COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Democratic Party Chairman Steve Schoettmer and three Democratic candidates for county council-at large have filed a complaint in Bartholomew Superior Court 1 against the Bartholomew County Election Board seeking a declaratory judgment as to whether council member Matt Miller is eligible to serve on the council and as a candidate for re-election.
Miller is also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, according to court documents.
In a statement, Schoettmer said he and Claudette Schroer, Olisa Humes and Tiffany Bosley, filed the complaint after serious questions arose whether Miller is, or has been, a resident of Bartholomew County during his tenure on the council, or for the required one year period prior to filing as a candidate for re-election.
July 6, 11 Highland Ridge neighborhood residents wrote and signed a statement which they sent to Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps, who is a member of the election board, stating that Miller’s stated residence at 1331 N. County Road 550E was “vacant” and unkept.”
The challenge, filed July 6 with Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps and signed by each of the 11 Highland Ridge residents, alleges that Miller and his wife, Lisa, actually live southwest of Vernon in Jennings County. If the residents’ allegation is true, it would make Miller ineligible to serve on the Bartholomew County Council.
“To be clear, no one has stayed at this (Highland Ridge) property for any length of time that would qualify as a principal place of residence, especially Matt Miller,” the submitted letter states.
“The allegations are not true,” Miller said in response. “I’ve lived in Bartholomew County my entire life, except for when I attended Purdue University.”
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
