04042014 - News Article - Biggs and Yelton vie for GOP nomination to County Council to represent Duneland - Thoughts about the FBI’s interest in county government

Biggs and Yelton vie for GOP nomination to County Council to represent Duneland

Chesterton Tribune
April 04, 2014

http://chestertontribune.com/Porter%20County/biggs_and_yelton_vie_for_gop_nom.htm

Porter County Councilman Jim Biggs faces a challenge from Kyle Yelton in the race for the 1st District County Council seat in the upcoming Republican primary election.

Biggs is running for a second term on the Council while Yelton is a newcomer to County politics. 

Election Day is Tuesday, May 6, and early voting begins on Tuesday, April 8. 

Council District 1 includes all precincts in Liberty, Jackson, Pine, and Westchester Townships with the exception of a portion of Westchester 17. It also contains Portage Twp. precincts 4 and 6 and Center Twp. precincts 11 and 25.

Only residents living in those precincts may vote in the District 1 race.

The Chesterton Tribune invited both candidates to respond to a questionnaire. 

The Tribune set word limits for each question and reserved the right to cut off any response in excess of the limit....

#8. The FBI has requested and received documents from a variety of county departments. What are your thoughts about the FBI’s interest in county government? (100 words)

Biggs: The FBI’s webpage states; “It’s our top priority among criminal investigations--and for good reason. Public corruption poses a fundamental threat to our national security and way of life. It impacts everything from how well our borders are secured and our neighborhoods protected to verdicts handed down in courts to the quality of our roads, schools, and other government services. And it takes a significant toll on our pocketbooks, wasting billions in tax dollars every year.” My thoughts are that all county officials should support any effort to insure that the public’s trust in our county government is protected - without exception.

Yelton: To my knowledge, the FBI has requested documents and records that are readily available to the public. Examination of public records by anyone, whether it is a governmental organization or just a citizen, should be welcomed. Porter County has a proud history of open and ethical government, and we should not rush to judgment until the review is completed. But, these types of inquiries do challenge the public perception of government. I applaud the Commissioners’ decision to strengthen the public trust in County government by joining the Shared Ethics Commission, and will actively participate in the Commission’s training programs.