understand about the Kernan Shepard report on Streamlining Local Government in Indiana.

The recommendations in this report may very well become law and go into effect by Jan. 1, 2011.

I feel the article in last weeks Carroll County Comet would make you think the Kernan-Shepard report was concerning township trustees only and there is so much more that you need to be aware of. I feel the public should try to understand what this would mean to each and every one of us.

According to the report, when the recommendations become Indiana law, there will be 11,000 less elected officials and 2,700 less government units in Indiana.

All these responsibilities will be given to one elected chief executive (per county) to be responsible and oversee. They will be able to appoint whom ever they choose to delegate different duties to, but the "power" would be to one person and an expanded county council to be accountable for EVERTHING in the county. All of our taxes and debt would be determined by the two entities.

With the size of Carroll County many of these changes would directly affect us.

In the Kernan-Shepard report there are 27 recommendations to change in our local government here in Indiana. A few that I feel are significant are: •The Chief Executive Officer will replace the three county commissioners; • The county offices of auditor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, surveyor, sheriff, and coroner will be appointed, instead of elected; • School corporations with less than 2,000 students will be consolidated corporations within the district. (Carroll and Delphi school corporations fall into this category); • All township trustees and advisory board responsibilities will be given to the County Chief Executive Officer. Some of the major roles of trustees include overseeing the township fire department, parks, cemeteries, and public assistance; and • The County Chief Executive Officer will be allowed to redistrict our fire and EMS departments. • Libraries systems will be redistricted by county.

Some or all of the recom- mendations by the Kernan- Shepard report could be going to legislation for a vote for adoption at the next session. The full report of Indiana Commission on Local Government is on the internet at www.ingovKernan-Shepard report and has several more recommendations. The full report is 46 pages with too many changes to list them all here.

This is something that should have been put on the ballot as a referendum in the November elections so that the people of Indiana would have a say in the way the government is run not dictated by our Legislators that are being pressured into pass this bill. It wasn't done that way and now it is up to us as citizens of Indiana to voice our opinion.

All concerned residents of Indiana should contact their State Representatives, Legislators and anyone else that will listen to how you feel about this.

I for one am not pleased with the aspect of this change. It would not only effect my position as Jackson Township Trustee but it would affect me personally. I don't want one person deciding what my tax base will be or which fire departments will close and which ones stay open. I don't want them telling me I have to go to a central library in the county.

A Website with resource information and to express voter opinion can be found at www.hoosiersfordemocracy.org. Robert W. Dittman Jr. Jackson Township trustee