City-County Council member Kreider to resign after ‘painstaking’ decision

Republican Indianapolis City-County Councilman Scott Kreider announced Wednesday that he would resign from the  council later this week to focus on his work and his upcoming marriage.

Scott Kreider

Kreider was elected to the council in 2015, and has focused on road funding, infrastructure, public safety and city budgetary issues since taking office. He serves District 23 on the south side of the city and is one of 11 Republicans on the 25-seat council.

Kreider, who recently returned to his former law firm, Indianapolis-based Alerding Castor LLP, where he plans to work as an attorney and take on new managerial duties, said the “painstaking decision” to resign was because his “current professional endeavors no longer enable me to diligently and zealously advocate for the citizens of this great city and county as I believe the people deserve.”

“It has recently become apparent that my current professional endeavors will require ever-increasing attention, which will impact my availability to serve—as has been my privilege,” according to a letter Kreider submitted to the Marion County Clerk on Wednesday.

Marion County GOP Chairman Jim Merritt told IBJ that the resignation took him by surprise.

“I did not know this was coming,” Merritt said. “I was taken aback. I had no idea. He’s been a very good city-county councilor, very thoughtful and very open to talk to. We’ll miss him.”

Kreider also said in the letter that his upcoming nuptials “will create an ethical dilemma” because he is considering moving out of the district.

“While I could no doubt maintain a residence in my district, I believe the citizens deserve better,” Kreider wrote. “An elected official should live and spend the majority of his or her time within the district that he or she represents so the official can drive the same roads and breathe the same air as those residents being served.”

Mayor Joe Hogsett, a Democrat, said in a statement that Kreider has been "a thoughtful representative for his district and a passionate advocate for some of our city’s most pressing issues, helping to build bipartisan support for key public safety and infrastructure initiatives."

During his time on the council, he was a driving force behind policies that improved the quality of life for veterans in our city, ensuring better access to transportation and services," Hogsett said. "While I’m saddened to see Scott step away from his role on the council, I know he will continue to be a leader in central Indiana and I wish him all the best in this new chapter of his life.” 

Kreider said one of his key accomplishments on the council was advancing a program in which veterans can obtain identification cards to ride IndyGo buses for free. He also worked on legislation that adding more funding for crime prevention grants and a witness protection program.

Prior to being elected to the council, Kreider was active in local politics in Perry Township.

Merritt told IBJ that he would announce a caucus within 30 days of receipt of Kreider’s resignation letter to choose a successor. Kreider’s replacement would be chosen by precinct committee members and would serve out the rest of his term. 

The next municipal elections are in 2019.