On Wednesday, April 20, at the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce’s Candidate Forum at Warsaw City Hall for the May 3 primary are GOP candidates for Kosciusko County auditor Rhonda Helser, left, and Chasity Sandy. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The two GOP candidates for Kosciusko County auditor gave voters a chance on Wednesday, April 20, to learn why they were qualified for the position.

That was part of the questions posed by local media outlets to Rhonda Helser and Chasity Sandy as part of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce’s first Candidate Forum of two. The event previewed three contested races on the May 3 primary ballot.

Helser and Sandy answered two questions. The first was to explain why they were seeking the office.

“I’m running for office as the county auditor because I have the proven experience and the education and the leadership that is needed to be in the auditor’s office,” said Helser.

“I have worked for the auditor’s office for 28 years,” said Sandy. “In the actual department I have done several projects. I’ve helped build some of the Beacon (GIS) sites … stuff like that. I feel a drive just to serve my community a little bit more than what I have been serving.”

The two were then asked: “What do you believe are the skill sets needed to be an auditor and how does your experience make you a good candidate?”

“I believe that to be a good auditor you need to have a good understanding of what the office entails,” said Sandy. “A lot of people know that the auditor is known for the fiscal operator that the position holds, but there’s a lot more that goes with it, and there’s a lot of day to day information that needs to go with it, a lot of responsibility, a lot of leadership, of knowledge of the past of what we’ve gone through and what the past auditors have dealt with and how to get through those challenges to come to a good decision to be made for the issues.”

“The auditor’s office, you need to have a good skill set to be able to process budgets,” said Helser. “You are the secretary to the county commissioners and to the county council. I feel like I have done that. I’ve been at previous meetings and taken notes. I have bookkeeping background experience. I have leadership experience that is needed in the office to assist people coming in and asking questions. So I believe I have the background for budgets, knowing the elected officials that I’ve had contact with.”