Officials examine trustee residency

The governor's office is reviewing statutes and case law to determine what, if anything, should be done about three Monroe County residents serving on the IU board of trustees.\nState law states that no more than two trustees may live in the same county.\nBloomington resident Sue Talbot was elected to the board late last month by IU alumni.\nTrustee Steve Ferguson, also a Bloomington resident, was reappointed by Gov. Frank O'Bannon to the board two weeks ago. \nFred Eichhorn, trustees vice president, moved to Bloomington from Lake County in February. When his term ends next July, residency could become a legal issue.\nThe law doesn't apply to graduate student Sacha Willsey, who was appointed student trustee by the governor. She is also a Bloomington resident.\nJean Farison, the governor's special assistant for boards and commissions, said no decisions have been made. She said the governor's staff is reviewing the situation.\nEichhorn said he has spoken to officials from the governor's office twice in recent weeks and is optimistic that some resolution will be reached in a week or so.\n"We didn't know that Sue (Talbot) was going to get elected but I'm glad she did," Eichhorn said. "I think (the issue) will be resolved."\nBut how it will be resolved, Eichhorn is not sure. On that, he said, he hasn't formed an opinion.\nEichhorn said for the purposes of his initial appointment, he's from Lake County, but added that the issue of residency should be moot.\n"I don't feel you represent a county," Eichhorn said. "I feel you represent the whole state -- certainly the whole IU constituency."\nOne of the possibilities down the road is to change the law, he said.\nIn fact, State Representative Mark Kruzan, D-Bloomington, tried to change the law at the end of the general assembly session, but his measure failed.\nTalbot said it's her understanding that residency won't become an issue until next year, when Eichhorn's term on the board is up.\n"I did seek legal counsel," Talbot said. "I would not have done this without having done so."\nShe said her counsel advised that residency issues would not become an immediate factor.\nThe other trustee who lives in Bloomington, Steve Ferguson, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.