Township Trustee and Advisory Board Responsibilities

This page summarizes the legally defined responsibilities of the Township Trustee and the Township Advisory Board as outlined in various sections of the Indiana Code. It is written for residents seeking a clear, accessible understanding of how township government functions.

Township Trustee Responsibilities

Primary Executive Officer
The Trustee is essentially the “CEO” of the township, responsible for executing township functions on behalf of residents.

Key Duties Under Indiana Law (Plain-Language Summary)

• Township Assistance (Poor Relief)
  Administer assistance programs, evaluate applications, maintain written standards, and keep required case records.
• Budget Preparation
  Prepare the annual township budget and present it to the Advisory Board for review and approval.
• Accounting and Financial Reporting
  Maintain financial records, pay township obligations, and file required annual reports with state authorities.
• Fire Protection Contracts
  Negotiate and execute contracts for fire protection and related emergency services for township residents.
• Township Property and Facilities
  Maintain township property, including cemeteries and any township-owned buildings or facilities.
• Township Employees
  Hire, supervise, and compensate township employees within budgeted appropriations.
• Trustee’s Designee Requirement
  Within thirty days of taking office, designate an individual who will perform the trustee’s duties if the trustee is absent or incapacitated, and notify the Board Chair and County Sheriff.
• Emergency Cooperation
  Work with county emergency management and other agencies during disasters or major incidents.

Township Advisory Board Responsibilities

Fiscal and Oversight Role
The Advisory Board serves as the township’s legislative and fiscal oversight body. It does not manage day-to-day operations, but it reviews and approves how public funds are planned and spent.

Key Duties (Plain-Language Summary)

• Budget Review and Approval
  Review, adjust if needed, and adopt the annual township budget prepared by the trustee.
• Appropriations and Transfers
  Approve additional appropriations, transfers between funds, and certain financial adjustments.
• Financial Oversight
  Examine claims and financial reports and provide a check on township spending.
• Township Assistance Guidelines
  Adopt the township assistance standards proposed by the trustee.
• Compensation Decisions
  Set compensation for the trustee, employees, and board members, within legal limits.
• Participation in Filling Vacancies
  Take part in statutory processes for filling vacancies if the trustee’s office becomes vacant.

Deputy Trustee/Clerk Role Over Time

From 2012 through 2014, Jackson Township employed a paid Deputy Trustee/Clerk whose duties included helping with township assistance records, administrative support, and maintaining public documents. According to state compensation reports, this position received approximately:

• 2012: $3,500
• 2013: $3,850
• 2014: $4,000

Beginning in 2015, the year a new trustee took office, the Deputy Trustee/Clerk position no longer appears in the township’s certified state reports. No compensation has been reported for this role from 2015 onward.

Why This Matters for Transparency

Indiana townships must maintain public records, respond to requests, and document minutes, budgets, and assistance decisions. Many townships use a deputy or clerk position to support those responsibilities and to provide continuity if the trustee is unavailable.

Removing a funded deputy or clerk does not necessarily mean duties are being neglected, but it does affect how administrative work and continuity are handled. Residents may reasonably ask how those functions are currently being supported.

Before and After the Deputy Trustee/Clerk Position

The comparison below shows how township structure changed when the deputy/clerk position was no longer funded. It is presented for transparency and is not intended as criticism or endorsement of any official.

Leadership Continuity in Jackson Township

Jackson Township has experienced a high level of leadership continuity over the last decade. This section highlights how long certain offices have been held so residents can better understand who has guided township decisions and for how long. This information is presented for transparency only and is not criticism of any individual.

Highlighting service length helps residents understand how representation and oversight have evolved over time. It is up to the community to decide whether current levels of continuity meet their expectations.

Trustee Designee Requirement

Indiana law requires every township trustee to designate a person who will perform the trustee’s duties if the trustee becomes absent from the township or is incapacitated. This must be done within thirty days of taking office. The trustee is required to notify:

• The Chairman of the Township Board
• The County Sheriff
• Any other persons the trustee chooses

The law does not say that the board chair automatically becomes the designee. The trustee must formally designate someone and provide official notice. The designee may or may not be a paid township official.

Trustee Designee Transparency

Because the law does not require the designee’s name to be publicly posted, the absence of a paid deputy or clerk does not prove that no designee exists. A trustee could fully comply with the law while designating an unpaid individual or someone who is not shown in compensation data.

However, Jackson Township does not currently publish:

• The name of the current designee
• The date of the trustee’s designation notice
• Any updates or changes to the designee

This means residents cannot independently verify who would perform the trustee’s duties during an unexpected absence or emergency. Even if the trustee has fully complied with legal requirements, the lack of public visibility creates uncertainty about continuity of operations.

A simple public posting of the trustee’s designee—without any additional cost—would demonstrate a strong commitment to transparency and give residents greater confidence in the township’s continuity plan.

Continuity of Township Government Checklist

Residents can reasonably expect certain continuity-of-government items to be documented and available upon request. Examples include:

• Trustee’s Designee: Written designation naming who performs the trustee’s duties in case of absence or incapacity.
• Notice Recipients: Confirmation that the Board Chair and County Sheriff were notified.
• Organizational Structure: Clear explanation of who handles administration, assistance, recordkeeping, and budgeting.
• Meeting Records: Agendas and minutes from township board meetings.
• Appropriations and Contracts: Annual budget approvals, fire/EMS contracts, and assistance guidelines.
• Public Contact Information: How residents can reach the trustee, board members, and township office.

Availability of this information strengthens community trust and helps ensure stability during emergencies or leadership changes.

Continuity of Government Flowchart

Fire & Emergency Services Contract Expiration (January 1, 2026)

Jackson Township’s current fire and emergency medical services contract is scheduled to expire on January 1, 2026. The Township Trustee is responsible for negotiating, securing, and executing agreements that ensure uninterrupted fire and emergency response for residents.

In July 2025, the township published two public communications announcing changes to its fire service structure and its intention to strengthen or reorganize the volunteer fire department:

• Letter to Jackson Township Residents (July 10, 2025)
• Press Release: Strengthening the Volunteer Fire Department (July 11, 2025)

Since those announcements, no additional updates, meeting minutes, or contract details have been made publicly available regarding the 2026 fire/EMS plan. This does not imply inaction by township officials, but it does mean residents currently have no clear, public description of the next fire and emergency service arrangement.

Timeline: Fire & EMS Communication and Contract Expiration

Residents Should Know

Questions to Ask at a Public Meeting

If and when a township board meeting is held, residents may wish to ask clear, respectful questions:

• Contract Status: “What fire and EMS agreement will be in place on January 1, 2026, when the current contract expires?”
• Service Level: “Will response times, staffing levels, and equipment be equal to or better than what residents receive today?”
• Volunteer Readiness: “What specific steps have been completed to strengthen the volunteer fire department since the July 2025 press release, and what remains?”
• Mutual Aid: “What mutual aid agreements or backup plans exist if the primary department is unavailable or overwhelmed?”
• Financial Impact: “How will the 2026 fire/EMS arrangement affect the township budget and tax rates, and has the Advisory Board reviewed those changes?”
• Ongoing Communication: “How will residents be kept informed as decisions are made about fire and emergency services after 2025?”

These questions are intended to promote understanding and community safety, not to criticize any individual officeholder.