For the Council Member 1st Ward seat, incumbent Republican Jim Ton, a long-serving member of the council, will vie in the May 5 primary against Jeff Trout, who resigned in December from his seat in the 2nd Ward due to a move out of district.
Ton, a lifelong resident of Chesterton, has been elected twice by caucus to his position, and he served on the police commission for 12 years. In addition to the town council, he serves as vice chair of NIRPC and was principal and administrator in the Duneland School Corp. and Gary School Corp. for 35 years.
“Quality of life is the main thing,” said Ton when asked for the issues he would like to tackle during another tenure.
“Economic development is important, but we also need police, fire, recreational facilities, health issues addressed, not dumping sewage overflows into the Little Calumet. Yes, jobs and employment are important, keeping young people with high-tech jobs, but that’s not the entire picture,” he said.
Ton says he also advocates being selective with the industries that develop in town, specifically along the Indiana 49 corridor.
“To develop the land just to develop it is not reason enough to do it,” he said. “We want people to come to this town for what it has to offer, but we don’t want to bring someone in who is going to change that. We can afford to be selective in the development we engage in.”
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Trout served for seven years on the town council and has also worked closely with economic development groups and organizations.
“I believe that a dynamic shift has occurred to strengthen Chesterton’s tax base while recruiting good paying jobs to town for the future,” he said. “Some of the projects that I have initiated or directed are not completed yet and I believe that it is important to Chesterton’s future that these projects continue to be accelerated forward to completion.”
One of those projects, said Trout, is the Urschel Laboratories build in town.
“It is a game-changer initiating considerable economic development interest and opportunities for Chesterton to act on. It is imperative to act on this momentum,” Trout said.
Trout is also vice president of Trout Glass & Mirror in Chesterton and has served on the Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission, which he says will also benefit his constituents.
“I have built and run a family business for over 37 years, most of them right here in Chesterton. That business experience has enabled me to bring new perspectives and ideas to the town in managing its growth and changes successfully,” he said.