Vanderburgh County Clerk Dottie Thomas is filing republican John Montrastelle’s paperwork, his wife Karen and other supporters nearby.
“Do you certify that the information in this Declaration of Candidacy is true and complete to the best of your knowledge,” Thomas asked Monstrstelle, under oath.
The fourth district seat of the Vanderburgh County Council is up for reelection this year. The County Council controls the "purse strings" of county government.
Monstrastelle said he wants to continue to work to improve issues that are important to him.
“Issues such as public safety and quality roads,” he said. “Those have always been important to me.”
That and efficient use of funds from department heads. He’s served for 11 years and five as president. He said party affiliation doesn’t matter to him — it’s all about the numbers.
“I always weigh the issues, look at the merits, and I always ask myself, 'is that the best use of taxpayer funds, and is that what the community wants?'”
There is a democrat challenger to the seat — Jason Jett is filed his candidacy at the election office on January 7.
He’s a lifelong Evansville resident and career small business operator and financial advisor — which he thinks can translate to the council.
As a democrat, he feels that his role would be to challenge the “status quo” — considering all but one council member is a republican.
“… and I think that as a result of that, you have a county council that's not working as hard, because they can kind of ‘rest in Zion’ and kind of put their feet up,” Jett said. “When we have more Democrats in there, there's a bit more of a challenge of the status quo. They're going to have to fight harder to get their agenda through …”
He’d like to see the county thriving and some programs expanding — such as pay for sheriff’s deputies and some building and recreational projects.
The County Council District 1 seat held by republican James Raben is also up for reelection, but he is currently unchallenged. Should a primary or democrat challenger file to run for his seat, WNIN will also provide responses across platforms.
Complete Q & A under video
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John Monstrastelle Q &A (R-incumbent)
Timothy Jagielo
Why are you running again for Vandenberg County council?
John Montrastelle
I'm running for council again because I care about our community. I want to continue to serve with integrity and common sense. The there are issues within county government. I want to continue to push on issues such as public safety and quality roads. Those have always been important to me, and I want to continue to fund those, those areas and really others, but those two right there in the appropriate way.
TJ
What about your background — you're an incumbent — but what about your background makes you a good candidate?
JM
Well, I just completed my 11th year on council, and my council trusts and believes that I am a good councilman because they just elected me president again for 2026 — this will be my fifth year as president. I ask tough questions. I push our department heads to spend money wisely.
I'm still employed in the private sector. I work at Anchor Industries, where I've been for the last 29 years. I manage the government side of the business, living within budgets and and timelines and targets. I've been doing that for decades. I'm fortunate to work at Anchor Industries. We're a premier tent structure, pool cover and fire shelter manufacturer.
Also what's what's helped me is my role on the Convention and Visitors Bureau. I served there for four years. I was our president for three years, and under my leadership, along with our our executive director at the time, Bob Warren, and my fellow board members, we built the Deaconess sports complex. That complex opened in 2014 and it's been a major success since day one, attracting hundreds of 1000s of visitors to our economy, to our community, and also all the money that that brings with it.
TJ
Because this is a partisan position, technically, how might it change the way you vote or approach your position, being a Republican?
JM
Party affiliation does not dictate how I vote on council. It's it's all about numbers. It's fiscal responsibilities. What are the needs and what are the numbers? So what is that need going to cost? And does it make sense? And I always weigh the issues, look at the merits, and I always ask myself, 'is that the best use of taxpayer funds, and is that what the community wants?'
Jason Jett Q &A (D-challenger)
Timothy Jagielo
Tell me about why you are running for county council.
Jason Jett
So the main reason is because I love Evansville. It's my home. I was raised here, went to high school here. My grandparents are buried here. It's just it's a very dear place to me, and I'm hoping, through this running county council that I can give that back to the community.
TJ
What makes you qualified — what makes you a good candidate for the for the seat.
JJ
So county council is a financial job. It is the purse strings of the county. I've spent an entire career as a financial advisor and in a small businessman, and you know, that kind of money experience I'm hoping will transfer well to county council.
TJ
(As a new council member) Do you have anything that you would like to do differently?
JJ
I think a lot of it is to me, when I look at the budget we're running, it seems like things are a bit threadbare. I would like to see Evansville, you know, come from a position of strength, expand current programs. You know, the sheriff's office, the deputies that they need more than we're currently giving them. There's a lot of exciting things. There's a lot of exciting things that can be done.
TJ
It's a partisan position — How might (being a democrat) influence your decisions when it comes to the role?
JJ
Running as a Democrat, to me, we're all working together. We're all trying to make Evansville a better place. Running as a Democrat, I think it means challenging the status quo right now — six of the seven county council people right now, men and women, are Republicans, and I think that as a result of that, you have a county council that's not working as hard, because they can kind of rest in Zion and kind of put their feet up. When we have more Democrats in there, there's a bit more of a challenge of the status quo. They're going to have to fight harder to get their agenda through.