So Far, Five Have Entered Lawrenceburg Mayoral Primaries

Four of the five candidates come in with local political experience.

Photo by Mike Perleberg, Eagle Country 99.3.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - The field for the mayor of Lawrenceburg is already crowded, and there is still time for it to grow before Indiana’s February 8 candidate filing deadline.

Five people have officially filed to run for mayor as of Thursday, January 17.

Local developer Steve Linkmeyer’s entrance into the race brings the total number of candidates to three in the Republican primary for the party nomination for mayor. Linkmeyer and former city councilman Mike Lawrence are each challenging GOP incumbent mayor Kelly Mollaun.

The 47-year-old Linkmeyer said he has proven leadership skills and brings development experience his opponents lack. With the potential for Ports of Indiana to locate the state’s fourth inland port in Lawrenceburg, he believes the city should stimulate economic growth by using more private funds and development agreements, TIF districts, and bonds.

Linkmeyer said the Ludlow Hill area of the city has been largely neglected.

“With the focus on downtown, great strides have been made but the Ludlow Hill area has been neglected in the past seven years with regard to housing incentives and economic development opportunities. I won’t just focus on downtown, I want to plan for the whole City. I’ll work as a team with City Council to lay out a plan not for the Mayor, not for any one council member but a plan to move the whole City forward. Working to build a better, brighter Lawrenceburg for your kids, my kids and their kids,” he said.

Linkmeyer has been locked in an ongoing legal battle with the city over loans he received from the city to develop property on Sycamore Estates Drive. In his election announcement, he made no mention of his disagreement with the city over the past three administrations.

Mollaun announced his re-election bid earlier this month. Lawrence was early in his declaration, making his run public last October.

The Democratic ticket for Lawrenceburg mayor will have slightly less competition. Former mayor Dennis Carr and current councilman Aaron Cook have both filed to seek the Democratic nomination for Lawrenceburg Mayor.

Cook, in his second term on city council, said he has been called the “voice of reason” in the local newspaper.

“I am a well-rounded candidate because I interact with all age groups in our city. I work at Dearborn Adult Center so I am well aware of the concerns and issues that face our seniors on a daily basis. I am also aware of the issues that face our youth because I have children in three out of the four schools in the Lawrenceburg school system. I am a qualified mayoral candidate that would like to bring the entire city together and move forward over the next four years,” Cook said.

Carr held the mayor’s office for one term, 2012 through 2015. A retired city employee, he may be a favored candidate among his former co-workers, who make up a significant voting block.

Carr did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

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