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Indianapolis Star
25-04-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith signs no-bid contract with law firm closely tied to his church
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith's office has signed a no-bid contract with a Noblesville-based law firm that's closely affiliated with the church where Beckwith still serves as a pastor, a move that has raised red flags for ethics experts and lawmakers alike. The state will pay up to $150,000 this year for Adler Attorneys to perform "general counsel" and "general consulting services" for Beckwith and his team during his first year as lieutenant governor, according to the contract and a request for outside counsel Beckwith's office submitted earlier this year to the attorney general. Multiple ethics experts contacted by IndyStar questioned the optics of awarding a no-bid contract to a company that has close ties to Beckwith's other employer. Not only is Adler Attorneys' CEO and senior attorney, Raymond Adler, a member of the church, another of its attorneys, Devin Norrick, serves on the church's board of directors. The law firm has also recently represented Life Church in municipal government matters. It's unclear whether Norrick, who now describes himself as the chief legal counsel for Beckwith's office, has any hiring or firing power over Beckwith on the church's board. The lieutenant governor's office referred questions about that to Life Church, which didn't respond to a request for comment. "Awarding a no-bid contract in that situation raises all sorts of concerns," said Abraham Schwab, a Purdue University-Fort Wayne professor who serves on the Allen County Ethics Commission. "It ultimately undermines (trust in) their ability to be good stewards of the public resources they've been provided." The hired-out legal services are in lieu of the office having a full-time staff attorney or general counsel, a departure from past lieutenant governors. The decision is the latest sign that Beckwith could be taking a different, more hands-on approach to agenda-setting in the role, rather than largely deferring to the governor. IndyStar asked Beckwith's office about the potential appearance of a conflict of interest, but it didn't immediately reply. The office told IndyStar it signed the contract in order to increase government efficiency and that it considered other law firms to do the work. The contract comes as Life Church has become increasingly enmeshed in Indiana government, and as Beckwith has advocated for more connection between government and the faith community. A recent town hall featuring four statewide elected officials was held at the church, which served as a polling place in the 2024 election. Oftentimes, statewide elected officials will leave their occupations once elected, which can help reduce potential conflicts of interest, but Beckwith has not. That means he earns a salary both from the state of Indiana and Life Church, according to his latest financial disclosure form, which his office confirmed is still accurate. Paul Helmke, former Republican mayor of Fort Wayne and director of the Civic Leaders Center at Indiana University, said it's important to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest as a government official. It's why, he said, he cut ties with his law firm when he became mayor of Fort Wayne. "The concern here is you're throwing public tax dollars to your (church's) board member," Helmke said. "Regardless of if it's a board with authority, or more advisory, it raises the appearance of impropriety." Contract lacked bidding process The contract was signed without undergoing a competitive bidding process, Beckwith's office confirmed to IndyStar. His spokesman, Jim Kehoe, said a request for proposals was not completed because it was "not required." Kehoe said the office considered two other law firms to do the work but wouldn't say which firms it considered. Jeffrey Dunn, director of the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University, said the move to hire a private law firm 'certainly raises red flags because it's out of the norm' but he said it's hard to comment on whether the choice was ethical without more details. Generally speaking, Dunn said, those holding public office should take care to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest. A request for other bids, even though not legally required, would have removed the appearance of a conflict of interest here, Dunn said. 'The lieutenant governor wasn't required to send out an RFP, so legally, there's nothing wrong here, but one reason it might be a good idea to make this a little more transparent is to avoid the appearance that something bad is happening,' Dunn said. 