By Blair Baumgartner
InkFreeNews

Joe Cazier

SYRACUSE — New Turkey Creek Township trustee Joe Cazier is originally from the Rome City area, where he spent the first 30 years of his life.

He then moved to Kendallville where his family had an office supply business located on Main Street, which he ran for 25 years.

Cazier said, “Retail was just getting tougher and tougher with the internet. We ended up closing the storefront and kept it going as a commercial entity. We were able to do that for quite a while.”

The business still has some customers, but Cazier has moved on and currently works as the fleet and fuel manager at Yoder Oil in Elkhart.

Cazier moved to Syracuse about six years ago after meeting his wife, Virginia. He got involved with the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission. “I was on the board. I was also on the board of zoning appeals,” he said.

Cazier left the planning commission about a year ago when he was hired at Yoder Oil. He left the zoning appeals board when he became trustee.

“The planning commission met in the middle of the day, so I could no longer do it. I was still on the board of zoning appeals. Someone mentioned to me they were looking for a trustee. I thought I’d wait and see. I thought it would be very interesting. Nobody else was really signing up so it was an easy election,” said Cazier.

Cazier said his clerk Tish Replogle and Turkey Creek Fire Territory chief Mickey Scott have really helped get him up to speed. He also mentioned that other trustees have really helped him.

Cazier talked a little bit about his trustee role. “I took over Jan. 1, 2023. It’s a four-year term. It’s technically a part-time position, but it’s still a lot of time. I’m easily putting in 20-25 hours a week.”

He noted that the township trustee helps take care of cemeteries owned by the township. He just sold a plot last week.

“When someone is interested, I need to help them with that. There are seven cemeteries within the township,” he said.

He files all the reports with the state board of accounts. He also takes the minutes for the fire territory and the township meeting, which are on the same night.

“One night a week, I sit in the office for people who need assistance. If a mother loses her job and is waiting for unemployment to step in and she is about ready to get evicted, I can step in. That’s the real value of trustees. We can come in an instant and get them help.

“You go to other government agencies and it takes longer with the paperwork, etc. We’re kind of that stopgap to help in between. We’re not supposed to be permanent help, but we help them with that transition,” he said.

Some of Cazier’s short-term goals involve improving the technology.

“Our office is a little bit behind with our technology. I am working on getting set up with the same accounting system as the fire territory. We need to do monthly engagements with them and yearly filings with the state board of accounts.”

He is also working on getting a functional website up and running. He said, “We don’t have a website. I want to get a website set up that communicates the assistance I can offer, but also assistance around the county, like food banks, cemeteries, etc., so people can get online and learn a little bit more about the township.

“I’m trying to get these goals accomplished by the end of the year. In the short term we are probably going to put some of the trustee funds into CDs. That’s another short-term goal I will be addressing,” he said.

Last week, the city just ordered a new fire truck. Cazier sent in the check for payment.

“It takes three to 3 1/2 years from the time you order one to receive it. You really have to think ahead and plan out your equipment replacements. Mickey does all that. I’m just the guy who gets the money to the right people when it’s ordered,” said Cazier.