Tie-Breaking Vote Makes Richardson Lawrenceburg's New Clerk-Treasurer

By Mike Perleberg Democrats held a caucus to select a new clerk-treasurer in Lawrenceburg on Saturday, February 10. Photo by Mike Perleberg, Eagle Country 99.3. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - After seven hopefuls entered a caucus, a new clerk-treasurer has been named in Lawrenceburg. Rich Richardson will fill the office being vacated by current clerk-treasurer Tyler Rainey. Democrats caucused at the Lawrenceburg Public Library on Saturday and selected Richardson to complete the remaining two years of Rainey’s term handling the city’s finances. Prior to the caucus vote, Richardson said he would not be beholden to anyone and does not owe any favors. “This is a full-time job that deserves our utmost respect and attention. The office should be open and it should be transparent,” Richardson said. He vowed fiscal responsibility, to retain the current staffers in the Lawrenceburg Clerk-Treasurer’s office, and exercise civil discourse. “For too long in this city, there has been an atmosphere of animosity, bitterness, and hatred that has run amok. I want to see that change. I want to have a positive vision for the City of Lawrenceburg moving forward. We’ve had leadership that has had poor vision in the past. We have leadership today that does things that are not appropriate,” said Richardson. Richardson beat out five other candidates for the position: 2015 Republican candidate for clerk-treasurer Jim Crook Jr., former mayor Dennis Carr, former city councilman Mike Lawrence, former city councilwoman Jane Pope, and Amanda Rainey. A seventh candidate, Anna Feller, did not appear at the caucus meeting as was disqualified. Four precinct committee members voted on the new clerk-treasurer. Those voters were Richardson, Lawrence, Pope, and current city councilman Aaron Cook. The first and only round of voting gave one vote each to Richardson, Lawrence and Pope. As chairwoman of the Dearborn County Democratic Party, Tricia Gaustad had the tie-breaking vote. She chose Richardson, a longtime member and volunteer with the local party. “I know not only is he competent, he’s honest and he will put 100 percent of his energy into doing what needs done,” Gaustad said. RELATED STORIES: Caucus For Lawrenceburg Clerk Treasurer Vacancy Happens Feb. 10 Lawrenceburg Clerk-Treasurer Steps Down After Two Years In Office