Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Editor, Times-Union:
All townships file an Annual Financial Report that are advertised in the paper every year and our budgets are advertised on Gateway of IN. Nothing to hide!
I'm so sorry you are disappointed with township trustees total of township assistance in the county paid out. It probably means we are doing our job! Did you know there is a 10-page application and there are guidelines adopted by the County Trustees for Assistance. Did you know we don't just hand out money to applicants, we pay directly to the vendor. That makes some not want to fill out the application either. We hand out lots of applications and they never get returned because they don't want to provide the necessary documents for the investigation. Pay stubs, bank statements, current bills, SS benefit amounts, food stamp info, etc. Then we do get applications back that are not fully filled out and they must be. Applications can be audited by the State Board of Accounts.
There are some townships that don't have posted hours but you can call, text or email because we are available 24/7. We have seen people when it's convenient for them, morning, noon or night, even Saturday and Sundays! A couple of the larger townships post hours for two days a week or couple evenings a week. Would you feel better if the smaller townships did that, too, then maybe we would only be available for those specified hours?
Gosh, if you think you can do the job better, by all means file in 2026! Anyone can run for an elected office. Do you have any idea all the work we do and reports we do?
We reached out to be transparent and accessible. We are here to help if/when they qualify because we investigate, unlike other nonprofits. We are using taxpayer monies.
The transfer for Plain Township was ordered by SBOA during audit to correct mistakes from the former trustee of Plain Township.
Rainy Day Funds are just that, saving for future expense for any fund or an unplanned expense! The new legislation those Rainy Day Funds will be dwindling fast!
Please feel free to call/text/email and make an appointment with me and we can sit down and discuss township government. I made $18,000 the last several years. No clerk, no investigator, no insurance, I do the job entirely.
Julia Goon
Prairie Township Trustee
via email