'Sometimes process is important even though following the process is a little less efficient.' Beckwith isn't the only statewide office holder to issue a no-bid contract recently. Secretary of State Diego Morales' office has signed multiple contracts without competitive bidding worth millions of dollars, prompting Indiana lawmakers to pass legislation this year that tries to cut down on no-bid contracts and increase transparency on how the state spends its money. That bill was sent to Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday. However, that legislation leaves out legal services contracts, like the one Beckwith's office recently signed with Adler Attorneys. "You wouldn't even know of the existence of the contract under the new law," said state Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend, who recently voted against the legislation. "The public needs to know how public tax dollars are being spent." Last day of session? Indiana's legislative session will likely wrap up today. Track the latest updates here Cost-cutting is the goal. Will it happen? Beckwith's office described the decision to contract out for legal services as another cost-cutting move, though it's currently unclear if that goal will come to pass. Beckwith has called on state government to spend less, while at the same time defending his office's purchase of a nearly $90,000, top-trim SUV for his use. After facing criticism of that purchase, he put out a press release announcing cost-cutting in his office, saying he was cleaning up "wasteful spending left over from the previous administration." 'Lt. Governor Beckwith made a strategic, cost-saving decision to contract legal services as opposed to hiring a full-time attorney for our team," Kehoe told IndyStar. "Since most of our legal needs happen during the four months the General Assembly is in session, it didn't make sense for us to hire a full-time attorney for all 12 months of the year." The contract signed by Beckwith's office states it will pay $11,000 to the firm for each of the months of February, March and April. The state will then be charged on an hourly basis for legal fees − up to $475 hourly − until Dec. 31 until spending reaches a maximum of $150,000. Whether the contract ends up saving the state money depends on how much work the law firm does with the state during May through December, since it is committed to pay at least $33,000 for the first three months of work. Meanwhile, the lawyers who formerly worked for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor during Crouch's term were each paid less than $150,000 annually. The last person to serve in the role of staff attorney made about $102,000 in 2023, or about $49 hourly, while working for the office, according to Indiana Gateway, a website that shows public employee compensation for the state of Indiana. Before that, the previous staff attorney earned $78,000 in 2022, or $37.50 hourly. Adler Attorneys was hired to consult Beckwith's office on the impacts of any proposed legislation and to provide instruction on compliance to Indiana law, among other requirements listed in Beckwith's request for counsel. Adler Attorneys did not respond to IndyStar's request for comment about the contract. Schwab, the Allen County ethics expert, said it's unclear why a state agency would sign a no-bid contract if its goal was efficiency. "If you had bids, you might have found law firms that were equally qualified to handle the labor and done it for less," Schwab said. "The whole point of privatizing this kind of work is to allow the market to increase efficiency." 'Raises some potential ethical questions' The contract has raised some red flags among a few lawmakers who are aware of its existence. "It does seem odd and raises some potential ethical questions when the general counsel position would not be a state employee," Dvorak said. "I would question ... why they would choose to depart from the norm on this." Dvorak is the lawmaker who expressed concerns about the transparency legislation that recently passed both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly. Though the legislation makes state agencies provide the state comptroller's office with most contracts for inclusion in the Indiana Transparency Portal within 30 days of being fully executed, it exempts legal services contracts. It also requires state agencies to submit requests for proposals for most contracts at least 30 days prior to the contract being awarded starting in 2026. "This whole bill is trying to get us toward a little more accountability and transparency," said state Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, who sponsored the legislation. Lehman, who said he was not aware of Beckwith's new legal contract, acknowledged Dvorak's concerns about exempting legal contracts, but he said those are more sensitive. The amount being paid by the state to a law firm would still be disclosed in the future, he said. "They're confidential agreements," he said. But Dvorak said he fears less transparency in the future. "That was one of my big concerns," Dvorak said. Share your feedback to help improve our site!
