Treasurer wants to oust trustee in Grant Township

Chester “Chet” Fitch figures that if he can’t beat longtime incumbent Don Palmateer in an election for Grant Township trustee, he won’t bother sitting next to him anymore.

Fitch, the township’s treasurer for the past eight years, is running against Palmateer in Tuesday’s Republican primary. The election likely will settle the issue, as the winner stands to run unopposed in the Nov. 2 general election.

Date of birth: July 12, 1953 (age: 51)Occupation: Owner/manager of Fitch Rentals and Management, a family company with a dozen single-family rental homes in Lawrence.Political experience: Incumbent Grant Township trustee since 1997Family: Wife, Deanna Fitch; one sonKey issues: Improve road maintenance; create a community advisory board to oversee and boost public use of Grant Township Community Building, the former Grant School.

The subtle friction between the two men stems from care of the township’s 26 miles of roads. Fitch says the gravel roads are in terrible shape, while Palmateer maintains that they’re doing just fine.

Palmateer, 83, said he was surprised that Fitch wanted to take him on.

“I have the experience,” said Palmateer, a township trustee for about the past 25 years. “I know about what’s going on. That gives me an advantage over him. He doesn’t know anything about road maintenance. He’s a good treasurer, and that’s a good fit for him.”

As part of the township’s three member board of trustees, Fitch has helped make policy decisions that come with overseeing Grant Township’s $160,000 budget.

Date of birth: Oct. 12, 1920 (age: 83)Occupation: FarmerPolitical experience: Incumbent Grant Township trustee, “probably for 25, 30 years”Family: Wife, Doris; two children; two grown children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildrenKey issues: Continue consistent maintenance of township roads; find a location for a new storage building for township’s maintenance equipment.

But Fitch, who owns and manages rental properties in Lawrence, wants the day-to-day responsibility for township services: maintaining roads, mowing ditches and otherwise meeting the basic needs of residents north of Lawrence.

“I just think it’s a time for a change of leadership,” Fitch said. “Don deserves a lot of credit for persevering for so many years, but … I want to see better roads in the community. I feel like I either need to be off the board or run for trustee, because they need more attention. Something needs to change.”

Fitch also wants to create an advisory board to oversee and manage the Grant Township Community Building, formerly Grant School. The board would be made up of township residents, giving them “a voice in what they want to do with it.”

Palmateer said he was satisfied that the community building was being used for township meetings and other community functions. He supports creating a new maintenance building for township equipment.