Interstate 69 looms large on the horizon as Bargersville residents plan for the future.
The highway has the potential to bring economic development and growth to the town. But the six candidates running for town council also understand that it will impact everything from road conditions to traffic infrastructure to the size of the police force in their rapidly growing town.
I-69 is at the center of most issues facing the town, candidates agree. Six candidates are vying for three at-large seats on the town council, and all of them are newcomers. Republicans James Rumell, Susie Qualls and Ruth Ann Moore will square off against Eric Arnold, Susan Clare Diagana and Dale Wright. Rumell, Qualls and Moore defeated incumbents Gayle Allard, Kenneth Zumstein and Bruce Morris in the May primary election.
The winners of the three Bargersville seats will join Larry Gates and Dustin Doyle, who were elected to the council in 2018.
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Arnold, who is running for his first political office, was inspired to seek election because he has seen Bargersville’s population change as more young family’s have moved into the area. He felt he could provide perspective representing that group of residents.
Maintaining and increasing the town’s public safety departments is crucial, he said. He also wants to be a voice for the entire community, not just one segment.
He sees the coming year as one of the most important in the town’s history. The Census, which will be held in 2020, will hold the key to the kind of development and assets the town will have for the next decade, including new restaurants and unique businesses to make Bargersville a destination.
"Once those numbers are counted, it locks us in for the next 10 years as to what doors are open, and can open even more doors for us," he said. "Bargersville has the opportunity to grow more than just growing with new homes."
Diagana is a nurse practitioner who feels she would bring a unique perspective and voice to the town council. As Bargersville has grown quickly in recent years, and faces the prospect of even more accelerated grown in the future, her priorities are focused on making sure the town is prudent in planning that growth.
"It’s about growing responsibly, growing the downtown and suburban area while still maintaining our rural ambiance," she said.
Diagana would like Bargersville to put together a climate change action plan, thinking locally about how to address an issue that will impact the entire world in the coming years, she said.
Moore has lived in Bargersville for more than 40 years, and worked as a postal carrier for 32 years. She has watched Bargersville change during that time, and wants to have an impact at a time when the town is at a crucial crossroads.
As the town grows, the police force, fire services and other public safety aspects need to grow with it. At the same time, the town council needs to be fiscally responsible, even as it grows the existing tax base and faces more decisions about what to spend its money on.
Like the others, she sees I-69 as a huge opportunity for the town.
"it’s going to impact the town hugely. We’re going to come up with traffic solutions, that’s going to be a problem. But on the positive side, there’s also the chance for some businesses and growth in the community," Moore said. "We need to get moving on figuring that out. We need to be proactive instead of reactive."
Qualls has immersed herself in the operations of the town in the past few years. She has been involved with Bargersville Main Street, an organization promoting development and preservation of the town’s downtown area, as well as the town’s parks board and other organizations in past years. She also has been active attending more town council and other municipal board meetings.
With her background in parks, she wants to continue adding amenities, greenspaces, trails and recreation options for the town, as well as attracting businesses to the area.
But her primary focus is on the arrival of I-69 and improving roads and other infrastructure as that growth arrives.
"I want to see things move forward. Roads are the biggest thing for Bargersville," Qualls said. "We have to have collaboration with the county and with the state with Community Crossing grants, as well as other municipalities. We’re going to have to work with a lot of different people.
Rumell has seen firsthand the intricacies of bringing new businesses to town, as well as the government processes behind it. He has worked in commercial financing and currently works in commercial property management. In his 26 years living in Bargersville, he has served on the town’s zoning board, police commission and the committee that created the town’s master plan.
His priorities include increasing the police force to meet the demand of a larger town. Attracting businesses to build up the tax base, particularly as I-69 approaches, is also going to be imperative.
"We have to work with developers, especially out there with commercial, and we have to make sure that’s developed correctly," Rumell said. "It’s going to be a challenge."
Wright has served for the past 12 years on Bargersville’s plan commission, as well as four years on the parks board. If elected, he wants to increase the communication and engagement on the town council, to help residents have a better understanding of what’s going on.
He also sees the implementation of zoning districts within the town, such as the Old Town area, State Road 135 corridor and I-69 area, as being crucial for planned, responsible growth.
His experience with the plan commission would be beneficial in proactively planning for the I-69 expansion, he said. He wants to be able to lead the town as it addresses issues with increased traffic, residential and commercial development and additional strain on utilities and infrastructure once the interstate opens.
"I’ve looked at what’s ahead. I’ve got the experience about what’s coming and what needs to be addressed and changed to have a better future," Wright said. "It’s something that if it’s not addressed and planned for in the proper way, it’s just going to be something we won’t be able to work out of."
Town council members serve four-year terms, and are in charge of decisions such as approving the town budget, making decisions about road improvements and managing the development of new homes and businesses.
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Bargersville Town Council
Duties: Approving the town budget, including how many police officers the town has. Making decisions about road improvements, managing the development of new homes and businesses.
Term: 4 years
Salary: $6,595
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Name: Eric Arnold
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Purchasing manager at Closure Systems International
Education: Franklin Community High School; bachelor’s degree from Indiana University; MBA from Loyola University in Chicago
Political experience: None
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Name: Susan Clare Diagana
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Family nurse practitioner
Education: Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University; nursing degree from Emory University
Political experience: None
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Name: Ruth Ann Moore
Party: Republican
Occupation: Retired postal carrier
Education: Whiteland Community High School
Experience: Sought office for Bargersville clerk-treasurer in 2011
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Name: Susie Qualls
Party: Republican
Occupation: Registered nurse
Education: IUPUI; University of Indianapolis School of Nursing
Experience: President of the Bargersville Parks Board; president of Bargersville Main Street; board member at Johnson County Community Foundation.
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Name: James Rumell
Party: Republican
Occupation: Commercial property management
Education: Franklin Central High School; attended Greenwood aviation training academy.
Experience: Vice-president of Bargersville Board of Zoning Appeals; police commission; plan committee
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Name: Dale W. Wright
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Retired machine repairman
Education: Perry Meridian High School; Ivy Tech Community College
Experience: 12 years of service on Bargersville Plan Commission; four years on town park board; Leadership Johnson County graduate; ran for town council in 2015.
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