Carl Drummer was elected
Center Township Trustee of Marion
County, State
of Indiana, on December 19, 1996. The vacancy in this office existed
when the Honorable Julia Carson, Center Township Trustee, was elected to
the U. S. House of Representatives on November 5, 1996. The Democrat
Precinct Committeemen of Center Township overwhelmingly elected Mr.
Drummer. In 1998, he ran for re-election, and the people of the largest
township in the State of Indiana, overwhelmingly elected him Trustee of
Center Township, Marion County, IN. This was his first experience in
running for a political office on the ballot.
At age 32, when Mr.
Drummer was elected Trustee, he was the youngest African-American
to hold a political office at that time in Marion County, in either
political party. Mr. Drummer served as Deputy Trustee under Ms.
Carson from 1991-1993. From 1993-1996 he served
as the Chief Deputy Constable, Center
Township Small Claims Court.
As the Trustee of Center
Township, a constitutional office, Mr. Drummer is responsible for
feeding, clothing and providing shelter for the less fortunate people in
Center Township. Mr. Drummer’s concern for the poor keeps him searching
for ways to improve the poor relief system, yet not to increase tax
burdens for the taxpayers of Center Township. His goals and aspirations
extend far into the 21st Century and beyond.
Mr. Drummer is
responsible for a
12 million dollar
budget and has approximately
102 employees.
At the Center Township
Trustee’s Office, there are several plans to put the able-bodied men and
women, who seek assistance, to work at various locations around Marion
County. Mr. Drummer’s motto is “I am here in this office to give
them a hand up, not a hand out”. He continues a practice that
former Trustee Julia Carson initiated in the early 90’s, a
one-stop shop. Not only does Mr. Drummer have the Marion
County Prosecutor’s Office and Division of Family &
Children on site, he has a Payee Program.
He credits most of his success to his employees and
management personnel.
Mr. Drummer’s past or
present community involvement includes serving on many boards such as
Second Helpings, Inc., an organization that takes food to the
area shelters and to many of the senior citizens in Center Township,
Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Gennesaret
Free Clinic, which provides free medical assistance to
neighboring communities, Indiana Township Association,
100 Black Men, Kickin’ It At The Fair,
Three Cheers for Education, and he is a former president
of Citizen’s Multi-Service Center. He was appointed by the
Governor to serve on the Indiana Human Resource Investment Council,
and appointed by the Mayor to serve on Community Centers of
Indianapolis, Inc. board. He is also affiliated with the
Mapleton Fall Creek Neighborhood Association.
Some of Carl Drummer’s
recent accomplishments were being awarded Humanitarian Award for 2002,
by Midwest Coalition of Shriners, of which he is a member, and 2003
recipient of the Achievement in Public Service Award, presented by the
Center for Leadership Development. On Monday, November 25, 2003, he was
awarded RTV6 2003 Leadership Award, sponsored by Financial Center. He
has also been honored with McMiracle on 38th Street Award.
Carl is a member of the
Fidelity Lodge #55,
Constantine Consistory #25, and Persian
Temple #46. He has received the Honorary 33° Scottish Rite Mason and in
May 2004, he was honored as 2004 Potentate of Persian Temple #46. On
December 16, 2004, Carl Drummer was honored with Sagamore of the Wabash
by Honorable Joseph Kernan, Governor of Indiana.
