By Matt Clevenger

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CONCORD TOWNSHIP — Voters in Concord Township will be asked to elect a fiscal officer and a Concord Township trustee during the upcoming election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, choosing between two different candidates running for both positions.

Candidates Pat Quillen and Bill Whidden are both running for the position of Concord Township Fiscal Officer, for a full four-year term commencing on April 1, 2024.

Currently serving his first term as Concord Township Fiscal Officer, Whidden also previously served as a Concord Township Trustee and as treasurer for the city of Troy.

“I am completing my first term as Fiscal Officer for Concord Township, having been elected In Nov. 2019,” Whidden said. “Prior to that, I served as a trustee for Concord Township for 14 years.”

“I moved to Troy as a junior in high school in 1971,” he said. “After graduating from college and a year in Africa on the mission field, my wife and I moved back in 1980 and raised both our daughters here.”

Whidden said his goals if re-elected as fiscal officer include improving communications with township residents, continuing positive relationships with township trustees, and working with the trustees and road superintendent each year as they update and amend the five-year capital project plan.

Whidden also said he would seek to maintain positive working relationships with local partners including the Miami County Sheriffs Office, the city of Troy and the Miami County Commissioners Office.

“The role of fiscal officer is to advise the trustees on sound fiscal policy and ensure the ongoing financial stability of the township,” he said. “I have done that and am proud that I have earned the confidence of each trustee.”

“My fellow trustees encouraged me to run for the position, and I am proud that I had and continue to have their support,” Whidden said.

Candidate Pat Quillen is also running for the position of Concord Township Fiscal Officer. Quillen previously served as Concord Township fiscal officer, from 2000 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2020, and has also served as Miami County treasurer and as clerk-treasurer for the village of Potsdam.

“I have lived in Concord Township almost all of my life,” Quillen said. “I was the Concord Township fiscal officer for 18 years. I have many years of experience in accounting for public funds, and I would be ready to do the full job from the very first day in office.”

“If elected Concord Township fiscal officer, my goal is to provide excellent service to my constituents, personalized whenever possible,” she said. “What led me to run again for Concord Township fiscal officer is my desire to serve the residents, and offer them more personalized service than they now receive.”

Quillen said she also plans to begin sending email bulletins to residents.

“I will revitalize the past practice of sending email news bulletins to our subscribers to keep them up to date about township services and events,” she said.

“I know all of the trustees and have enjoyed a good working relationship with them in the past,” Quillen said. “I believe that I am the value-added candidate. Everyone knows that the person who cares the most will do the most.; I am the candidate who cares the most.”

Candidates Neil Rhoades and Greg Iammarino are both running for a single available seat on the Concord Township Board of Trustees, for a full four-year term commencing on Jan. 1, 2024.

Iammarino did not respond to requests to comment for this story; Rhoades currently serves as a Concord Township trustee, and previously served as the township’s road superintendent for 45 years.

“I have lived in Concord Township for 69 years,” he said. “My goal if re-elected is to keep Concord Township running efficiently the way it is right now.”

“Another goal of mine is to keep our roads and equipment in good working condition,” Rhoades said. “With the price of equipment and asphalt almost doubling in recent years, it’s going to be a challenge for our budget.”

Rhoades said current issues include improving the township’s social media presence, and dealing with increased junk vehicle and property maintenance complaints.

“We are currently working on upgrading our website to get our information out to our residents better through Facebook, lnstagram and X,” he said.

“I would also like to keep our township looking good,” Rhoades said. “The last few years we’ve had more complaints about people not taking care of their property and junk vehicles on their property.”

“It’s the trustees’ responsibility to take care of these complaints,” he said.