Hendricks County Election 2026: Candidate Questionnaire Follow-up

When running for election in 2024, the following individuals answered a set of questions outlining their intentions in office. Now, a year later, we are checking in with those officialsto see what they have achieved. Statements made in 2024 are categorized as “Then.” 

State Senator Brett Clark, District 24 (Lincoln, Washington, Center, Marion, Clay, and Franklin Townships)

Sen. Brett Clark

Then: “We need to continue to support promote programs like our Men in Action reading day and the Dolly Parton imagination library.”

Now: “Education comes up in nearly every conversation I have, and even though I’m not on the Education Committee, I’ve spent a lot of time meeting with our superintendents to better understand funding formulas, allocations, and how property and income taxes affect our schools. I’ve also met with parents, including groups like the Avon Oriole Advocates, and with teachers at third house type meetings and community events like a recent meet-and-greet in Brownsburg.That work continues into 2026. The key for legislators is to listen to and understand the perspectives of all stakeholders. Teachers, like fi rst responders, work with tax dollars, but they are also taxpayers themselves. Finding the right balance among all those interests is important.”

Are you aware the state cut the budget for the Imagination Library?

“I’m aware of the budget cuts involving the Imagination Library, though I’m not sure how the First Lady’s public-private partnership efforts have progressed since the launch. The revenue forecast at the time the budget was prepared wasn’t strong, and that forced some difficult decisions.

“I still believe the program is a good one, and the public private partnership model the First Lady is pursuing is a smart way to sustain it long-term. Efforts like that, the Men IN Action reading event, and simply reading to your kids and grandkids are powerful tools for early literacy.”

Then: “Infrastructure needs attention. State should partner and help locals with access to grants and guidance.”

Did you make any effort or have any success helping local units obtain grants or guidance on their infrastructure needs in 2025?

Now: “Most people want a few simple things from government, and the top three in my mind are education, infrastructure, and public safety. Our state has seen success with programs like READI over the last several years. Locally, I was able to help one of our towns navigate the process around a limited-access roadway project, and I assisted a small county neighborhood with concerns about maintenance and snow removal.”

Then: “High speed internet helps with homes, farms, and the medical front with things like telemedicine.”

Did you make any effort or progress on this in 2025?

Now: Broadband expansion continues through ongoing state and federal programs like Next Level and BEAD, which I support. My understanding is that roughly 70% of unserved areas have now been reached, but the work is ongoing.

Then: “I’m a big proponent of the 988 system [suicide and crisis hotline]. We could be a national leader. That is the kind of thing I want to work on. The next thing is who to send when people call in crisis. It shouldn’t be the police.”

Were you able to raise support in the senate for this effort in 2025?

Now: “Indiana continues to make progress on 988, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, crisis response teams, Crisis Intervention Training, and harm-reduction efforts. I was proud to serve as the Senate sponsor for HB 1167, which clarifi ed Indiana law around test strips and mirrored the language I drafted in SB 312. These are practical steps that help people in crisis and support the professionals who respond to them.


Then: “We should work with all stakeholders as it relates to watershed management and conservation.”

Did you make any effort to work with stakeholders related to watershed management and conservation in 2025? Do you have any goals for this in 2026?

Now: “When I started my campaign, I had a strong interest in water issues. During the fi rst half of 2024, I completed the Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy, and I serve on the Senate Natural Resources Committee. I’ve attended conferences, volunteered for the steering group for the Indiana Water Summit, and supported bills like SB 4, SB 28, SB 121, and SB 211 in the 2025 session. The 2026 session is short, so I don’t expect a large volume of water-related legislation, but I do anticipate some bills focused on infrastructure. I don’t have any personal water bills filed at this time.”

Then: “We can remove barriers to adoption.”

Did you make any progress on removing any of those barriers to adopting children in Indiana in 2025? Any plans for doing so in 2026?

Now: “The legislature did not address any bills specifically related to adoption in 2025 that I am aware of. Through my work on SB 52, which touches on grandparents’ rights, I’ve learned more about family-law issues than I expected. There are areas that deserve a deeper look, whether through a summer study committee or future legislation. I remain interested in practical, clean reforms that make the system more predictable for families while protecting children.”

Dennis Dawes: Hendricks County Commissioner District 2 (Brown, Lincoln, north half of Washington Townships)

Hendricks County Commissioner District 2
Dennis Dawes

Then: Why are you running? “I’m finishing my first term, and I really feel like I want to keep going ahead so that we can accomplish some things that are, I won’t say, undone, but ongoing.”

What were those “things” you wanted to accomplish and were you able to make progress on those things in 2025? Can you give an example?

Now: “Ronald Reagan Parkway progress was made in 2025 and we still have more to do which will happen in 2026 and 2027. Much credit goes to John Ayers our County Engineer, our Bond counsel Adam Steuerwald with Barnes & Thornburg, our Financial Advisor FSG, Todd McCormack, legal counsel Greg Steuerwald, our Auditor, the County Council, the Redevelopment Commission and my Commissioner partners Bob Gentry and Brad Whicker.

Progress was made with the planning for the new Deer Creek Development in Southwest Hendricks County. Progress has been made with the Animal Shelter and Animal Control. Progress has been made with the Highway Department new facilities which are under construction.

One individual who helps all of us and doesn’t get much recognition is Mila Shaffer. She keeps us all organized and together. These are all things that we do together with many people involved and they are truly a team effort.”

Can you share any ongoing things you want to accomplish in 2026? “The year 2026 will bring more to accomplish with the New Highway Garage and leadership in the Highway Department. We will continue to work on physical improvements in the Animal Shelter along with new leadership and work with the Sheriff on Animal Control. We will continue to construct the Ronald Reagan Parkway north and make improvements on CR 1000 N.”

Then: “Incentives to attract new development: Government can provide incentives, such as training grants for employees. We certainly provide other incentives such as tax abatements.”

Did you support any incentives in 2025 for new development?

Now: “Hendricks County works with our partner the Hendricks County Economic Development Partnership. They bring projects to the county and we evaluate the best way to incentivize new projects. Almost every new project that is brought to the Commissioners has been discussed with the County Council and we usually make a financial commitment for training dollars for new staff brought into these developments. The county continues to work with our Redevelopment Commission (RDC) through TIF districts which are Tax Increment Financing districts in the county. TIF districts help developers primarily with infrastructure dollars.”

Can you name any specific examples? “SEPHORA is an example of a training grant that was approved in 2024. The SEPHORA distribution facility is locatedjust west of the Ronald Reagan Parkway between Avon and Brownsburg.”

Do you foresee continuing to offer incentives in 2026? “We will continue to work with the County Council and the Hendricks County Economic Development Partnership in incentivizing development.”

What about economic growth? “I think we need to have planned growth. We have a good comprehensive plan which we are just actually finishing up revising that comprehensive plan for the county.”

Was the comprehensive plan finished and adopted in 2025? If so, are you happy with it? “Yes.”

Has it helped improve any new developments after it was adopted? “Comprehensive Plan is a guide that we can use as the County Plan Commission reviews projects and makes recommendations to the Commissioners. But we must remember that the Comprehensive Plan is a guide. It is a very helpful guide.”