Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Trout to challenge Ton in GOP primary

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By KEVIN NEVERS

There’ll be at least one contested primary race in the Town of Chesterton in May and it looks to be a doozy, pitting two veterans of municipal service against each other under unusual circumstances.

Late last year, Republican Jeff Trout resigned his seat on the Town Council, after selling his house in the 2nd District and moving into a new one in the 1st District.

On Thursday, Trout formally filed his candidacy for the 1st District seat, one day after the 1st District incumbent, and his former colleague, Republican Jim Ton, did the same.

Trout versus Ton.

Trout, co-owner of Trout Glass & Mirror, was first elected to the Town Council in 2007--memorably by a margin of only nine votes--over Democrat Larry Chubb. Before that, however, Trout served for many years on the Advisory Plan Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. On his election to the Town Council he resigned his seats on both boards but accepted a new appointment: to the Redevelopment Commission, on which he sat with Ton.

Trout told the Chesterton Tribune today that he was “asked by a number of people” to run for the 1st District seat “so that we can continue to pursue many of the economic development projects that I have been very involved with over the past several years.”

Ton, retired Chesterton Middle School principal, was first elected to the Town Council in 1985 by a GOP caucus, after Member Fritz Dietrich died in office, won re-election, and then opted not to run again in 1990 due to illness in his family. Ton was again elected by caucus in 2005, after Member John Kosmatka resigned in mid-term. Ton has served continuously since then. Between his first tenure on the Town Council and his second, he served for 10 years on the Police Commission.

Like Trout, Ton also sits on the Redevelopment Commission. Ton also sits on the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission’s Executive Board and has served as its Secretary and its Treasurer.

Contested Race in the Town of Porter

Making a race of it in the Town of Porter, meanwhile, is Clerk-Treasurer and Republican Carol Pomeroy, who filed for re-election on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Republican Zathoe Sexton filed to challenge Pomeroy for the GOP nomination.

The Slate So Far

As of mid-morning today, there had been no new filings.

The slate to date:

Republican: In Chesterton: For Clerk-Treasurer, Stephanie Kuziela (inc.). For 1st District, Town Council, Jim Ton (inc.) and Jeff Trout.

In Porter: For Clerk-Treasurer, Carol Pomeroy (inc.) and Zathoe Sexton.

Democrat: In Chesterton: For 3rd District, Town Council: Dane Lafata.

In Burns Harbor: For Clerk-Treasurer, Jane Jordan (inc.).

 

Posted 1/9/2015

 
 

 

 

 

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