Starke County Board/Committee
Please click each group to see its members.
Alcoholic Beverage Board (IC 7)
- Joseph Pucel – 2025 – Commissioners
- Gwen Rentz – 2025 – Council
- Bill Gustafson – 2025 – City Of Knox
Arrowhead
- Don Binkley – 2025 – Commissioner
Aviation Board (IC8-22)
(All Commissioner Appointments)
- Jim Long (R) – 2028
- Leigh Smith (R) – 2025
- Lionel Smead (D) – 2026
- Carl Goodrich (D) – 2027
Board of Zoning (IC 36-7)
- Eugene Pugh (R) – 2024 – Commissioner Apptmt.
- Mark Allen (D) – 2024 – Plan. Comm.
- Roberta Lee (R) – 2025 – Commissioner Apptmt.
- Jason Downs (R) – 2025 – Commissioner Apptmt.
- Denise Coultice (D) – 2025 – Council Apptmt.
Building Code Review Board (Per Ordinance)
County Commissioners, By Virtue of their office
- Charles Chesak – 2025
- Mike VanDeMark – 2025
- Don Binkley – 2025
Building Corp
- Charles Chesak – 2026 – Commissioner Appointment
- Ted Hayes – 2025 – Commissioner Appointment
- Jim Brown – 2024 – Commissioner Appointment
City Planning Commission
(Commissioners Appointments Only)
- James Jenkins (R) – 2024 – Commissioners
- John Wilson (D) – 2024 – Commissioners
- Jeff Berg (D) – 2023 – Knox City Council
- Ron Parker (D) – 2023 – Knox City Council
- Donald Kring (D) – 2023 – Knox City Employee
- Brent VanNorman (R) – 2023 – Mayor of Knox
- Jeff Houston (D) – 2024 – Mayor of Knox
- Todd Flagg – 2023 – Mayor of Knox
- Dan Allen – 2024 – Mayor of Knox
Commissioner To Contact
- Jail: Don Binkley – 2025
- Courthouse & Annex: Charles Chesak – 2025
- Highway Department: Mike VanDeMark – 2025
- EMS: Don Binkley – 2025
- Landfill: Charles Chesak – 2025
Community Corrections Board
- Kim Hall – Judge/Designee – 2028
- Leslie Baker – Prosecutor/Designee – 2026
- Dennis Estok – Mayor/Designee – 2027
- Jack Rosa – Sheriff/Designee – 2026
- Charles Hasnerl – Judge/Designee – 2027
- Micah Cox – Judiciary – 2028
- Michaelene J. Houston – County Fiscal Body/Designee – 2026
- Richard Ballard – Public Defender/Designee
- John Novak – Probation Officer
- Vacant – Educational Admin.
- Crystal Bradley – DFC Director/Designee
- Samatha Piper – Ex-Offender
- Todd Willis – Mental Health Admin
- Lori Bailey – Victim/Advocate
- Vacant – Juv.CF/JDC/MH Rep.
- Abby White – JDAI
- Jessi Venice – Juv. Probation Officer
- Vacant – Private Corr. Agency
- Joe Cunningham – Layperson
- Ted Hayes – Layperson
- Marlene Patrick – Layperson
- Vacant – Layperson
County Council
- President: Todd Leinbach – 2025
- Vice President: Bruce Bennett – 2025
- County Attorney: Justin Schramm – 2025
Drainage Board
- President: Greg Troike – 2026
- Vice President: Ed Jernas – 2026
- Secretary: Charles Chesak – 2025
- Member: Matthew Lawrence – 2025
- Member: Merlyn Lucas – 2025
- Starke-Pulaski Drng. Brd: Merlyn Lucas & Greg Troike – 2025
- Marshall-Starke Drng. Brd: Matthew Lawrence & Charlie Chesak – 2025
- Three County Drainage Board: Ed Jernas – 2025
- Monon Drng. Brd: Merlyn Lucas – 2025
- Four County Drng. Brd: Ed Jernas – 2025
- Zec-Chap-Lohr: Greg Troike – 2025
Economic Development Board
- Mark Gourley – 2025 – Commissioner
- Dave Pearman – 2025 – Council
- Kay Gudeman – 2025 – Council
Emergency Management Board
- Charles Chesak (Proxy Don Binkley) – 2025
FEMA Board
- Charles Chesak (Proxy Don Binkley) – 2025
Finance Board (IC)
County Commissioners, By Virtue of their office
- Charles Chesak – 2025
- Mike VanDeMark – 2025
- Don Binkley – 2025
Health Board (IC 16-20)
(All Commissioner Appointments)
- Angela Banks (R) – 2028
- Carolyn Benoit (R) – 2026
- Deborah C. Hansen (R) – 2025
- Vacant (D) – 2026
- Rita Berger (D) – 2026
- Angela Stacy Flagg (D) – 2025
Hospital Community Board
(All Commissioner Appointments)
- Erland Henry – 2028
- Marty Lucas – 2028
- Dolores Bennett – 2025
- Kathy Norem – 2025
- Rosanne Boisvert – 2026
- Larry Jernas – 2026
- Dr. Walter Fritz – 2027
Internal Controls Committee
- Rachel Oesterreich – 2026 – By Virtue of Office
- Carrie Block – 2023 – Commissioner Appointment
- Vacant – 2023 – Commissioner Appointment
K.I.R.P.C. (IC 36-7)
- Charles Chesak – 2023 – Commissioner
- Mark VanDeMark – 2023 – Commissioner
- Don Binkley – 2023 – Commissioner
- Bruce Bennett – 2025 – Council
Koontz Lake Sewer District
- Paul Warnke – 2022 – Starke Co. Commissioner Appt.
