VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP

The beginning of 2010 has been a very busy and very exciting time at your Wayne Township Trustee’s Office. Our office has been chosen by the Census Bureau as a recruiting and testing site for workers for the 2010 Census.

And to make this news even better, one of our now former township assistance clients was hired by the Census to conduct the testing. I am always so proud when our office has been able to help a deserving person through a difficult time and then see that person get a job and move from assistance to independence.

The former client, Mr. Thomas Lerner, had lost his job as a truck driver. The Trustee’s Office helped him pay his rent and utility bills for a four-month period from July through October, while he was unemployed. Mr. Lerner, who is a Veteran, started his job with the Census Bureau in November.

As part of his job, Mr. Lerner recruits candidates, including Wayne Township clients, for jobs with the Census Bureau. While the Census jobs are not long term, unemployed Wayne Township residents are thankful to have any job that will provide them income while they are searching for permanent employment.

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Another exciting part of the Census for us is that our office has been chosen as a site to distribute reminders to persons who might not otherwise participate in the Census. The Census Bureau has provided us with several items to give to our clients to remind them to return their Census surveys.

As I stated in an earlier column, participating in the Census is very important for the residents of Wayne Township. Often the amount of Federal funding or grants coming into our Township is based on the results of the Census, which is taken every ten years.

Another very exciting project I have been following is bringing passenger train service back to Fort Wayne. I attended the second “Rally for Rail” a few weeks ago at the Baker Street Train Station.

I was so impressed that more than a thousand persons from various segments of our community attended the rally in support of passenger rail service returning to Fort Wayne and Wayne Township. Public officials from both major political parties have united to work toward this lofty goal.

I remember when we could board a train at the Baker Street Station and go quickly and conveniently to Chicago or to Cleveland, Pittsburg and Washington D.C. or New York. Bringing trains back here would be a great asset to our community, both by making travel easier and by creating jobs right here in our Township.

Wayne Township just completed serving as one of the sites for the annual Homeless Count, organized by the local Homeless Task Force. I want to thank the Task Force for its hard work in trying to get an accurate count of homeless persons in our area, a very challenging job. The Homeless Count, just like the Census, is important in getting funding and programs to help our homeless residents.

Obviously, another issue of upmost importance to our Township is what is happening in the Indiana General Assembly regarding possible elimination of township government. Township government provides needed financial assistance and numerous other programs for our neighbors, who are temporarily in need of help.

This assistance cannot be accomplished as quickly and efficiently by larger, more bureaucratic governmental entities. This is why it is so important to keep our Township government intact. As the legislative session continues, I will be following the developments there regarding your Township and keeping you informed about them.

Richard A. Stevenson, Sr.
Wayne Township Trustee