Putnam County officials discuss SB 270 and potential township mergers

Putnam County commissioners and township trustees met March 10 at the Putnam County Courthouse to review Indiana Senate Bill 270, a state proposal that would require mergers of underperforming townships based on a points-based score compiled by the Department of Local Government Finance, Commissioner Andy Beck said.

"SB 270: 'township mergers, authored by Senator Rick Neimeyer, addresses township efficiency and administration,'" Beck said while summarizing the bill and its timelines. The board noted key dates mentioned at the meeting: DLGF will compile data by Dec. 31, 2026; townships must pass resolutions by Oct. 1, 2027; and merges in a county would be effective Jan. 1, 2029.

The proposal would direct DLGF to assign points to Indiana townships using performance metrics such as provision of township assistance, emergency services management and timely filing of annual finance reports. Beck told attendees that any township trustee scoring 4 or higher under the system would be subject to merger.

Trustees for Warren, Floyd and Marion counties indicated willingness to consider voluntary mergers. Warren trustee Heavin said she has begun contacting DLGF to learn the steps for an early voluntary merger and that she is "willing to merge early because it is the best for her constituents." Heavin also reported that State staff advised having legal counsel during the process; County Attorney Jim Ensley offered to assist trustees who pursue voluntary mergers.

Commissioner Rick Woodall warned of trade-offs in voluntary combinations, saying merging a very small township with a much larger one could leave the smaller community at a disadvantage because "it will also merge the rates, debt, etc., of the townships together." Woodall said the county should study options and consider geographic groupings that keep touching townships together.

State Representative Brett Clark and Beau Baird provided background on the bill, noting the structure of township trustees has been debated for decades. Senator Bray urged trustees to assess their own scores and plan proactively so they "control your fate" rather than leaving decisions entirely to DLGF. The transcript also records a Warren trustee saying she had contacted DLGF to learn steps to merge by Dec. 31, 2025; the meeting otherwise recorded the DLGF data deadline as Dec. 31, 2026.

McPherson, identified in the transcript as a Washington Township trustee, suggested trustees use an online trustee scoring program to preview how they might score under DLGF metrics. Commissioners discussed staggering merger planning by geographic areas (for example, north/central/south groupings) so that merged arrangements would be contiguous.

No formal vote was taken on SB 270 or on any merger plan. Commissioner Rick Woodall made a motion to adjourn at the close of the discussion; Vice President Tom Helmer seconded and the motion passed unanimously.