Indianapolis Star
24-04-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith signs no-bid contract with law firm closely tied to his church
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith's office has signed a no-bid contract with a Noblesville-based law firm that's closely affiliated with the church where Beckwith still serves as a pastor, a move that has raised red flags for ethics experts and lawmakers alike. The state will pay up to $150,000 this year for Adler Attorneys to perform "general counsel" and "general consulting services" for Beckwith and his team during his first year as lieutenant governor, according to the contract and a request for outside counsel Beckwith's office submitted earlier this year to the attorney general. Multiple ethics experts contacted by IndyStar questioned the optics of awarding a no-bid contract to a company that has close ties to Beckwith's other employer. Not only is Adler Attorneys' CEO and senior attorney, Raymond Adler, a member of the church, another of its attorneys, Devin Norrick, serves on the church's board of directors. The law firm has also recently represented Life Church in municipal government matters. It's unclear whether Norrick, who now describes himself as the chief legal counsel for Beckwith's office, has any hiring or firing power over Beckwith on the church's board. The lieutenant governor's office referred questions about that to Life Church, which didn't respond to a request for comment. "Awarding a no-bid contract in that situation raises all sorts of concerns," said Abraham Schwab, a Purdue University-Fort Wayne professor who serves on the Allen County Ethics Commission. "It ultimately undermines (trust in) their ability to be good stewards of the public resources they've been provided." The hired-out legal services are in lieu of the office having a full-time staff attorney or general counsel, a departure from past lieutenant governors. The decision is the latest sign that Beckwith could be taking a different, more hands-on approach to agenda-setting in the role, rather than largely differing to the governor. IndyStar asked Beckwith's office about the potential appearance of a conflict of interest, but it didn't immediately reply. The office told IndyStar it signed the contract in order to increase government efficiency and that it considered other law firms to do the work. The contract comes as Life Church has become increasingly enmeshed in Indiana government, and as Beckwith has advocated for more connection between government and the faith community. A recent town hall featuring four statewide elected officials was held at the church, which served as a polling place in the 2024 election. Oftentimes, statewide elected officials will leave their occupations once elected, which can help can help reduce potential conflicts of interest, but Beckwith has not. That means he earns a salary both from the state of Indiana and Life Church, according to his latest financial disclosure form, which his office confirmed is still accurate. Paul Helmke, former Republican mayor of Fort Wayne and director of the Civic Leaders Center at Indiana University, said it's important to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest as a government official. It's why, he said, he cut ties with his law firm when he became mayor of Fort Wayne. "The concern here is you're throwing public tax dollars to your (church's) board member," Helmke said. "Regardless of if it's a board with authority, or more advisory, it raises the appearance of impropriety." Contract lacked bidding process The contract was signed without undergoing a competitive bidding process, Beckwith's office confirmed to IndyStar. His spokesman, Jim Kehoe, said a request for proposals was not completed because it was "not required." Kehoe said the office considered two other law firms to do the work but wouldn't say which firms it considered. Jeffrey Dunn, director of the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University, said the move to hire a private law firm 'certainly raises red flags because it's out of the norm' but he said it's hard to comment on whether the choice was ethical without more details. Generally speaking, Dunn said, those holding public office should take care to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest. A request for other bids, even though not legally required, would have removed the appearance of a conflict of interest here, Dunn said. 'The lieutenant governor wasn't required to send out an RFP, so legally, there's nothing wrong here, but one reason it might be a good idea to make this a little more transparent is to avoid the appearance that something bad is happening,' Dunn said. 