Town board: county GOP has 30 days to appoint replacement after Melvin’s resignation

Caitlyn opened the Feb. 16, 2026, town board meeting and confirmed the board had received Melvin’s written resignation. A staff member told the board that, because Melvin held office as a Republican, Indiana law gives the county party 30 days to appoint a replacement; if the party does not act within that period the town would have authority to appoint someone later.

The clerk (speaking during the meeting) said she had forwarded Melvin’s resignation to the county clerk, who notified the county party chair, and that the statutory clock for the party’s appointment would begin to run upon that transmission. "I submit Mel's written resignation, which I just got from Debbie, to the county clerk," the clerk said during the meeting.

Board members discussed whether to delay the next board meeting so the town’s calendar would align with the party’s appointment window. One council member moved to change the next regular meeting from March 16 to March 23 to allow the county’s 30‑day period to run before the town would have to act; the motion was seconded. The motion was placed on the floor for consideration; the transcript records the motion and a second but does not record an explicit roll‑call or voice vote on the change.

Board members identified local contacts the town may notify — the county party chair, a named local party contact (Scott) and a suggested candidate (Sharon) — and agreed to try to obtain the party chair’s contact information. The clerk advised the board that if the county did not appoint someone in the initial 30‑day window there would be an additional statutory period before the town could fill the vacancy.

The next procedural step recorded in the meeting was follow‑up: board members said they would contact the county party chair and potential local candidates and prepare to act if the party did not. The transcript does not show a formal appointment at this meeting.