Commissioner President Dan Guard Shares State of County Address

Montgomery County Commissioner President Dan Guard recently gave the 2026 State of the County Address. The Paper shares it here in its entirety.

Hello fellow residents of Montgomery County.

I am Dan Guard, President of the Board of Commissioners. It is an honor to be with you today as we reflect on the progress the County has made in 2025 and look ahead to the opportunities and challenges before us in 2026 and beyond. I am proud of the work being done across county government, and I am grateful for the dedicated employees, elected officials, and community partners who make that work possible.

Infrastructure and Economic Development

One of our top priorities continues to be investing in infrastructure that supports economic growth and prepares Montgomery County for the future.

In 2025, we completed the extension of the water line along Nucor Road, which was partially funded with State READI 2.0 grant. This critical investment helped Nucor Steel to expand its operations and played a key role in attracting Nucor Towers to our county. Projects like this demonstrate the importance of investing in our infrastructure that leads to new jobs for our residents and long-term economic stability for our county.

We also continued design work on the Nucor Road overpass at U.S. 136. This project is scheduled to be bid this summer, with 80 percent of the construction costs covered by a state grant. Construction is expected to begin in 2027. Once completed, this overpass will significantly improve safety while opening additional areas for future economic development. It is a major step forward for this growing corridor.

Maintaining Our Facilities: The Courthouse

Preserving our county facilities is just as important as building new ones. Much of the renovation work on our nearly 150-year-old courthouse is now complete. The roof has been replaced, interior renovations are finished and the remaining brick repairs will occur this winter. One of the most impactful improvements has been relocating the Clerk’s Office to the first floor, improving accessibility and customer service for our residents.

It is worth remembering that the courthouse cornerstone was laid on May 6, 1875. As we complete this renovation, we are honoring our history while ensuring this building continues to serve Montgomery County for generations to come.

Collaboration with the City of Crawfordsville

Strong partnerships make strong communities, and our collaboration with the City of Crawfordsville continues to deliver real results. We meet monthly with the Mayor to discuss economic development and shared priorities.

The County and the City jointly financed the extension of Purple Heart Parkway and its completion in 2024 has opened new areas for both housing and commercial development. The City held a groundbreaking for a new Kroger grocery store along the Parkway extension and housing projects are being planned for this area, as well.

We also worked with the City to secure a State READI 2.0 grant for a housing program where new housing projects that meet certain criteria can receive a grant to assist with their infrastructure costs which will help lower the costs of construction—an important step as we work to address housing needs across our community.

Public safety collaboration has also been critical with the City. Emergency Medical Services, also known as EMS, in the county are being provided by the City through an agreement with the County. In 2025, the City made 1,268 EMS runs in the county. This partnership is a prime example of how working together benefits everyone we serve.

Maintaining Our Roads

Our Highway Department continues to do outstanding work maintaining the county’s infrastructure. Our Highway Department is responsible for more than 500 miles of paved roads, 300 miles of gravel roads, and numerous bridges.

In 2025, $6.848 million was invested in roads and $1.574 million in bridges. Sixty-eight miles of paved roads received treatment, and 37 miles of gravel roads received additional gravel.

However, changes at the state level have reduced paving grants, impacting both the County and the City. These reductions will affect the amount of road maintenance we can complete in the future, making careful planning and prioritization more important than ever.

Public Safety: Sheriff’s Office

Public safety remains a top priority for our County. The Sheriff’s Office responded to more than 21,000 calls for service in 2025. We are grateful to our deputies and staff for their professionalism and dedication to keeping Montgomery County safe.

The Sheriff’s Office upgraded radios to enhance officer safety and improve communication. A new roof was also completed at the jail, protecting a critical county facility.

Protecting Property Values Through Land Use Zoning

Protecting property values and guiding responsible development remain central goals. In 2025, we continued the process of updating our Zoning Ordinance in order to address new and developing land uses.  Specifically, we adopted zoning regulations for commercial battery energy storage and carbon sequestration.  In 2025, we also began the process of creating regulations concerning data centers.  We approved the final regulations for data centers in January.  These changes ensure transparency, public input, and thoughtful consideration of future land uses.

