Conrady seeks Rockville Town Board seat

With a desire to continue serving and a hope to better Rockville, Republican Tyson Conrady has thrown his hat in the ring for a spot on the Rockville Town Council.

Conrady faces a crowded primary in May, as he is joined by fellow Republicans Shane Russell and Roger Smith, while Democrat Kevin Callans awaits in the November general election. 

Conrady is no stranger to Rockville and Parke County, saying he has been involved since he moved to town. 

"I got involved in the community, like I always do. I have been a member of the volunteer fire department for a year, am chairman of the local emergency planning committee for the county, and I work with EMA. I am a community person who jumps right in, joins things and I enjoy serving on boards and organizations," Conrady told The Parke County Post. 

Conrady is also no stranger to politics, having previously served on the Shelbyville Common Council. In 2022, however, Conrady stepped down from his seat in Shelbyville, having accepted a job in Jasper. 

He said his time on the Shelbyville Council was "interesting."

"I was running in the most Democratic section of town in a Ward race against a sitting Democrat. He was related to better than half of the Ward. I remember the election day, I was sitting next to Jeff Wright, and there was no animosity and no bad words. We were thanking people for coming out to vote and reminding people it does matter. I did win by 30 votes," Conrady said. 

As for not serving out his entire term, Conrady said 

"City Council is a full time job that pays only a stipend. I had an opportunity to take a job in another community that I could not pass up. Looking back at that, I have learned there are things worth more than money. Maturity stepped in there. If I had to do it again, I would finish out my term and make those decisions. I wish I finished out my entire term because it was going to get more interesting. Your first term is a learning process," Conrady said. 

He said he was proud of helping to get windows on police vehicles tinted during his time on Shelbyville Council, as well as working to help police officers take their vehicles out of the county if off duty, along with paying officers more. 

"None of the people running for this seat on the Rockville Town Council have been elected. They may have been appointed to boards, but none of them have been elected or gone through an elected procedure, and that is one thing I think helps me. I have actually held an office," Conrady said. 

Conrady said if elected, he will serve out his full term in Rockville. 

"Absolutely. I have learned that if you start something, you have to finish it. I will be honest, I was selfish and I felt it was not a full time job, but it is a full time job. I didn't have to leave, and I was going through a personal situation at the time, and it got the best of me. There was a lot going on, but as I have gotten older, and, hopefully, a little wiser, you are going to get a real person. We are not voting for an R or a D at the local level, but rather a person who is going to get your road plowed, resurfaced and provide basic services for your life in the town of Rockville," Conrady said. 

Issues with the town's stormwater fees, as well as transparency were what got Conrady interested in the issues surrounding Rockville. 

"I have been debating what the biggest issues are since I moved to town. I had a conversation with Dave Brown and told him I wanted to run and one of the issues is our disorganization of the current town board. It is inexcusable, and it needs to be fixed. We have stormwater rates that people are being billed for or not being billed for that need to be fixed. Also, it seems like there are members of our current town council that do not seem to care. If you go to a meeting, it is disruptive, and disorganized. When it comes to the rates, they are all over the place, money wasn't collected and you have a sitting city councilman who said it was not a big deal. How is that not a big deal? Then you have another sitting councilman who admits he never received a bill. It is called integrity, and being honest. I am sorry, but if you actively know something is wrong and you let it go, I believe that is being dishonest," Conrady said. 

In addition, he believes growth needs to come to Rockville.

"To have growth, we need to have government talk to each other and have a good relationship. I feel like the town and the county could work better together, and I believe that needs to happen. We need to work as a team better, and that is something I want. Let's make it a better Parke County. Companies choose to come to your community because you provide what they are looking for. The town of Rockville and the county need to work better with economic development, and we have to grow. I understand we have a small town and people are happy with what they have, but we need growth," he said. 

Conrady said voters should consider him if they are looking for someone who is passionate, approachable and offers a fresh perspective. 

"I offer a fresh perspective and am someone who is dedicated to the cause, approachable at any time. I want to bring my experience that I have from Shelbyville to Rockville, and I believe I have good intentions and some of these decisions our town board has made would have kept me up at night to make these decisions. If I don't know the answer, I will try to find the answer for you," Conrady said.