Published: May 13, 2009 09:57 pm         

Today's Democratic caucus to be open to public

TERRE HAUTE — Vigo County Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Etling confirmed Wednesday that this afternoon’s caucus will be open to the public.

While state law does not require these meetings to be open to the public, Etling said every party caucus conducted while he has been party chairman, for the past dozen years, has been handled in this manner.

The caucus of precinct committee members will meet at 5 p.m. in the Vigo County Annex to select a replacement for former commissioner David Decker.

Nine applicants have submitted their names for consideration.

A commissioner will be chosen from among candidates Curtis DeBaun IV, John R. Prather, Robert G. Love, James M. Helton, the Rev. C. Dwayne Malone, Robert Moreland, Cindy Wallace-Andrews, Michael Ciolli and Larry Bryan Kelsheimer.

All candidates must live in District 1. The district covers the eastern third of the county, roughly divided along 19th Street through the city of Terre Haute.

The newly appointed commissioner will join elected commissioners Judith Anderson and Paul Mason.

Decker, formerly president of the board of commissioners, has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to distributing methamphetamine. Part of his plea agreement was to resign from his position, according to court documents admitted into the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana.

Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.