- Gerald Weber – 2023 – Starke Co. Commissioner Appt.
- Daniel Pisarek – 2022 – Starke Co. Council Appt.
- James Jackson – 2022 – Oregon Twp.
- Ronald Armstead – 2023 – Marshall Co. Council Appt.
- Mike McKenna – 2020 – Marshall Co. Commissioner Appt.
- Kristy Wilsey – 2020 – Polk Township Trustee Appt.
LEPC
- Don Binkley (Proxy Charles Chesak) – 2025
Library Board (IC 36-12)
- Julie Smith – 2025 – Commissioners
- Marcia Lochner – 2025 – Council
- Steve Dodge – 2025 – Commissioners
- Nicole Salazar – 2026 – Joint School Boards (NJ-SP, O-D, & Culver)
- Susan Lucas – 2026 – Council
- Kim Gingher – 2026 – Knox School Board
- Ruth Bailey – 2025 – Knox School Board
- Joanne Gappa – 2027 – Commissioners
- Nathan Origer – 2025 – Council
- Venita Cunningham – 2025 – N.J. Town Board
- Dave Altman – 2026 – Wayne Twp. Advisory Brd.
- Justin Miller – 2027 – N.J.S.P. School Board
- Jack Reimbold – 2025 – N.J.S.P. School Board
- Linda Schumacher – 2026 – N.J.S.P. School Board
Marshall – Starke Development Board
- Anthony Black – 2025 – Council
Organization of Board
- President: Charles Chesak – 2025
- Vice President: Mike VanDeMark – 2025
- Secretary: Michaelene J. Houston – 2025
- County Attorney: Justin Schramm – 2025
Park Board
- Tom Brush (R) – 2028 – Commissioner Appointment
- Stephen Ritzler (D) – 2026 – Council Appointment
- Karl Swihart (D) – 2025 – Council Appointment
- Richard Ballard (D) – 2025 – Judge of Circuit Court Appointment
- Sam Byer (R) – 2027 – Judge of Circuit Court Appointment
Planning Commission (IC 36-7)
- Matt Lawrence (R) – 2027 – Commissioner
- Denise Coultice (D) – 2025 – Commissioner
- Todd Jackson (R) – 2025 – Commissioner
- Isaiah Collins (D) – 2026 – Commissioner
- Mark Allen (D) – 2025 – Twp. Trustee
- Mike VanDeMark – 2025 – Commissioner
- Howard Bailey – 2025 – Council
- Gwen Rentz, Surveyor – 2025 – By virtue of office
- Phil Woolery – 2025 – Extension Office Appt.
P.T.A.B.O.A. Board (IC 6-1.1)
- Phyl Olinger (R) – 2025 – Commissioners
- Victoria Chessor (D) – 2025 – Commissioners
- Michelle Downs (D) – 2025 – Council
Records Committee
- Charles Chesak
- Bernadette Manuel
- Rachel Oesterreich
- Judge Kim Hall
- Mandy Thompson
- Knox Clerk – Treasurer Kelly Graham
Redevelopment Commission
- Brad Hazelton
- Bryan Cavender
- Lee Nagai
- William Sonnemaker
Safety Committee
- Charles Chesak
- Ricky Green
- Larry Brock
- Frank Lynch
- Thomas Schouten
- Dan Dipert
- Jack Rosa (Jail Commander)
SCILL
- Bruce Bennett – 2023 – Council
Solid Waste Board
- Charlie Chesak – 2025 – By virtue of office
- Mike VanDeMark – 2025 – By virtue of office
- Don Binkley – 2026 – By virtue of office
- Todd Leinbach – 2025 – Council Representative
Starke County Convention And Visitor’s Commission (IC6-9)
(Commissioner Appts.)
- Kathy Norem – 2025
- Dennis Estok – 2025
- Tiffany Nagai – 2025
- JoAnne Bailey – 2025
- Mark Allen – 2025
- Linda Banasiak – 2025
- Erland Henry – 2025
- Mary Perren – 2025
- Bernadette Manuel – 2025
Workforce Development
- Charles Chesak – 2025 – Commissioner
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