Mike Yoder, Brad Rogers Vying for Dist. 2 County Commissioner Seat
Published: Friday, May 15, 2020
Indiana's primary will be held June 2, after a delay of one month due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Elkhart County, one of the most competitive contests on the Republican side is the District 2 county commissioner race featuring incumbent Mike Yoder and challenger Brad Rogers. The winner will face Democrat Donald A. Brown in the general election in November. Brown, who is from Goshen, is running unopposed in the June primary.
In District 3 county commissioner election, incumbent Suzanne M. Weirick, a Republican from Elkhart, is running unopposed in the primary.
As the owner of Crystal Valley Dairy Farms in Middlebury, Mike Yoder raises dairy heifers for two dairy farms. He and his wife Rhonda, who is a music teacher at Jefferson Elementary, have two married daughters and five grandchildren. They are members of Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen.
Yoder has served on the board of directors of various organizations, including Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., Indiana Dairy Producers and Indiana Soybean Alliance. He was appointed to serve on the first Indiana Department of Agriculture's advisory committee representing the dairy industry and farmland preservation interests. He is currently serving as president of the Wood-Land-Lakes Resource Conservation and Development Land Trust, which holds conservation easements on 11,000 acres of farmland in Indiana. He has served as an Elkhart County commissioner for 16 years.
Brad Rogers has over 33 years of continuous service as an Elkhart County employee in the sheriff's office. The Goshen resident served as Elkhart County sheriff from 2011 to 2018 and most recently has worked in the sheriff's office as corrections commander. During the early 2000s, he served simultaneously as both a sheriff's staff lieutenant and as the interim director of the Elkhart County Department of Emergency Management.
The Goshen native earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1983 from the University of Evansville. He and his wife Susie have been married for 37 years and have three adult children.
The Exchange contacted both Yoder and Rogers last week and asked them to respond to a list of questions relating to agriculture and rural issues. The questions and each candidate's respective responses are found below.
1. If elected, what would you do to promote a positive regulatory environment for local farmers and agribusinesses?
Yoder: Perhaps a promise to reduce regulations is the answer many would like to hear. However, oftentimes local government is placed in a position of enforcing national or state laws with local regulations. The Clean Water Act, for example. Whatever the source, a regulatory environment has become an unavoidable fact of our businesses. The best way to create a positive regulatory environment is to ensure we have staff that are respectful and employ as much common-sense as the law allows regarding enforcement. Owning a business means I personally experience the regulations; it's an important perspective not often found in government.
Rogers: First and foremost, I will listen. I will not presume what is best for farmers. I will surround myself with those I can trust to give me good information on what is best for farming and agribusiness. My history of the defense of personal and property rights as sheriff, such as the dairy farmer in Middlebury who was harassed by the federal government, shows my commitment to and respect for farmers. My position on encouraging growth in both traditional and agribusiness is equal. I will look for ways to reduce regulations and encourage the innovation of the free market.
2. What are your priorities regarding the C.R. 17 extension and other road and bridge projects in Elkhart County?
Yoder: Our existing roads and bridges are the highest priority for the commissioners. During my 16 years in office, we have taken steps to increase funding for summer road paving from $1.7 million per year to $8 million in recent years. C.R. 17, from C.R. 38 north into Michigan, is an important transportation corridor for the community. But south of C.R. 38, projections of future traffic counts indicate there is no need to invest tax dollars in a four-lane road to connect to U.S. 6. My personal priority is limiting the negative impacts of the new C.R. 17 on the farm community. While the latest two-lane design impacts fewer farm businesses than the previous four-lane design, I believe it still negatively impacts too many farms. My preference is a two-lane road with wide shoulders from C.R. 38 to U.S. 6. The primary purpose should be to facilitate farm business related traffic, which includes farm machinery and semi-trucks. Southbound C.R. 17 commercial traffic should be diverted to S.R. 15. A factor driving the C.R. 17 design is our history of converting farmland into business or residential areas. There are options to send a different message if farm landowners are willing.
Rogers: The C.R. 17 project, when juxtaposed against the traffic issues of S.R. 15 between Kosciusko County and Goshen, is reason enough to further extend C.R. 17 south to U.S. 6. However, as C.R. 17 goes further south of C.R. 142, the issue of dividing private property will be an issue that needs to be mitigated. As commissioner, I will examine the impact of this extension for farmers and other property owners and ensure that input is received and the situation ameliorated as reasonably practicable. Existing roads and bridges need to be maintained as a priority. I will work with construction and snow removal contractors to ensure county residents receive the service they pay for. I'm not a fan of chip and seal, but the practical side is this process saves the life of the roads and thus saves the county money in the long run.
3. With less revenue expected from the state gas tax due to COVID-19, what will you do to ensure that Elkhart County roads and highways are properly maintained?
Yoder: Because we have been aggressive in maintaining our roads in the last decade, we can experience short-term reductions in funding without experiencing a significant setback in overall road conditions. As soon as businesses start up again and people start driving, our revenues improve quickly. If we experience a long-term economic downturn and need to make changes, the commissioners have plans to place the new C.R. 17 project on hold and redirect those resources to existing roads. Our county road maintenance funding sources also includes the local Economic Development Income Tax, which provides supplemental revenue to traditional road funding options.
Rogers: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Elkhart County had a good rainy-day fund. I believe we will survive this crisis with proper management. Roadways will need to be maintained and priority given to this over starting major projects. Court consolidation, for example, is a project that should not be rushed. Elkhart County will certainly be impacted fiscally by the COVID crisis. I want to ensure that we weather this crisis and get county services fully up and running again, before we commit to additional extensive projects, including the C.R. 17 extension and the courts consolidation.
4. How can Elkhart County government promote a better relationship between its rural and urban residents?
Yoder: Considering we are the sixth largest county (in population), we have been fortunate our urban and rural populations have co-existed relatively well. However, the last few years I have noted a shift. The commissioners are receiving more complaints about irrigation water, manure hauling and confined feeding operations' odor and flies. The best path forward is: 1) updating our comprehensive land use plan, 2) support our expanding local food production, which directly connects our urban communities to our rural communities, and 3) zoning law changes that acknowledge large-scale animal agriculture and high-density residential are not compatible, neighboring land uses.
Rogers: I believe it's important that the county commissioners have a good working relationship and meet regularly with municipal leaders in our cities and towns. This will keep the lines of communication open while collaborating and networking to better promote these relationships. Also, as a member of the Elkhart County Farm Bureau, I will continue to attend meetings to ensure I stay connected with the farming and agribusiness members of our community.
5. Please state your case for why Elkhart County voters should elect you as a county commissioner.
Yoder: During my 30 years with Farm Bureau, one constant challenge was explaining agriculture's issues to elected officials who had no farm background. I decided to run for commissioner because it was a part-time job. I could farm and provide an agribusiness perspective in local government. I enjoy serving as commissioner and am willing to continue for another term. I think a combination of life and work experiences in farm business ownership, economic development, land use policy and road infrastructure maintenance are important in the commissioner position. We currently have only two farm business owners serving in all elected offices.
Rogers: I will be a true conservative in the commissioners' office. My record as your elected sheriff shows that I will be accessible, defend our constitutions, and bring a service-oriented approach to the job. My endorsements include the Elkhart County Farm Bureau along with the majority of our county's state legislative slate, past commissioners and neighboring elected officials. This shows my support from area leaders and the ability to collaborate with them in the office. I ask for your vote on June 2 or during early or absentee voting.
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