Two candidates are vying for the Republican nomination for the Boone County commissioner District 1 seat in the May 3 primary election. Tom Santelli, the incumbent, and challenger Tim Beyer recently answered the following questions for Current:
Name: Tom Santelli
Education: Master’s degree in Finance and Operations Research
Occupation: Boone County commissioner
City of residence: Zionsville
Immediate family: Chris and I with three daughters and five grandchildren
Previous political experience: Served as president and vice president of the Boone County Commissioners. Served on the Boone County Council. I am currently vice president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Why do you want to run for office?: Indiana ranks first in state government and under our leadership Boone County ranks second in growth and has the second lowest taxes in the state. Through legislative work on SB 145 and early work to lower farm ground taxes (three years in a row), we have been remarkably successful in positioning Boone County for the future. I bring tested conservative values where we have excelled in a number of areas from limited government, lowered taxes through expanded commercial development, expanded public safety, fire and EMT services, funded schools, with a continued focus on tax relief. While we are number two in growth, my focus is on bringing in good paying jobs, and positioning Boone County as first in the state for high end business growth, advancing technology, broadband infrastructure and initiatives, maintaining property values, and continued improvement in our communities’ quality of life, quality of place and quality of purpose.
What are your qualifications for this office?: Served as an elected official on the Boone County Council, and presently serving as your elected Boone County Commissioner, in conjunction with board appointments in a number of public and government positions. I have worked in government at the federal, state, county and local levels with a commitment to conservative values, conservative focus, limited government, low taxation and improved value at every level in serving our constituents.
What are the top three issues that your campaign will focus on?: Strategic doing focused on quality business growth, keeping taxes low for our constituents and creating unparalleled opportunities. I will continue to focus on our quality of life, public safety, infrastructure and mental health. We are diligently working in several areas, such as trails, parks, event centers, housing and improving energy efficiencies.
What sets you apart from other candidates for this office?: Education, experience, commitment, leadership, proven track record, accountability and the ability to create the future for our communities. People move to Boone County for our low taxes, public safety record, conservative values, great schools, quality of life and friendliness. I have tremendous experience and a solid track record in creating our value-added future.
How long have you lived in your district?: I have lived in Zionsville for 22 years.
What other organizations are you involved with?: Boone County 4-H, Community Foundation of Boone County, Noble Industries, Sylvia’s Child Advocacy Center, and Little League District Headquarters. Through the Convention and Visitors Bureau we fund and support 49 different events in the county. We actively support Hickory Hall Polo, the development of the new Stone Eater Park in Lebanon, the Zionsville Parks and Recreation and I serve on the Lt. Governors Task Force on Mental Health and Addiction. Through the Boone County Solid Waste District we fund and support more than 25 community groups focusing on the improvement of our environment throughout Boone County. Our focus on recycling, reuse, waste to energy and compositing positions Boone County as a leader in these areas. My commitment is to provide the best support, business growth, quality of life and quality of place as compared to all others, working together as a team throughout Boone County.
Something most people don’t know about you?: I am a commercial/instrument-rated pilot. I taught underwater search and rescue, developed fighter intercept systems, developed the beef packaging for McDonald’s, am a four-time guest chef at the Loft Restaurant/Traders Point Creamery and hosted dinner for Henry Kissinger in November of 1989 following the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Master of the Foxhounds for Traders Point Hunt and listed as one the five coolest things to do in Indiana riding in my Albany Cutter, one horse open sleigh. I work with the Amish in Montgomery, Shipshewana and Nappanee.
Something you want people to know about you?: My commitment to integrity, service before self, the pursuit of excellence, transparency, accountability, business ethics and serving our constituents, communities and youth at the highest level.
Website or best way for voters to reach you?: You can reach me at [email protected]. You can get a good overview of the commissioners current work at our government website boonecounty.in.gov and overall through livinginboonecounty.com and through FaceBook (meta) at Tom Santelli for County Commissioner.
Name: Tim Beyer
Age: 49
Education: Purdue University, Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and Land Surveying Engineering
Occupation: Professional engineer and professional surveyor
City of residence: Zionsville
Immediate family: Wife, Jennifer, Married 24 Years; three children, Daniel, 20, Erin, 18, Kevin, 15.
Previous political experience: I have worked with various city, town and county governments, including Zionsville, Lebanon and Boone County, since 1996.
Why do you want to run for office?: The motivation to run for office was provided by the lack of government officials, at all levels of government, doing the job they are hired to do, which is to protect people’s individual rights to live their lives as they see fit. Mask mandates, particularly in schools, mandated testing for COVID, vaccine mandates by businesses, government forced shutdown of businesses, “one-size-fits-all” mandated COVID treatments are some examples where government has failed, in this regard, in the past two years. This office can make a positive impact on many of these types of issues.
What are your qualifications for this office?: I have lived in Boone County, just outside Zionsville, with my family since 1998. In addition to civil engineering and land surveying companies, I have worked for a nationwide real estate developer, construction companies performing dirt, pipe, and paving work, and for a sewer utility company.
What are the top 3 issues that your campaign will focus on?:
- Protection of people’s individual rights to live their lives.
- Efficient and proper use of public funds for roads and other infrastructure.
- Useful and beneficial information from County offices for people to utilize, as opposed to simply repeating “one-size fits all” information from other government agencies.
What sets you apart from other candidates for this office?: Over the last two years, it has become apparent that members of the general public need to be involved in government. This role is a natural extension of the experience that I bring working with the government in the private sector.
How long have you lived in your district?: 24 years
What other organizations are you involved with?: Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors, including Treasurer of local chapter
Moms for Liberty-Boone County
Something most people don’t know about you?: I am an amusement park fan and attend often with my youngest son.
Something you want people to know about you?: As a civil engineer and land surveyor, I am constantly looking for common-sense solutions that also save money (referred to as “value engineering”), whenever possible, to the challenges that my jobs present. I would bring this same approach to my role as County Commissioner.
Website or best way for voters to reach you?: Tim Beyer for Boone County commissioner on Facebook
E-mail: [email protected].
