about the township

 The trustee is the chief administrative officer of the township and must be a resident of that township.

The trustee is elected for a term of four years by vote of the entire township.  The salary of the trustee is established by the Township Board (formerly called Township Advisory Board) but may not be fixed below the amount paid in 1980, prior to the legal minimums being repealed.

The trustee prepares the annual township budget for submission to the Township Board and has general control over all property belonging to the township. 

Assisting the Township Trustee in managing this very localized form of government is a three member Township Board. Among its duties are the adoption of the annual budget, serving as a board of finance, and approving township contracts.

Indiana law requires that the Township Trustees provide essential services to the residents and businesses of the Township. Because of its “grassroots” structure, the Township Trustee system is designed specifically to quickly meet the needs of the individual in an emergency.

TOWNSHIP ASSISTANCE

Overseeing the poor and distributing poor relief is our primary duty. The trustee is charged to care for the poor by the most economical means available and at the same time is charged to be sure that the necessary needs of an individual or family are met. The applicant must show that they are unable to provide those needs through personal effort and that they have exhausted all other means.

Many trustees creatively cooperate with other agencies and churches in their areas, keeping costs controlled and delivering services needed. The advantage the Trustee’s systems has over other forms of welfare is the freedom to discern whether or not an individual has and is willing to put forth that personal effort to help themselves. (Indiana Code Title 12)

FINANCIALS

Each August, the trustee prepares and submits a budget for the incoming year to the three-person township board for approval. As the Chief Financial Officer of the township, the trustee pays and records all claims for the township expenses and salaries and is responsible to keep accurate records and follow all the financial guidelines set out in Indiana Code.

In January of each year, the trustee presents to the board an annual report which shows all receipts, expenditures, investments and debts. The approved report is then published in local papers for public inspection.