Eck, Vollmer vie for Democratic nomination for County Commissioner

On Tuesday, voters will have a chance to choose the Democratic nomination for the District 1 Dubois County Commissioner’s seat as Gary Eck challenges incumbent Larry Vollmer.

This is Eck’s first time running for office although he has headed up the Dubois County Democrats for several years as the county chair. He stepped down before announcing his candidacy for the nomination.

“Unlike all the other commissioner candidates on the ballot this year, I am NOT currently an elected official,” he said. “So I naturally will have a fresh way to address the county’s challenges and opportunities.”

Eck owns Eck-Mundy Associates, a local tech firm that supplies computer hardware and software as well as networking services for businesses. Eck cofounded the business in 1993.

Eck, a summa cum laude graduate of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, sees his technology and business background as a bonus to what he can bring to the table as county commissioner. Especially as the council explores cost-cutting measures for the beleaguered budget.

“My background in business will help us promote frugal county government operations; my background in technology will help us wisely choose and implement better productivity tools; my background in problem solving will help us to identify basic problems so that together we can find answers that benefit everyone,” he said.

Eck is concerned about the county’s $1.6 million operating deficit and its historic trend of increasing each year of the past five. “The current direction of county finances weights heavy on my mind. This will always demand my attention,” he said.

Eck said he decided to run for commissioner to help the county’s residents. “Dubois County have been good to my family and me, and I wanted to give back to the county’s residents,” he said. “Through government I can reach out and talk with each and every person, making their lives a little better. Each day the work of the county commissioners affects every Dubois County resident. And, as always, my door will always be open to hear the concerns and issues of my fellow Dubois County residents. At the core, addressing their needs is what really matters.”

Eck and his wife, Marlene live on a Hoosier Homestead farm in Boone Township. His children are Stephanie Durbin of Pontiac, Ill., Jennifer Schnieders of Bretzville and Brandon Eck of Evansville.

Incumbent Larry Vollmer is in his 16th year serving on the County Commission.

Right now, he is working hard to complete the county-wide radio systems upgrade; a project Vollmer pushed for and led these past four years after the county had a series of tornado sirens fail, one during a tornado event. Nearly completed, the system will improve the warning system as well as communications to county fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services and the highway department.

“I am dedicated to getting the communications upgrade complete,” he said. “It just makes the citizens of the county safer.”

The system is expected to be completed by the end of the year although it was originally scheduled to be done by the end of 2015. Vollmer pointed out that despite a few glitches that have held up the project, the radio system is much improved already with coverage now at about 95 percent of the county. Before the updates, about 70 percent of the county had radio coverage for emergency workers.

Vollmer said he is also dedicated to helping the citizens out by attempting to keep the taxes low and the roads up to date.

He has an idea to create a bypass from Jasper’s north side using 400N for truck traffic to avoid about twelve lights through the city. “It’s something that has been on my mind for awhile,” Vollmer said. “It would have to be a federally-funded project with the city’s help but I think it would be good for traffic.”

Vollmer, a lifelong farmer, said he is concerned about the budget shortfall the county has experienced. “We will have to work to slim the budget down,” he said. “Although the council has the largest responsibility in the budget, we as commissioners have to do what we can to help.”

Vollmer is looking forward to continuing to work for the county’s residents.

“I always try to do the best I can and help the citizens of Dubois County out the best I can,” Vollmer said. “With that, I would like to ask for the people’s vote.”

Vollmer and Mary, his wife of 41 years, live in Ireland and have two sons, Scott and Craig, and five grandchildren.

District 1 consists of Madison, Patoka, Harbison, Columbia and Boone townships; it is one of three districts in Dubois County.