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Newcomer Marlin Doctor mounts a challenge to five-term surveyor

Marlin Doctor
Photo provided.

Two candidates will battle for the Republican nomination for Huntington County surveyor during the May 4 primary.

Marlin Doctor faces Jay D. Poe, who is currently serving his fifth term as surveyor.

Surveyor duties include preparing, maintaining and keeping in the office a legal survey book showing maps of sections, grants, subdivisions or groups of such areas in sufficient detail. Also, the surveyor maintains a corner stone record book. The information is the basis for determining the location of parcels with the county.

Marlin Doctor

Age: 50
Address: Huntington
Current Occupation: Farmer
Memberships: Big Brothers-Big Sisters
Family: Wife, Debra; three children; six grandchildren.
Office sought: Huntington County surveyor
Party affiliation: Republican
Political Experience: School board

What are your qualifications for the office that you seek?

The surveyor's position is a management position. I have 27 years of experience in management and have farmed in Huntington County for 25 years. Being in management, you have to work with people for the best outcome, stay within budgets and get results. Being in farming, I do understand drainage and land management.

Having eight years in heavy road building management, I do understand surveying and engineering projects to minimize cost but to get the best finished product. The mandated GIS System is an ongoing system that needs to be continually updated. I have worked with this system in the past.

Having my family and children growing up in Huntington County, I have a vested interest in maintaining and caring for our drains and ditches for generations.

How can you, as an elected official, help local government operate efficiently as revenues decline?

Not being a licensed surveyor, I would bring a licensed surveyor on as my deputy. The cost for this would be covered by money already in the budget and the $19,617 less that I would receive in salary than the current surveyor receives.

In talking with several of the 76 now licensed county surveyors in Indiana, they stated that in many instances the cost to the taxpayers and landowners is less than counties with licensed surveyors. I would change the "floating policy." Policies would be written and open, eliminating guesswork.

I would work hard to eliminate unnecessary projects and bring less intrusion on private property.

I would like to bring some more competitiveness to the bidding process for county work.

Aside from budget woes, what do you see as the major challenge facing the office you seek? How would you meet that challenge?

I feel one of the main challenges facing the surveyor's office today aside from budget woes would be to bring confidence, respect and courtesy to the Huntington County surveyor's office.

I would hope to do this by working with the current staff to be more open and listening to them, the landowners and taxpayers.

Policies need to be written and open. Getting back with people on large or small issues is a must. As an elected official it is your duty to follow up in a timely manner. Treat everyone with respect and always remembering who you are serving as a public official.

Creating a good working environment for your staff and the public is a constant goal.

For information about the other candidate for this office click on the government link on the left side of this page.