HANCOCK COUNTY — The new Buck Creek Township trustee is drawing on his experience as a former member of its advisory board.
Jack Negley has been settling into his role in the township in western Hancock County. Its 36 square miles include Indianapolis Regional Airport and a booming stretch of the Mt. Comfort Corridor. One of the township’s main responsibilities is providing fire protection and emergency medical services, which it does through the Buck Creek Township Fire Department.
Negley succeeds Melvin Branson, who died in January after serving as trustee for 42 years.
Later that month, Hancock County’s Republican party selected Negley, then a member of the township’s board, through a caucus to complete the remainder of Branson’s term, which lasts through the end of 2022. Not long after that, the party held another caucus and selected John Martin to take Negley’s former seat on the board, whose term also ends at the end of next year.
“As I was getting close to retirement, I wanted to look at something I could transition into and get a little bit of income and give back to my community,” Negley said of his motivation for seeking the role.
Branson had encouraged Negley to run for the board spot he won in 2018, and Negley said he had thought about running for the trustee’s office in the future.
Negley pointed to the two years of experience he gained serving on the township’s board and working with it’s budget. He’s also built budgetary knowledge through his service as president of Zion Lutheran Church and School near New Palestine, he continued.
Township finances, he said, are of the utmost importance.
“Making sure we’re under-budget is the goal,” he said.
Developing a financial plan addressing a five- to 10-year period is another one of his objectives.
“That includes equipment, resources and expansion to address the economic growth in our township,” Negley said.
The first thing he did after taking office was implement a payroll service for all township and fire department personnel, replacing the township’s former practice of doing it manually, in an effort to improve financial accuracy.
Negley described his leadership style as objective- and plan-oriented as well as collaborative and transparent.
“I’m not a micro-manager,” he added.
Negley also said he enjoys working with the township’s fire department.
“Working around first-responders is very exciting and rewarding to me, to see the hard work that these people do in saving lives,” he said.
David Sutherlin, Buck Creek Township fire chief, said Negley is well suited for the post.
“I think Melvin did great things, of course, for the fire department, and I think Jack wants to keep that momentum going,” Sutherlin said.
Negley joined the township’s advisory board with an open mind and without an agenda, Sutherlin continued, adding he listens well.
“I think from not just the fire department, but all the other functions that the township has to do — poor relief, cemetery, parks and recreation — all these other functions, he’s going to have some energy in those areas that’s going to be very positive,” Sutherlin said.
Sutherlin recalled how Branson left the township with almost no debt.
“Due to the fact that he’s (Negley) going to inherit this good situation and the fact that he is a good planner, I just think that’s going to be helpful in enhancing our effort moving forward,” Sutherlin said. “Believe me, with all the pressures that we’re going to be faced with here in this growing community over here on the west side of Hancock County, we’re going to need some leadership like that in place in order to make some good decisions.”
