Bartholomew County Republican voters will be choosing from three candidates today for the District 1 seat on Bartholomew County Commissioners.

Long-time Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz is running against County Councilman Jorge Morales and local landlord Susan Thayer-Fye.

Kleinhenz, 57, is a small business owner and has served on the County Commissioners since 1993. He has been married to his wife Annette, for  36 years and they have six daughters, Megan, Lauren, Hayden, Gwen, Charlie and Nora and five sons, Caleb, Evan, Orrin, Luke and Brigham. Kleinhenz went to Western Kentucky University for a year before leaving on a church mission to Japan. When he returned, he joined his family business, 7K Farms, before branching out into his own projects.

Morales,  71, retired from Cummins where he worked in personnel for 19 years and also in materials organization. He has been married to his wife, Melinda, since 1982. Morales earned his degree from the Krannert School of Business at Purdue University studying  economics, cost accounting and minors in history and labor management. He is in his second term on the Bartholomew County Council.

Thayer-Fye, 62, a real estate manager, has four grown children and two grandchildren, with one on the way. She has a bachelor’s in accounting from Indiana University with a minor in computer science and a masters in business administration from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She ran for Columbus City Council but lost to Ryan Brand.  She has previously served on the Columbus Redevelopment Commission and the Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety. She also served as president of Columbus Downtown Inc. and oversaw the dismantling of that organization.

We asked the candidates to talk about what qualities they would bring to the office.

Kleinehnz said:

05-03 Larry Kleinhenz Question 1 FULL

Morales said:

05-03 Jorge Morales Question 1 FULL

Thayer-Fye said:

05-03 Susan Thayer-Fye Question 1 FULL

No Democrats have filed to run for the District 1 seat in the November election.

Incumbent Commissioner Rick Flohr is running unopposed on the Republican ticket for the District 3 seat on the Commissioners and Democrat Brad Woodcock, who is also running unopposed for his party’s nomination, will be facing Flohr in the November election.