In a room decorated with red, blue and white lights for the holidays, the St. Joseph Republican Caucus decided who would be placed on the ballot in the spring.
St. Joseph held its Republican and Democratic Caucuses on Monday night.
Municipalities with fewer than 5,000 people are allowed to hold caucuses to determine their primary nominees per party.
Forty-one people at the Republican Caucus decided who would be placed on the ballot for four trustee positions.
No residents attended the Democratic Caucus.
The winners of the Republican Caucus will fill the four open trustee positions come May unless a resident runs as an independent in the spring.
The consolidated election will take place on April 2.
In order to vote at a Caucus, residents must sign a form stating they are registered in the city or village that is holding the caucus, they are affiliated with the political party that is holding the caucus and that they will not participate in another caucus. Volunteers then compare the resident’s provided address with voter registration rolls.
If a candidate is defeated at caucus they cannot run for a position as an independent by petitioning to be placed on the ballot.
Village Trustee Roy McCarty was nominated by Amy McElroy to fill the open two-year term. Village Trustee Bob Rigdon seconded the nomination.
Rigdon nominated Trustee Anthony Laubscher for a four-year term. Trustee Art Rapp seconded the nomination.
Laubscher told the caucus that he has only been on the board for a short period. He started on the Health and Safety Committee and worked to clean up properties that were in violation of ordinances. Laubscher said he then moved to the Streets and Alleys Committee where he has overseen drainage projects. He said he hoped to continue working on projects to improve drainage within the village.
Jim Wagner was nominated for a four-year term by his wife Jen, who is president of the St. Joseph Parent Teacher Committee. The nomination was seconded by Rigdon.
Wagner told those attending the caucus that he knew quite a few people in the room, and had worked as chairman of the Health and Safety Committee to clean up nuisance properties within the village. He was also instrumental in getting an ordinance passed allowing golf carts on village roads.
“I look forward to serving you in the future,” he said.
Trustee Art Rapp was nominated to a four-year term by Max Painter. The nomination was seconded by Rigdon.
Rapp spoke about his time serving on the board. He has served as the chair of the Health and Safety Committee where he oversaw discussions regarding animal control and is currently the chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee.
Rapp said he hopes to continue working to better the village parks.
“I believe government should live within its means,” Rapp told the caucus.
Planning and Zoning Commissioner Dan Davis was nominated by Matt Umbarger and seconded by Jamie Hitt.
Davis said that he has lived in St. Joseph for 25 years and served as a planning and zoning commissioner. Davis helped work on the town-center zoning proposal that would have created zoning designations to increase dynamic development in downtown. Davis is also a member of the St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District.
“I am committed to serving our community,” he said. “I see a purpose for forward thinking on the Board of Trustees and would work with the other trustees to forward our town and village.”
At the caucus, residents August Voges, McElroy and Matt Crider volunteered to serve as caucus judges and count the secret ballots if more than four people ran for the four available positions.
Since five residents ran, a secret vote was held.
McCarty was received 35 votes for to fill the nomination for a two-year term.
For the four-year terms, Wagner received 36 votes, Davis received 32 votes, Rapp received 31 votes and Laubscher received eight votes.
Dan McElroy, Todd Pence, Jeff Van Buskirk, Max Painter and Amy McElroy were also selected to form the Republican Caucus Nominating Committee.
The committee is responsible for providing names of nominees to the mayor in the event that a vacancy occurs on the village board.
Amy McElroy was also selected as Republican Caucus treasurer.
