FORT WAYNE – The Republicans made a clean sweep in Allen County on Tuesday, claiming victory of all three at-large County Council seats over the three Democratic opponents.
With all but four precincts reporting, two of the seats were held by incumbents Roy Buskirk and Robert Armstrong with 20 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Bill Brown, new to the council but a former commissioner, won the third open seat with 19 percent of the vote.
Brown was thrilled when it became obvious he would win.
Although confident, Brown said he had to campaign and work hard. He expected his Democratic challenger, Sharon Tucker, to be a contender, noting that she too, had a lot of support and worked hard in the election.
“But all in all, I’m very excited to be elected as a councilman,” Brown said.
Brown campaigned to keep taxes low yet provide quality infrastructure, and to support community and economic development.
He served one term as Allen County commissioner from 2007 through 2010. He said that experience plus his role on several nonprofit and local economic development boards and his business background would enable him to be an effective councilman.
Buskirk has been on the council since 2002, and he wanted to continue the work he began as chairman of the Joint Oversight Permitting Board, a combined venture of the county and Fort Wayne to streamline permitting for developers and builders.
Buskirk said the win was a vote for his philosophy of using tax incentives and streamlined permitting to bring jobs to the county.
“It’s a good feeling and I am looking forward to the next four years of providing a service for the taxpayers,” Buskirk said, “even though it will be a challenge with the limited funds available.”
“That will bring jobs and economic growth,” he said.
Armstrong was elected to the council four years ago and said that experience, plus 16 years’ working with budgets as Wayne Township trustee and a Fort Wayne Community Schools board member, qualify him to be a fiscally responsible councilman.
