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County Commissioner Penny Githens running for reelection

By Lucas González

Posted February 1, 2024

Monroe County Commissioner Penny Githens. (Courtesy of Community Access Television Services)

Monroe County Commissioner Penny Githens is seeking reelection to the District 3 seat on the Board of Commissioners this year.

Githens, a Democrat, took office in 2019 and is finishing out her first elected term.

She is being challenged by fellow Democrats Stephen Volan and Republican Paul White.

Githens said she’s running for reelection because there are several county projects she wants to see to completion, such as the new jail project.

“We absolutely must build a new corrections center,” Githens wrote in an email to WFIU/WTIU News. “We are zeroing in on the location for such a campus, and once that is decided, we can begin design work.”

Githens said building a justice campus is the most cost-effective way to co-locate the jail with other institutions, such as the prosecutor’s office, public defender, community corrections and probation.

She said she supports building a jail with more space for programming and recreation, natural light and opportunities to gain job skills.

Githens said she also is focused on the Monroe Convention Center expansion, which is several years in the making.

“While we have made great progress on the Monroe Convention Center expansion – the Commissioners created a Capital Improvement Board which is up and running – we still need to sign an interlocal with the City of Bloomington,” Githens wrote. “I think this will happen very soon.”

Githens said she wants to focus on housing, expanding child care capabilities, food security, substance abuse disorder, mental illness, and connecting inmates to more programming.

“I don’t think there’s one local issue that everyone agrees is the most important one in this cycle,” Githens wrote.

She also said the county is working to address environmental issues by installing solar panels at multiple locations, adding electric vehicle charging stations, and moving to electric vehicles for part of the county’s vehicle fleet.

The county is also continuing its lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to protect the water quality of Lake Monroe, Githens said.

Githens said she entered politics through advocating for her autistic son, which extended to advocating for others.

“It’s been a natural next step for me to champion funding for childcare, food, housing, and treatment for those with mental illness and/or substance use disorders,” Githens wrote in a news release.

Githens said she has helped secure funding to support organizations including the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Pantry 279, the Summit Hill childcare center, the kitchen at New Hope for Families, Beacon, the Community Foundation’s Smart Start program, the Heading Home initiative, and the Indiana Recovery Alliance.

Githens also sits on several local boards and has volunteered with the Monroe County YMCA, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Pantry 279 and as a special education advocate for students with special needs.

In 2022, Githens ran unsuccessfully for the District 62 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. She lost to Republican Dave Hall.