'Sometimes process is important even though following the process is a little less efficient.' Beckwith isn't the only statewide office holder to issue a no-bid contract recently. Secretary of State Diego Morales' office has signed multiple contracts without competitive bidding worth millions of dollars, prompting Indiana lawmakers to pass legislation this year that tries to cut down on no-bid contracts and increase transparency on how the state spends its money. That bill was sent to Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday. However, that legislation leaves out legal services contracts, like the one Beckwith's office recently signed with Adler Attorneys. "You wouldn't even know of the existence of the contract under the new law," said state Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend, who recently voted against the legislation. "The public needs to know how public tax dollars are being spent." Cost-cutting is the goal. Will it happen? Beckwith's office described the decision to contract out for legal services as another cost-cutting move, though it's currently unclear if that goal will come to pass. Beckwith has called on state government to spend less, while at the same time defending his office's purchase of a nearly $90,000, top-trim SUV for his use. After facing criticism of that purchase, he put out a press release announcing cost-cutting in his office, saying he was cleaning up "wasteful spending left over from the previous administration." 'Lt. Governor Beckwith made a strategic, cost-saving decision to contract legal services as opposed to hiring a full-time attorney for our team," Kehoe told IndyStar. "Since most of our legal needs happen during the four months the General Assembly is in session, it didn't make sense for us to hire a full-time attorney for all 12 months of the year." The contract signed by Beckwith's office states it will pay $11,000 to the firm for each of the months of February, March and April. The state will then be charged on an hourly basis for legal fees − up to $475 hourly − until Dec. 31 until spending reaches a maximum of $150,000. Whether the law contract ends up saving the state money depends on how much work the law firm does with the state during May through December, since it is committed to pay at least $33,000 for the first three months of work. Meanwhile, the lawyers who formerly worked for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor during Crouch's term were each paid less than $150,000 annually. The last person to serve in the role of staff attorney made about $102,000 in 2023, or about $49 hourly, while working for the office, according to Indiana Gateway, a website that shows public employee compensation for the state of Indiana. Before that, the previous staff attorney earned $78,000 in 2022, or $37.50 hourly. Adler Attorneys was hired to consult Beckwith's office on the impacts of any proposed legislation and to provide instruction on compliance to Indiana law, among other requirements listed in Beckwith's request for counsel. Adler Attorneys did not respond to IndyStar's request for comment about the contract. Schwab, the Allen County ethics expert, said it's unclear why a state agency would sign a no-bid contract if its goal was efficiency. "If you had bids, you might have found law firms that were equally qualified to handle the labor and done it for less," Schwab said. "The whole point of privatizing this kind of work is to allow the market to increase efficiency." 'Raises some potential ethical questions' The contract has raised some red flags among a few lawmakers who are aware of its existence. "It does seem odd and raises some potential ethical questions when the general counsel position would not be a state employee," Dvorak said. "I would question ... why they would choose to depart from the norm on this." Dvorak is the lawmaker who expressed concerns about the transparency legislation that recently passed both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly. Though the legislation makes state agencies provide the state comptroller's office with most contracts for inclusion in the Indiana Transparency Portal within 30 days of being fully executed, it exempts legal services contracts. It also requires state agencies to submit requests for proposals for most contracts at least 30 days prior to the contract being awarded starting in 2026. "This whole bill is trying to get us toward a little more accountability and transparency," said state Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, who sponsored the legislation. Lehman, who said he was not aware of Beckwith's new legal contract, acknowledged Dvorak's concerns about exempting legal contracts, but he said those are more sensitive. The amount being paid by the state to a law firm would still be disclosed in the future, he said. "They're confidential agreements," he said. But Dvorak said he fears less transparency in the future. "That was one of my big concerns," Dvorak said.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
'A love for life': Hundreds gather to remember Wellington student killed in crash
WELLINGTON — Woodland Middle School chorus teacher Danielle Fuente recalled the first time she met Landon Coggin, describing him as a shy, quiet sixth-grader trying to find his classes on the first day of school. Then, on Day Two, she met the "real" Landon — "an energetic, talkative goofball with a love for life," she told hundreds who gathered Wednesday evening for a celebration of life service at the Wellington Amphitheater. Family, friends and members of the community gathered to remember Landon, a 13-year-old Woodlands Middle School Student who died the afternoon of Jan. 30 when a truck hit him and another student, Elias G. Angel, 12, near the campus on Lyons Road. The boys had fallen into the roadway when their bicycles became entangled while riding home from school. Those attending Wednesday's celebration of life shared hugs and stories as they gathered in remembrance. Many lit candles as dusk turned to dark. "His 13 years may have