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June 10, 2014
COMMUNITY
Current in Carmel
www.currentincarmel.com
Carmel CPA the Democrats’ candidate for Auditor By Pete Smith • pete@youarecurrent.com Following the Indiana Democrats’ state convention the weekend of June 1, Carmel resident Mike Claytor was government selected as the party’s candidate for state auditor in the November general election. That post is currently held by Suzzane Crouch, who was appointed by Gov. Mike Pence in January. Claytor is hoping to follow in the footsteps of state Supt. of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, also a Carmel Claytor Democrat, and grab a prominent state leadership role while residing in the traditional Republican stronghold of Hamilton County. He’s even using the same campaign manager. Claytor had been working behind the scenes for the past year to earn the party’s nomination, but now comes the hard part – trying to appeal to voters for a position most know little about. And he admits it has been difficult to get anyone excited about it. “The key thing has been three initials – CPA,” Claytor said, noting that it’s a message that has been resonating. He said he thinks that’s because the state auditor has never been a certified public ac-
countant before. Claytor likes to tell people that if Indiana were a corporation, its $30.5 billion annual budget would make it No. 100 on the Forbes list of top companies. “If you were a large company, you would have a CPA as your chief financial officer,” he said. As auditor, he said he would: • Work to better document financial transactions and create a system that notifies officials of issues before they become huge mistakes similar to the hundred of millions of dollars of state money that was found sitting idle in unchecked funds during Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration. • Make improvements to the Indiana Transparency Portal (a state public records repository) to make it more user-friendly. He also noted he would use his bully pulpit if he found that state agencies were deleting public records from that space. • Work to make sure that the Auditor’s role on the State Board of Finance (composed of the governor, auditor and treasurer) would allow it to function as an effective check and balance on the budget appropriations of the legislature. Claytor began his career in 1975 working for the State Board of Accounts, the Indiana agency that audits municipal government enti-
ties, and continued working there for 15 years. He was even named by former Republican Gov. Robert Orr to be a Democrat deputy at the agency. Orr eventually awarded Claytor with the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash. It was the first of four he has received – the others came from former Gov. Bayh, O’Bannon and Kernan. His role in state government and working at accounting firm Crowe Howrath from 1989 until his official retirement in 2010 put him in close proximity to powerful leaders. And even though this is Claytor’s first time as a candidate, he has served as treasurer for multiple governors’ campaigns. “I’m just a bean counter,” he said. But during the past 40 years that he has lived in Carmel, he has even done some consulting work for the city and has been a long-time scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop in Home Place. And looking toward the election in November, he knows that Democrats will vote for him. But that’s not enough to win a statewide office in Indiana today. He said he knows he has to appeal to moderate Republicans to judge him based on his history of professionalism and his history of working well with Republicans. “If you live in Carmel, you have to,” he said.
DISPATCHES Church gets new leader - On June 16, Jerry Zehr will take over as senior pastor at Carmel Christian Church, 463 E. Main St. across the street from Carmel High School. Zehr worked professionally in theatre before going into the ministry, and the church said he loves to use “all the arts” in worship and in church life. He and his wife, Diane Zehr, had previously been co-pastors Zehr at a church in Florence, Ky., for the past 15 years. The church has service every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. For more information call 846-5033. Junior Law Enforcement Academy – The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain’s Division will hold the annual Junior Law Enforcement Academy from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June 27 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The one-day camp titled “Faith and Leadership” is open to all Hamilton County children who attend preschool through high school. For more information call 776-1824. Fundraiser breakfast – Bill Caskey will discuss the future of sales as the keynote speaker during a professional growth and networking breakfast hosted by Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County. The breakfast is 7:30 to 9 a.m. June 19 at Oak Hill Mansion, 5801 E. 116th St. in Carmel. Caskey is a sales development leader and experimenter. Tickets are $35 or $300 for a table of eight. Proceeds from the event will be used to assist Shepherd’s Center, a non-profit organization that supports and empowers older adults to have enriched lives while maintaining their independent lifestyle within Hamilton County. For more information visit shepherdscenterofhamiltoncounty.org.
Dysport/Zo® Day Wednesday, June 25th 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. $4/Unit Dysport (by appointment only) 20% off Zo® products Limited one day offer! Burke E. Chegar, M.D. 12065 Old Meridian St. #175, Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 818-LIFT (5438) | chegarfps.com
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