During the process of amending our Comprehensive Plan in 2024, we heard from a lot of residents about their concerns and their vision for Montgomery County. We will continue to adopt land use regulations which are consistent with the wishes of our residents.

I want to thank the citizens who serve on our Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. Their time, expertise, and commitment are essential to these decisions.

Protecting Farmland Through Drainage Work

Agriculture remains a vital part of our local economy. To support our farming community, the County Surveyor invested $1.5 million in drainage construction projects to protect farmland from flooding. These investments help make farm land more productive and help prevent flooding.  I want to thank all of our farmers for their assistance and cooperation in this process, and I want to thank our four citizen farmers who serve with Commissioner Jake Bohlander on the Drainage Board for their service to our community.

Reducing Addiction Through Opioid Settlement Funds

Addressing substance abuse continues to be a priority. Through the Opioid Settlement Fund, 12 organizations received a total of $191,608.47 to support programs aimed at reducing addiction in our county.

A grant committee reviews applications, with final decisions made by the Commissioners. We are committed to ensuring these funds are used responsibly and effectively to make a real difference in people’s lives.

Attracting Visitors: Motocross of Nations Success

In October, Montgomery County proudly hosted the Motocross of Nations at Ironman Raceway. This internationally recognized event brought thousands of visitors from around the world and showcased our community on a global stage.

I want to recognize the many organizations that made this event a success, including county employees from the Sheriff’s Office, Dispatch Center, Emergency Management, and Highway Department, as well as the City of Crawfordsville, the Visitor’s Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, INDOT, and the Indiana State Police.

The parade through downtown Crawfordsville to kick off race weekend was truly special, with enthusiastic fans lining the streets and showing their support for teams from many different countries. Ironman Raceway is now being considered to host a future Motocross of Nations, and our community has proven it is ready to welcome the world again.

Recognizing County Employees

Our employees are the backbone of county government. We are proud to recognize Lori Dossett as the 2025 County Employee of the Year. She has served as the Executive Assistant to the County Commissioners for over twenty years and her service to our County is greatly appreciated. Lori is retiring this year. We will miss her and wish her well in retirement.

We also recognize Sheriff Deputies Grant Snyder, Matt Roberts, Zane Hyten, Deric Punke and Ethan Stonebraker and Dispatchers Alayna McNulty, Kolby Curtis, and former employee Clint Jackson for receiving the IDHC Cardiac Arrest Save Commendation for their actions on December 16, 2025 that helped save the life of an individual.

We thank Joe Ellis for his service as Veterans Service Officer as he enters retirement and welcome Nick Kashon into that role.

We also congratulate Cale Stephens on his promotion to Assistant Director of the Highway Department.

Thanking Our Elected Officials

I would also like to thank several elected officials who are either term-limited or not seeking re-election:
Joe Buser, Prosecutor;
Ryan Needham, Sheriff;
Heather Laffoon, Treasurer;
Mindy Byers, Auditor; and
Steve Loy, County Council member.

We are grateful for their service and dedication to Montgomery County.

Our Challenges

Looking ahead, we face real challenges due to actions at the state level of government. The State General Assembly has made a significant change to the local government funding formulas that will shift local revenue away from property taxes to income taxes. This will impact the service level of the various local governments in our County and it will require close monitoring. We will continue to work closely with the County Council, Auditor, the City, and other local governments to understand and manage the fiscal impacts.

We are also facing cuts to state grants, court funding, public health funding, and daycare vouchers. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts at the State General Assembly to restrict home rule, particularly regarding land use decisions. These changes could affect how local governments manage issues such as wind and solar energy, commercial battery storage, and data centers.

Looking Ahead

While these challenges are significant, I am confident in the leadership we have at the local level. With careful planning and collaboration, we will meet these challenges head-on.

The openings of Nucor Towers and Nucor Coatings will bring good paying jobs to our community. The Purple Heart Parkway area is poised for continued growth in retail and housing, and Montgomery County remains a place of opportunity.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, I am reminded that our community shares the same determination and forward-looking spirit as our nation’s founders. With that same fortitude, we will continue to build a strong future for Montgomery County.

Those of us who have been elected to serve in County Government understand that our first duty is to serve the people of Montgomery County.  We will continue to work hard to do just that in 2026.

Thank you for listening to the 2026 State of the County. May God bless our county, our state, and our country.