Republicans choose 3 town council members

Hagerstown Republicans chose two new Town Council members and reelected one.

Seventy-nine participants in an Aug. 13 convention chose Allan Bullock, Chris Blaase and Dillon Pitcher to serve on the council. Bullock, the present council president, will start a second term as Blaase and Pitcher take office for the first time on Jan. 1, 2025.

Blaase received 64 votes; Bullock, 61; and Pitcher, 48. Vote totals were not announced for the other candidates, Bradley Clark and Leslie Rogers.

Because the Democratic Party chose no council candidates and no independents or write-in candidates filed for election, the Republican town convention served as the election. Two other town offices, clerk-treasurer and town court judge, have only one candidate.

The Wayne County Election Board can decide that there will be no town offices on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

More than 100 people crowded into Hagerstown Fire Station, with 79 registering as voters. Checking credentials delayed the convention start by 40 minutes.

Convention Chair Jeff Huffine gave each candidate five minutes to speak and then put all five in front of the crowd for a 15-minute question-and-answer session.

Bullock, 32, is a history teacher at Hagerstown Jr.-Sr. High School and assistant fire chief. The Town Council has started some projects during his first four years on it that he wants to see finished, he said. His plan is to serve only two terms on council.

Blaase, 60, is a retired Hagerstown Police officer and now a teacher at HHS. In 26 years with HPD, he “learned quite a bit about town government” and hopes to use that knowledge to continue serving the town.

Pitcher, 31, is a 10-year police officer working for Cambridge City and operates a social media consulting business for law enforcement agencies. “Having been on the executive side of government, I want to learn the legislative,“ he said.

Clark, 30, an insurance agent, graduated from HHS, went away to college, married and lived in Richmond before moving back to Hagerstown with his family two years ago. “I’ve fallen in love with this place,” he said, noting he would serve with integrity and passion.

Rogers, 49, a former public school teacher who now teaches special education, said, “My goal is the future,” adding, “(I see) the improvements we’ve made here since I was growing up” and wanted to see those continue.

During the Q-and-A, resident Ed Nugent asked the candidates’ positions on town utility rate increases, noting that the council sets rates for local electric, water and wastewater treatment without regulation by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Bullock said he believes the council has done a good job keeping rates low. For example, he said, the town is starting a project to replace old water lines. Paying for it requires more money. The town had scheduled an electric rate increase for this year but put it on hold so that the water rate increase won’t hit residents as hard.

Blaase also spoke of the water rate. “We have to plan for the future. If that means a small increase, we’ll have to do it.”

The other candidates said rate increases are sometimes necessary, but they would try to keep them as small as possible.

Brent Meadows, who lives near town, asked if the town has any plans for expanding.

Blaase and Pitcher both said residents in areas being considered for annexation often oppose it because their property taxes would increase. Pitcher said people living within two miles of town have complained to him that the town has planning jurisdiction there, but they don’t have a vote for town officials.

Bullock said that while the council has considered small annexation projects, it comes with a price to the town, which has to provide police and utility services. He encouraged two-mile fringe residents to participate on the town Advisory Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.

Rogers said she would favor some annexation.

The new council members will replace Becky Diercks and Fred Dill, both of whom decided against seeking reelection.