By Cassidy Grom | Echo
Yard signs dot Main Street in Upland, but they aren't advertising rummage sales or free kittens.
Ivanhoes' 25-year-old manager Heath Slain is running for a spot on Upland town council. Instead of a mayor, a five person council governs the town. Slain is contesting long-standing member Mick Carmin, whose current term will end in December.
According to council member Warren Ross, it is fairly unusual for a current member to have opposition.
"When I ran 4 years ago, I think that was the first time there had been an election for an Upland town council seat in 35 years," Ross said. "No one ever challenged anybody. They just stayed. If someone left, they just . . . appointed somebody."
In addition to posting yard signs, Slain has gone door-to-door to encourage votes. Slain said he has received many comments about his young age, but he doesn't consider his age a hinderance.
"My work will speak for itself," Slain said.
Four years ago, when Ross ran, about 400 of 1,700 registered Upland voters participated in the local elections. If the low voter turnout trend continues, every vote will count in determining the 2016 victor.
In addition to the race between Carmin and Slain, council member Geoff Schwartz has completed his three-year term but is not running for reelection. Heath Crouch is running unopposed to take Schwartz's position. Schwartz has been in charge of utilities for Upland.
Elections will take place Nov. 3 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Upland Community Church on Berry Street. Crouch, along with the winner of the race between Carmin and Slain will join the five-member council that meets on the first Tuesday of every month in the Town Hall.
The 2016 council will face the challenge of continuing its recent success with the Upland Master Plan. In early October, the council, along with architects from Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf, submitted the comprehensive plan to a statewide competition.
About 20 counties, cities and towns entered their landscape and revitalization plans in the competition hosted by the Indiana American Society of Landscape Architects. The Upland plan placed on the top three and received an award of merit.
The competition didn't give financial awards but Council Vice President Chip Jaggers still hopes to use the title to raise funds.
"It is such a prestigious award that winning it gives us a good foundation for going to businesses and asking for grants," Jaggers said.
According to a recent press release, the Upland Town Council has been actively working to implement the Master Plan. The focus so far has been on upgrading town parks, developing trails and creating well-landscaped gateways on the north and south entrances to the town.
Within the next two to three weeks, the council hopes to begin construction on a new welcome sign on the south side of Upland. The sign will mirror the current Taylor University sign and, together, they will form a crescent-shaped entrance on East 700 street.
The updates don't stop there. The council is considering purchasing a new fire truck as well as adding a playground for children ages two to four and a gazebo in a town park. According to Ross, long-term plans include knocking down several old buildings on Main Street and constructing a three-story, multi-purpose building downtown by the bridge.
"We don't want this to be just that college town you drive through and say 'ugh;' we want this to be a quaint little town," Ross said.
