INDIANAPOLIS (November 23, 2005) – Governor Mitch Daniels announced today the appointment of Edward Charbonneau of Valparaiso to the Indiana State Ethics Commission.  Charbonneau has served as executive director of the Northwest Indiana Local Government Academy at Indiana University Northwest since 2002.  He has also served as interim president of the Northwest Indiana Forum and on the executive board of the Northwest Indiana Quality of Life Council. 

“Ed has been a leader in northwest Indiana’s campaign for reform and will continue that while adding significantly to the state’s ethical standards in this capacity,” said Daniels.

Charbonneau replaces former chair David Hadley, whose term expired on August 30.  Charbonneau’s term expires September 1, 2009.  The governor also appointed Clare Nuechterlein of South Bend as chair of the commission.

The commission conducts investigations of ethics violations by state employees, provides classroom and online ethics training and renders formal and informal ethics opinions for state employees.

Other recent boards and commissions appointments:

Local Government Tax Control Board

The board hears local excessive levy appeal requests and requests for approval of debt from cities/towns, libraries, counties, townships and special taxing districts.

Membership: Five gubernatorial appointees, one State Board of Accounts appointee, one Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) appointee.

Governor’s appointments:

• Lisa Decker (Lafayette), public relations director, Greater Lafayette Health Services
• Ken Kobe (Indianapolis), executive director of Barnes & Thornburg and former state budget director
• Dave Christian (LaPorte), CEO, AMPCOR II, Inc. and former board member
• John Stafford (Fort Wayne), director of the Community Research Institute at Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne

Appointees serve at the discretion of the governor.

School Tax Control Board

The board was established to assist the Department of Local Government Finance in deciding the merits of any appeal filed under IC 6-1.1-17 to the DLGF by, or in respect of, any school corporation.

Membership: Three gubernatorial appointees, one State Board of Accounts appointee, one DLGF appointee.

Governor’s appointments:

• Richard Besinger (Mishawaka), teacher, coach, and director of industrial co-op training program for the South Bend Community School Corporation
• Morris Mills (Ladoga), former state Senator and former chairman of the Budget Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee

Appointees serve at the discretion of the governor.

Commission on Aging

The commission was established to encourage the study and discussion of the problems of the aging and the aged.

Membership: 16 gubernatorial appointees (one from each congressional district, seven at-large)

Governor’s appointments:

• Noble Stallons (Linton), retired manager/CEO of Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC
• Dick Grace (West Lafayette), vice president and professor emeritus, Purdue University (engineering) and author of “When Every Day is Saturday: A Retirement Guide for Boomers”
• Doris S. Parker (Indianapolis), volunteer activist
• John R. Niemeyer (Milan), nursing home administrator
• Edward Gottschling (Portage), retired, current member of commission
• John “Bob” Johnson (Williamsport), retired, current member of commission

Terms expire July 1, 2009

Worker’s Compensation Board

The board is charged with hearing, determining, and reviewing all claims for compensation under Indiana’s worker’s compensation laws.

Membership: Seven gubernatorial appointees

Governor’s appointments:

• Daniel G. Foote (Indianapolis), attorney, Due Doyle Fanning & Metzger LLP and former policy analyst/law clerk for Worker’s Compensation Board
• James Dowling (Indianapolis), attorney and former deputy prosecutor

The governor also named Linda Peterson Hamilton (Fort Wayne) as chair.  She has been a member since 1995 and is the first woman to serve as chair.

Terms expire September 1, 2009

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