Gayle Sullivan, Switzerland County Circuit Court Clerk, has been elected as the Vice President for the Southeastern Region of the Association of Indiana Counties.
Sullivan was elected in April at the AIC spring meeting, and assumed her new post on June 1st of this year. It is a four year term.
According to the AIC website: “The Association of Indiana Counties (AIC) was established in 1957 for the betterment of county government. AIC’s purposes and goals are to seek the betterment of county government through: representation of counties at the Indiana General Assembly; research and dissemination of information; communications through publications and seminars; professional training and educational programs; liaison between counties, state and federal agencies; and technical and managerial assistance. While there are a number of agencies and groups offering assistance to county government, AIC is the only entity that represents the legislative needs of Indiana counties.”
As the Vice President of the Southeast District, Sullivan will provide information and assistance to the all of the county offiices in this area; as well as help the AIC at the state level.
“Anything that has to go to the legislature, anything that helps the clerks a lot. Any bills or anything that goes to the state level, we help in those decisions,” Sullivan said. “We attend meetings and lobby for legislation that will help the counties. The event that the Judge and others just went to, the AIC donated money for that to help everyone learn about how to handle the drug problem that we’re having around the state.”
Sullivan said that because each of Indiana’s 92 counties is different, the AIC works in different ways to help different county groups. She said that any county official, from courthouse office holders to members of County Councils to County Commissioners are eligible to be a part of the AIC.
For the past couple of years, the state AIC conference has been held here at Belterra. Sullivan said that she will be attending a state conference in September in Indianapolis.
“Our officers represent this area at the state level, and then we have another board of directors, also,” Sullivan said. “They are one step above me. I work primarily to help all the areas around here.”
The current AIC Southeast Region President is Elizabeth Morris of Dearborn County.
“I’m excited about it,” Sullivan said. “It’s something different. It’s all new to me. I’m looking forward to helping out wherever I can.”