Election 2026: Monroe Township Trustee Candidate Jennifer M. Bowers

Continuing with our “Election: 2026” series, this addition to our candidate interviews features Monroe Township Trustee candidate Jennifer M. Bowers (R). Leading up to the primaries, we will continue to release candidate interviews in order to keep you informed as you make your way to the ballot box.

Publisher's Note: The Washington County Times does not endorse political candidates. Our mission is to provide balanced and informative coverage of local politics so our readers can make their own informed decisions at the ballot box. We aim to give all candidates a fair opportunity to share their views and connect with the community. This Q&A is part of that commitment to open, unbiased political reporting.

---

Jennifer M. Bowers

For readers who may not be familiar with the position, how would you describe the primary responsibilities of a Township Trustee?

The main responsibilities of a Township Trustee are to provide for fire services, township assistance, maintaining the township ledger book (checkbook register), payroll taxes, monthly and annual reporting to the state.

Can you tell us about your background and any experience that has prepared you to serve as Township Trustee?

I have served as the Township Trustee since January 2023.  I came to this position with bookkeeping/record keeping experience as well as community assistance experience.  Since becoming Township Trustee I have expanded my knowledge of the position by attending training hosted by the Indiana Township Association -of which, Monroe Township is a member.  Examples of the training classes I have attended include:

• Newly elected officials

• Township assistance

• Multiple sessions at the annual conference

• Fire services

What motivated you to run for Township Trustee?

In 2022 I ran for this position with the goal of having the Township Trustee be more accessible to residents and those serving on our volunteer fire department.  I have accomplished this by establishing an office inside the fire station, holding regular meetings and having open communication with the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department Board.

How do you balance helping residents in need while also being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars?

There are laws regarding township assistance on how/when to administer funds.  Who, when and how to administer township assistance is the same for every trustee throughout the state.  I follow these rules.  Sometimes, that means I do not provide financial assistance, but rather refer residents to other resources.  This is why I started hosting a meeting once a month for service providers in Washington County (Community Assistance Partners).  I have learned about programs and resources that are available to residents that can work in conjunction with township assistance and I have educated others about how a trustee can help those in need.

How would you approach transparency and accountability in the management of township funds and services?

I will allow anyone that wants to see, to look at the ledger book, bank statements, receipts, etc.  All they have to do is ask.  I will answer anyone’s question over the phone or in person.  

When I took office we were paying an accountant to manage the ledger book.  While this is legal, I find it to be contradictory to the duties of this office.  I do not understand paying someone else to do a job that I asked to do.  That relationship ended and I personally maintain the ledger book.  This saves the township money and allows us to use those funds elsewhere.  (Several townships still use an outside source rather than the trustee to maintain the ledger book.)  There are no secrets in Monroe Township regarding funds.

My first year in office, the township board and I held monthly meetings.  After that first year, we have transitioned to an every other month approach.  I post the meeting notice on the front door of the fire station and published it on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MonroeTownshipTrustee) well in advance of the 48 hour requirement.  I extend a personal invitation to the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department and regularly include them in discussions on how to spend fire funds.  In fact, I have never spent funds from the fire or cumulative fund without first discussing it with the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department.

How do you plan to work with the Township Board, county officials, and community organizations to best serve residents?

I work with Township Board members currently by hosting regular meetings to discuss Township business.  My board members, Steve Erwin, Angie Wilson and Jerome Losson, have been excellent to serve with the past 3 years.  We communicate well with each other and have improved our facilities since our terms began in 2023.  Jerome has filed to run for re-election and Steve is willing to serve another term.  I would love for both of them to remain so that we may continue serving Monroe Township together.  Angie has decided to run for County Council so she cannot run for the Township Board.

I work with county officials from many departments now and  attend many different county level meetings (County Commissioners, County Council, Redevelopment Commission, etc.).  Due to my work and knowledge gained from the Community Assistance Partners meeting, I have been able to reestablish the relationship  between Washington County and Southern Indiana Works/WorkOne.  As of January 2026, I have been appointed by the County Commissioners to serve on the Southern Indiana Workforce Board - Region 10!  I look forward to and am actively pursuing further education and job training opportunities for Washington County.

What qualities or experiences do you believe may set you apart from any opponent(s) in this race?

Below are additional things I have accomplished since taking office in January 2023:

• Established a 911/mailing address for our fire department building (prior trustees used a P.O. Box or their home address)

• Established a trustee/township office at the fire station - complete with phone and internet

• Numerous improvements to the building itself (HVAC installation, bathroom remodel, floor coating, etc)

• New turnout gear for our volunteer firefighters

• New to us fire service vehicles (tanker, rescue truck, UTV)

Check out my Facebook page to see what I’ve been doing over the last 3 years as your Township Trustee:  https://www.facebook.com/MonroeTownshipTrustee

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share with township residents and Washington County voters?

Educate yourself on what elected positions are.  Know what responsibilities each office is accountable for and hold the office holders accountable.  Ask questions, even the hard ones, because the answers shouldn’t be hard.  Attend meetings, watch livestreams/recordings, ask for documentation, meeting minutes, financial reports etc.  There is a wealth of information that is public record and accessible online.  AFTER doing these things, vote based on the person best suited to the position (if you are not registered to vote, you can do so here:  https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/register-to-vote/ ).

It was a humbling experience to be elected to represent my township.  I hope that I have met the expectations of the residents of Monroe Township.  I would be honored to continue serving and working for the betterment of our community.