been brief, but his impact on us is something that will last forever," said Sean Lavender, a pastor at Life Church in Wellington. "Landon was a young man whose spirit shone brightly in everything he did, whether through his laughter, his kindness or the way he care for those around him." Fuente recalled Landon's playful nature and his hidden talent for singing. "He was the type of student who it didn't matter where I sat him in class — he would find someone to talk to," she said. Fuente said Landon developed a passion for singing during his three years in chorus, joining two classmates last fall in earning spots in Palm Beach County's Tenor Day and performing with about 100 middle and high school students. But not everyone knew about Landon's singing ability, Fuente said. "He often threatened to drop out of chorus if I ever told anyone outside of chorus that he could actually sing," she said. "Well, Landon, I'm sorry but I do have to expose you. That boy could sing." Previous coverage: One boy dead, another injured after bicycles, truck crash near Woodlands Middle School Wednesday's celebration included calls for traffic safety improvements in school zones. A petition on the website created in the wake of the wreck has attained more than 2,000 signatures supporting calls for changes such as the installation of barriers near bicycle lanes. Several people added their names Wednesday evening. Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators said a Peterbilt semitruck hit Landon and Elias after both fell into the roadway. Elias received treatment for serious injuries at Delray Medical Center. "There should be things to protect our children, protect people in bike lanes," said Darryl Kogan, an attorney and a longtime family friend who worked with Landon's grandmother. "It's such a tragedy that we had a great kid here whose not here with us now, but hopefully something good can come in his memory." Sign up for our Post on Wellington weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday! Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Celebration of Life honors Woodlands Middle student killed in crash
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We started with nobody, with nothing': Meridian church embarks on $20 million expansion
Mark and Amy Boer have imagined expanding their church off Eagle Road in Meridian since they moved their congregation there in 2012. The married pastors, who started the nondenominational Life Church in a hotel conference room in 2001, say their steadily growing community needs more room. With full Sunday services now capped at roughly 800 people and hundreds more attending church groups, programs, and the affiliated ministry school, the Boers are planning a $20 million expansion that will bring the church auditorium's capacity to over 2,000. The expansion 'has been a vision for a long time, for many years, since well before we needed it,' Mark Boer, senior pastor, told the Idaho Statesman. 'We started with nothing, with nobody ... Now, it makes a whole lot of sense.' Life Church is one of several nondenominational faith communities that have grown in the Treasure Valley in recent years, as churchgoers nationally have made a shift away from traditional denominations. According to plans filed with the city of Meridian, the Boers are planning to add 6.7 acres of vacant land to their existing campus at 3225 E. Commercial Court, which includes the church, Life Bible College, and a parking lot. The senior pastor said Life Church purchased the land, which sits to the east of the current site, from Jackson's Food Stores 'several years ago,' after seeing a for-sale sign when the congregation first moved in and then saving up. The additional acres will be used to expand the existing church building — which was once a Coors warehouse — and provide additional parking. Plans for the expanded church building include the new auditorium with raised, stadium-style seating, and additional office space and classrooms for church groups and use by the college. The Boers told the Statesman that Life Bible College is not expanding, but that its roughly 100 students will have access to the building and may use its classrooms for operations. The existing building will still be used, mostly as 'a kids and youth area,' Mark Boer said, while the addition would house the new auditorium and 'adult services.' Both would be connected under one roof, so parents could more easily watch over their children, he said. The addition will augment the building by 68,000 square feet, according to Life Church's website. The church also plans on adding parking spaces. Mark Boer said the expanded building would allow the church community to continue to grow. 'We're at that point where we absolutely need it,' he said. 'But more than that, we believe we're supposed to do it.' The expansion will be a 'big step of faith,' he said, and he doesn't know exactly how everything will come together. For the development, the Boers are working with The Land Group, an Eagle engineering and architecture firm, and Churches By Daniels, an Oklahoma-based church construction company. It is estimated to cost $20.4 million, which would be funded through the church by donations, the pastors said. According to the church website, $8.6 million has been raised so far. In a video on the website describing the expansion, Mark Boer said, 'Although this might seem like a big and expensive project, we believe it is easy for God. And because it is for his eternal kingdom, it will be worth every effort and every dollar spent.' He also told the Statesman that the use of technology has also changed how churches including Life Church have been able to seek and receive donations. 