Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination for Perry Township trustee in the May 5 primary. No Republican filed for the position.
A township trustee is the chief executive officer of the township and is responsible for many local government options. These include poor relief assistance for housing, utilities, food, clothing, medical needs and burial expenses; managing the township funds; ensuring the township has fire protection and emergency services; and managing the township’s properties. Trustees must live within the township.
Both candidates answered two questions:
Leon Gordon is the incumbent after he was sworn in to fill out the term of longtime trustee Dan Combs, who died on Jan. 6.
QUESTION: What qualifications do you to be the Perry Township trustee?
ANSWER: For the last 16 years in Bloomington, I have been deeply engaged in the local social service, housing, and support-service infrastructure as a participant, case manager, and administrative leader — from front-line service to senior administration. Perry Township manages not only the statutory duty of emergency financial assistance, but also a unique ecosystem of service partnerships with key nonprofits, requiring expertise attuned to additional roles such as landlord/asset management and service contract and grant oversight. My qualifications are grounded in prior career experience, community relationships, and education.
My direct leadership experience includes nuanced and in-depth expertise as an affordable housing development and supportive services administrator with the Bloomington Housing Authority, and as an emergency shelter director and direct service professional with New Hope for Families. In these roles, I consistently demonstrated innovative leadership and successfully navigated complex housing systems. At New Hope for Families, I developed a case management model that produced a sustained success rate of 80% or higher — more than double the national average — and remains in use today. I understand what it takes to get people housed, keep them housed, and deploy critical-time interventions during hardship or crisis. At BHA, I created programs that remain active, including the Mobile Grocery Shuttle Program and the Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund.
I have worked directly with every social service provider that Perry Township collaborates with, and I maintain deep knowledge of local, county, state, and federal resources, including HUD, SNAP, TANF, ESG, and Continuum of Care programs. I also bring substantial fiscal and fiduciary experience, including budget and grant management, procurement, compliance, asset oversight, and interagency MOUs.
Finally, my service on multiple regional and state boards, combined with doctoral training and advanced degrees, grounds my public service in rigorous analysis, strategic problem-solving, and long-term systems design.
Q: Why do you want to be the Perry Township trustee and what will your top priorities be?
I have been preparing for this role for the last 16 years. My desire to serve as Perry Township Trustee stems from a lifelong commitment to doing, leading, and — most importantly — serving my community. This commitment has shaped both my personal life and professional career here in Bloomington. Stepping into the role of trustee is a blessing that allows me to continue that work in housing and social services. Since being caucused into office on Jan. 31, 2026, my top priorities have been — and will continue to be — to preserve, enhance, and strategically strengthen township services.
Ensuring baseline fiscal health amid legislative change: I have worked closely with township finance staff and the board to evaluate and plan for our fiscal future, making necessary budget adjustments in response to SEA 1 and HEA 1427. I am actively participating in the Monroe County Township Association to educate county commissioners on township duties and funding needs, advocating for adequate LIT distributions after 2027. As SEA 270 implementation begins, Perry Township remains engaged to ensure hardship assistance remains accessible countywide.
Preserving Perry Township’s social service infrastructure: Following prior budget cuts, I will ensure we continue fulfilling statutory duties while fortifying existing and new nonprofit partnerships and exploring funding opportunities such as CoC grants. I also hope to explore the addition of payee services, as used in neighboring townships.
Enhancing awareness and access: I am committed to improving outreach so residents, employers, landlords, and partners understand available resources. This includes upstream prevention efforts to educate people about how to access resources, a mobile office tour, and strategies to expand access for working families beyond current office-hour and in-person limitations.
My “flagship” innovation during my new term would be to work toward developing a C.O.R.E. Center — Community Outreach, Resource and Education Center, a space to build community, provide outreach, resources and education.
Levi Combs, son of Dan Combs, is the other candidate.
QUESTION: What qualifications do you to be the Perry Township trustee?
ANSWER: I was born and raised in Bloomington. I am a graduate of Bloomington High School South. I’ve attended both Indiana University and Ivy Tech Community College, but have fallen just short of credit hours to finish a degree in criminal justice. I worked for the city of Bloomington for 19 years in two different departments, the Traffic Division and Street Operations, both in Public Works. I was the president of the AFCMCE local 2487, which serves the labor side of the city of Bloomington operations. I was the president of the Mount Salem Historical Cemetery Association, working to maintain and preserve the historical cemeteries that fell under the possession of Perry Township.
My father, Dan “Carp” Combs, was the Perry Township Trustee for almost 40 years of my 43 years of life. I was essentially brought up in the township office. From a very young age I began to be exposed to the operations and functions of how and why townships are so crucial. The township was always a topic of conversation, and often apart of our daily life as a family. I witnessed the township become the premiere example of township government first-hand. My father was an educator in addition to being a trustee, and I was very much his first student. I have deep understanding of how township, Perry in particular, operate.
I have very much been in the background of the operations of Perry Township for more than 20 years. I provided advice and guidance that bridged the generational gap between my father and I. I have and will always advocate for townships. Perry is something that I hold very dearly and cherish. I feel very close to the residents of Perry.
Q: Why do you want to be the Perry Township trustee and what will your top priorities be?
A: I have the desire to be the trustee to preserve and continue the operations, functions and reputation that has been established for nearly the past 40 years. I have a strong desire to help the people of Perry Township and Monroe County through partnerships and alliances to better the lives of the people. I am very much my father’s son, and wish to continue to provide a level of service and support that he was able to establish during his long time of service.
As far as priorities go, I would like to keep people housed. The township is ill equipped to combat homelessness through any other way than keeping people housed. Given recent legislation from the statehouse, I anticipate the state will begin taking more action when it comes to townships. I would make it a priority to keep the township functioning at high levels to avoid the effects of SB 270. Townships will be scrutinized annually based on performance, and I would focus on basic operations and services while observing future budgeting. This year’s budget saw a 20% decrease in a line of funding from the state. The goal of the township first and foremost is to keep people housed.
A major priority comes from the tornado of May 2025, when Perry Township and the Red Cross were the only providers of emergency assistance for displaced residents. Perry Township was able to get people into hotels, into new housing, and continued working with them for months.
Typically in events like this, renters are the people who lose the most. I would like to make Perry Township better prepared for events like this in the future by working more closely with Monroe County and Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD), while prioritizing the people of Perry Township in all aspects.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: 2 Democratic candidates vie for Perry Township trustee post
Reporting by Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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