Councilman challenges incumbent commissioner for District 3 seat
Republican Nick Hostetter is vacating his seat on the county council to face off against incumbent Democratic Commissioner Randy Fleck for the District 3 seat.
There are three commissioner districts in Dubois County; Dubois County voters can cast a vote for all three seats. District 3 consists of Cass, Ferdinand, Hall, Jackson, Jefferson and Marion Townships.
In District 1, Democratic candidate Gary Eck and Republican Chad Blessinger are seeking the nomination. District 1 consists of Boone, Columbia, Harbison, Madison and Patoka Townships. (A write up on these two candidates will be published soon.)
Hostetter has lived in Dubois County all his life and is the third generation to live on the family farm.
Hostetter graduated from Jasper High School in 1996 and received two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Southern Indiana in 2001. He is a member of the Redevelop Old Jasper Action Coalition, the Jasper Gun Club, National Rifle Association, and the USI Alumni Association. He was a 2012 graduate of the Dubois County Leadership Academy and is one of the Dubois County Emerging Leaders.
Hostetter is the owner and manager of Azura Grill and Café in Jasper. He is a member of the National Restaurant Association, Indiana Restaurant Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, and Jasper Chamber of Commerce. Hostetter was elected to the Dubois County Council in 2012. He is one of three at-large members on the seven-member Council.
“Four years ago I felt the call of public service when I ran for, and won, an at-large county council seat. It was because of my love for this community, and my children, that I felt like it was time to give something back,” he said. “I am now running for commissioner in District 3 in order to put myself in a better position to help lead. I would like Dubois County to be a place our children want to return to after college to raise their own families.”
Hostetter explained that with his successful business background and experience on the council tempered by his family’s heritage in the community, he brings a lot to the position.
Regarding the future challenges facing the county, he is concerned about the decision-making process that currently exists on the council and commission.
“It is my opinion that Dubois County needs a comprehensive plan to help us create a roadmap for a better future. We can’t continue to make decisions meeting to meeting hoping the sum of all our votes puts us in a better place than we were a few short years ago,” he explaind. “We have to be prepared for the changing needs and conditions of the county. Our demographics are changing and our revenue sources have changed as well. With a plan of action guiding our decisions I believe we can be more effective leaders for the Dubois County.”
The operating costs for the county have led to an ever-widening budget deficit in recent years. Hostetter explained that better and more careful planning is key to reducing the operating cost of the county government.
“To be more specific, we need to work with our department heads and our county employees and listen to their suggestions on making the departments run more efficiently,” he said. “We also need to monitor what is going on at the state and federal level that may affect the way we plan to run the county. We can work with our legislators to ensure we are out in front of the issues so we don’t find ourselves in situations like we have with our county budget.”
In regards to the deficit, Hostetter says the county should have begun planning for the transition from reliance on property taxes as soon as the tax cap discussions began at the state level.
“The State has changed the playing field with the property tax caps and the elimination of the inventory and death tax, but with better planning we may have been able to avoid the deficit all together,” he said.
The council has been discussing the tax abatement process, the commissioners are involved in the granting of tax abatements to companies moving to the area or expanding.
“We must weigh all the benefits and consequences before making a formal decision (on tax abatement),” he said. “If I were to change one thing about the current structure, it would be to add more weight to the creation or retention of jobs. Then, the companies who’ve received the abatement must be held accountable or they should have consequences for not meeting the agreement.”
Hostetter said that he didn’t feel it was the government’s job to attract jobs but he did understand the need to encourage business growth through good roads and proper tax usage. He credited the low taxes in Dubois County as a way to remain competitive with the surrounding counties for the attraction of a skilled labor force and industry to create the jobs.
“The infrastructure in Dubois County has to remain amongst the best in the state. Good roads are vital to our local industries from farmers moving grain and livestock to manufacturers moving their products to market,” he said.
In addition to good roads, Hostetter said it was important to ensure the availability of high-speed internet access as well as reliable, low cost energy and clean water.
“We also need to create the sense of space that attracts the skilled labor force that our local industry is seeking. This includes quality of life aspects such as arts and leisure activities,” he said. “While the county has much to offer, we have to do a better job of marketing these benefits to those who aren’t from the area in order to lure them here and grow our tax base. A great sense of place will also help us attract our youth back to the area after college and help us put an end to the brain drain that we’ve been experiencing.”
Nick and his wife, Angie, are the parents of Calvin, Henry and Marley. The Hostetters live in Marion Township.
Fleck has served as a Dubois County Commissioner for 11 years and is currently the vice president of the three-person group of commissioners.
Fleck is an account manager for International Paper in St. Anthony. He serves on the St. Anthony Water Utilities Board, Patoka Water and Sewer Board, Dubois County Solid Waste Board and Dubois County Emergency Management Board. He is a past President of the St. Anthony Jaycees, served on the Tri-Cap Board of Directors and Indiana Association of County Commissioners Southwest District, which includes 17 counties.
Fleck received the 2015 Outstanding County Commissioners Award from the Association of Indiana Counties and 2015 Dedicated Service Award.
He is a member of the Knights of Columbus in Jasper, Fraternal Order of Police, Travelers Protection Association of America and American Legion of Jasper. He is a member of the St. Anthony Catholic Church.
A graduate of Jasper High School, he has an associate’s degree in business management from Vincennes University Jasper Campus. He is an Eagle Scout and served in the U.S. Army.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time working with the people of Dubois County as a commissioner,” Fleck said. “I look forward to a continuation of economic development, good responsible government that lives within its needs and making Dubois County a great place for families to live and raise a family.”
According to Fleck, his open-mindedness is an important attribute he brings to the position. He says he is willing to listen and review residents’ concerns before making decisions that affect the county.
Housing and manufacturing top Fleck’s list of items that are important for the continued growth of the county.
“We need to work with Dubois Strong to promote and market Dubois County,” he said adding that affordable housing is a necessity for the county to grow.
In regards to growing business in the area, Fleck acknowledged roads are the main concern of the commissioners and they were looking at different equipment for the highway department that would be more efficient in maintaining that infrastructure.
In regards to the county’s continued deficit, Fleck said he and the other commissioners are working with the county council and department heads to consolidate purchasing to save money. “We need to be spending wisely,” he said. “I don’t want to raise taxes for the citizens of Dubois County.”
In regards to the tax abatement process the county currently uses as an incentive for business relocation and growth, Fleck says he feels some of guidelines for scoring need to be reevaluated. Currently, prospective companies fill out an application that is scored for job creation/retention, investment in property and equipment and other items like green initiatives, training programs and community involvement. The process has been criticized by some council members for not accentuating the need for job creation/retention.
For the future growth of the county, Fleck is relying on maintaining the infrastructure in the county while working with Dubois Strong and Region 15 to promote the county. Additionally, he pointed out the need to work to bring youth back to the county.
Fleck and his wife, Sharon have two daughters, Lindsay and Abbey and one grandson.
