If you live in the quaint Rocky Ripple area, then you may already know of two of the three candidates currently running for Town Board: Carla Gaff-Clark and Robert Tomey. Gaff-Clark, a board member since 1996, decided to run for re-election upon learning that two other current board members would resigning their position.

"When Ann Jansen and Greg Goodrich decided not to run for re-election, I felt that I had a responsibility to maintain some continuity with the new incoming board."

Robert Tomey, a well-known resident of Rocky Ripple for 18 years, decided to run for Town Board in early January of this year (2007).

Daniel Axler, a former Rocky Ripple Town Board member for ten years, feels very strongly about the upcoming election. A long-time resident of Rocky Ripple, his love of the community is apparent in his desire to raise awareness not only of the approaching town elections, but also of what he feels has been a lackluster performance by the current Town Board.

"Rocky Ripple needs a town board that will roll up its sleeves and do more than maintain the status quo," Axler insists. "We have had a very low key last four years in Rocky Ripple. The current town board has not been able to tap into the town's energy or volunteer spirit."

While the deadline has passed for Republican- or Democratic-Party-approved candidates to bid for election, independent candidates have until 12:00pm (noon) on July 2, 2007, to throw their hat in the race. With a completed application and enough petitioned signatures, a Rocky Ripple resident can nominate him or herself to run under the independent party in the November election. Angie Herrmann did just that.

With endorsement from thirty Rocky Ripple residents (only 2.78 signatures were required by election law, based on two percent of the votes cast for the Indiana Secretary of State in this precinct in 2006), Herrmann is running as an independent. Rocky Ripple's unique atmosphere is one of the many reasons why Herrmann has remained in the town for almost a decade, and she doesn't plan on leaving. "I find that people move here because they like this place and tend to stay here because they do not want to live anywhere else. We live in an amazing place with incredibly talented people . . . Rocky Ripple can only benefit as we continue to work together. To that end, based on the comments I heard from people as I collected signatures, I will work to involve as many people as possible by creating volunteer opportunities for our community."

Election Day in November will bring some new faces to the Rocky Ripple Town Board, and with that, undoubtedly new and exciting ideas. If you feel your ideas are best for Rocky Ripple, you still have a few days to gather signatures and submit your papers to the Marion County Election Board (by July 2, 2007, at Noon - don't forget).