After being appointed to the Greencastle City Council in 2019, Republican Cody Eckert faces a challenge this election to see who will represent the Fourth Ward. 
Eckert will face Democrat Vincent Aguirre when early voting opens Oct. 11 and is asking voters for another four years on the council. 

"I think anyone would feel an obligation to put their knowledge to good use if it can make a difference, and everyone's first term provides the opportunity to learn by doing that. Often, the good that we can do as elected representatives involves putting people in touch with the city employees that can immediately solve their issue. If graffiti is brought to my attention, or someone has an erosion issue, or someone has an idea for traffic flow on their street, I can facilitate conversations with the right city department to spur a speedy resolution. I love doing that, but understanding our ordinances and the reality behind our city budget takes time, and I want to leverage my experience so that when the only way to solve a problem is to author a change to our ordinance, I'll be the most effective voice in Greencastle," Eckert said. 

Eckert said one of the biggest challenges facing Greencastle is the housing shortage. 

"The housing shortage is a big one, and we've thrown the kitchen sink at it. We've passed an abatement that's never been done before, adjusted our development standards and amended our zoning ordinance in order to see new housing built, but until folks start seeing new construction, more clearly needs to be done. Infrastructure improvements will help with that, and that requires a comprehensive plan with changes that will be felt in our historic neighborhoods," Eckert said. 

The incumbent said he is also "proud" of the quality of place improvements the council has helped drive, having directed Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) dollars towards the Putnam County Mural Project. 

"The bicentennial mural has helped remind folks of all the reasons to be proud to live in Greencastle and continuing to arm our fantastic volunteers with more tools to increase public art is a priority," Eckert said. 

Eckert said he hopes he has earned the support of residents in the Fourth Ward, pointing to the work he has done to try and make changes. 

"I'm excited for the city to make great strides, especially under an administration with Lynda Dunbar at the helm. The council can allocate money and approve claims, but it takes an energetic executive to bring efficiency to government. I think the only way for Greencastle to reach its full potential is with Lynda Dunbar as our mayor, and I want to make sure she has the tools she needs from the city council to get the job done," Eckert said. 

One of the changes Eckert tried to bring about was a decrease in the number of councilors on city council down to five. The measure failed, but Eckart said it would saved the city money. 

"The city council should reflexively try to save money, and small cities like ours often have trouble recruiting talented and capable folks to run for office. Limiting the number of councilors would have saved money and helped divert talent to the numerous boards and commissions to which the mayor and council make appointments. However, the Republican team had no problem recruiting its strongest ticket in decades, and, at all three-at large positions, the city could be blessed with the experience of Mark Hammer and Darrel Thomas combined with the tremendous addition of Kathy Asbell, a remarkably empathetic person who will become our resident expert in education and a voice for the underserved. I'll take the win-win votes like that all day long," Eckert said. 

He has a final message for voters ahead of early voting opening. 

"In my first term, I said the city council should do three things: 1) do more with less, 2) be open to new ideas, and 3) be proactive toward making Greencastle the best place to live and work. That's what I've done and that's what I will continue to do if elected to serve," Eckert said. 

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