'More and more, people give online these days,' he said, noting that people can text in an offering during church service. 'Our approach might not be the same as everyone,' he clarified. 'We don't want to do any arm-twisting ... We teach the principles of giving and receiving and generosity, all these things, but there's never going to be any pressure on anyone, and I think it works pretty well.' The Boers say Life Church has grown through multiple iterations since it was first erected in 2001 after Mark, then working with Amy in a ministry in Twin Falls, said he had a vision directing him to found a new congregation. Within the first year or so of operating from the hotel conference room in West Boise, the Boers said they had roughly one hundred people attending services. They then moved to a former Church of Christ building on Maple Grove Road before relocating to their Meridian site, where they now see roughly 800 individuals at each Sunday service. The church has over 20 outreach projects within the Treasure Valley, such as visits to local jails and prisons, and has missions across the world. Amy Boer noted that despite the large size of the church, it maintains an intimate feel through its 'Life Groups,' which focus on a range of topics including business, education, and even 'God and Gaming,' according to the church website. The church is also nondenominational, which could allow it to resonate with a greater number of people. 'I think there was a day when it was helpful to be a denomination, and people would identify with that,' Amy Boer said, noting that some churches are removing traditional denominational titles from their names. 'I think most people now don't really care. I think most people are going to go where they feel like they fit.' 'There's certainly a segment (of churchgoers) that are not tied to an upbringing in a Nazarene or a Baptist, or something like that, that they like the idea that you're not that,' Mark Boer said. 'Even though we're not opposed to that.' In recent years, churchgoers nationally have made shifts away from traditional denominations, with more Americans identifying as atheist, agnostic, or 'nothing in particular,' according to the Pew Research Center. Some data suggests nondenominational churches may be growing despite this overall decline. According to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, as of 2020, over 6% of Americans attended nondenominational and independent churches, representing over 12 million individuals at over 60,000 churches. In 2010, the number of nondenominational churches was roughly 35,000, according to the institute. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, nondenominational churchgoers are the third-most common type of churchgoer in Idaho, after those who attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Catholic Church, as of 2020. Roughly 99,000 Idahoans attended nondenominational churches in 2020. Inspirational Family Radio, a Boise media company that broadcasts two Christian radio stations, lists 74 nondenominational churches in the Valley. The Boers said that Life Church's central location within the Valley, with its high visibility and proximity to the freeway, has been an important factor in growth. The Meridian City Council unanimously approved Life Church's request for a rezoning of the 6.7 acres needed for the expansion from a light-industrial to a commercial designation on Oct. 22. The rezoning was a deviation from the city's Comprehensive Plan, requiring a plan amendment, which was also unanimously granted. 'I love that we have a growing community of faith in Meridian,' Council President Luke Cavener said at the public hearing, echoing fellow council members' support of the development. Cavener noted that he's seen 'lots of churches choosing to grow in industrial areas' in the city, which he said could potentially pose a 'challenge' if industrial space were to become too limited. The Boers told the Statesman that there was no intention to seek out industrial land specifically for the church or its addition. The land was available and vacant, they said. With the council's blessing, the Boers said they are preparing the break ground, pending obtaining the necessary permits from the city, which they say could take a month or two. They estimate construction will take a year and a half, though they're not sure. Despite having operated from four locations in the past two decades, this is the first time the Boers are building something entirely new. 'I've never, you know, put up a $20-something million building,' Mark Boer said with a laugh. 'But we're doing it, and we will be able to look back and tell you how. In the meantime, we're in the middle of it right now.' 800 acres. 2,000 homes. Perhaps a Costco. A giant Meridian development is moving ahead An LGBTQ group's flyer posted in a Nampa library drew fire. What Eagle's library just did Residents worry as Boise-area mobile home parks fade away. This may be the next to go 'Amazing Christian education': Cole Valley plans Idaho's largest pre-K-12 private school
