Geoff Lee is a Lebanon chemical engineer who’s handled the financial controlling for a major company, running for Boone County Council, District 3 — on a promise to read every line of the county's books before he votes on them.
Chemical Engineer/Lebanon Neighbor/Independent Voice
I'm Geoff Lee, and I live right here in Lebanon with my wife and our daughter. I'm a chemical engineer who's spent years handling the financial controlling for a major company — reading budgets, finding what gets missed, and keeping the books honest. Boone County's books deserve that same scrutiny.
I'm running because too many folks have been shut out of the decisions that shape our community. Big projects move forward, tax dollars get committed, and most of us learn about it after the fact. The state's recent LEAP audit — ordered by the Governor — found "lackluster oversight" of nearly a billion dollars in spending.
"Folks feel like they don't have much say in what's happening there, and that's a huge problem."
— Geoff Lee, Lebanon Reporter candidate questionnaire
That's exactly the kind of thing a county council member should be catching before it happens, not reading about after. I'll bring a controller's eye to every line, a neighbor's ear to every meeting, and an independent voice that answers to District 3 first.
Voting in the primary, Boone County Courthouse, May 2026
I can bike to just about anyone in District 3 — that's how close your council should be. Close enough to listen, close enough to answer questions, close enough to know what you actually need before showing up at a council meeting to vote on it.
§ 02 · The Ledger
What's at stake.
As of May 2026 Public sources
$985M+
Public dollars poured into the LEAP project through early 2026, with the Governor's own forensic audit citing "lackluster oversight" and conflicts of interest.
Source · Indiana IEDC Forensic Review, Oct 2025
12–20%
Boone County's recent population growth — even as the council holds the budget flat year to year.
Source · county growth estimates
Hundreds
Of property owners along the Eagle Creek pipeline route who have been threatened with legal action under eminent domain.
Source · WTHR 13 Investigates
7
County council members who decide how every one of these dollars gets spent. One of those seats is District 3 — and it's up for a vote this November.
Source · Boone County government
§ 03 · On the Books
Five commitments.
Built on a controller's habits and a neighbor's instincts. These are the things I'll bring to the council table on day one.
01
A budget that keeps up with growth
Boone County has grown 12–20%, but the council keeps the budget flat year to year so it can say it's holding the line. It backfires. Flat budgets leave essential departments underfunded, so the county scrambles to backfill from other accounts all year. That churn wastes more than it saves. I'll budget for the county we actually are — funding real demand up front, when we can plan for it. That's not bigger government. It's the honest, cheaper way to run it.
02
Clean up the county's books
The county budget is cluttered with unfunded and dead accounts — money parked where it does nothing. That's exactly the mess I'm trained to fix. I'll dissolve what's dead and redirect it to the departments that need to grow with our population. Honest bookkeeping, done once and on purpose — not endless mid-year scrambling.
03
Eyes on LEAP
Nearly $1 billion in public money has gone into the LEAP project, and the state's own audit found "lackluster oversight." Big decisions get made and the public hears about them after the fact. I'll give LEAP — and every big bill that follows — the line-by-line scrutiny it should have had from the start. Not because I'm against growth, but because every public dollar deserves to be watched.
04
A real choice for District 3
For decades, the District 3 council seat has gone uncontested — no real race, no real choice. This year is different. Neighbors finally get a decision to make, and a candidate who'll answer to them. Representation just works better when it has to be earned.
05
A neighbor at the council table
County government can feel distant — decisions made by people you've never met, in rooms you've never been in. I can bike to just about anyone in District 3, and I'll keep it that close. Neighbor first, council member second.
§ 04 · The Office
What does the council actually do?
The County Council is the fiscal authority for Boone County — it's the body that controls how your tax dollars get spent. Most voters never hear about it. Here's what it controls.
Authority
Tax rates & levies
Sets the county tax rate and the levy that funds county government every year.
Authority
The annual budget
Reviews and adopts the county budget — deciding how tens of millions of dollars are spent.
Authority
Appropriations
Approves all spending from the county treasury and can authorize emergency funds.
Authority
Salaries & staffing
Fixes salaries and determines the number of county employees.
Authority
Property deals
Must approve the sale or lease of county real estate above certain thresholds.
Authority
Financial oversight
Re-appropriates surplus funds and transfers dormant balances. Every dollar should be accounted for.
Source · Indiana state law — these duties apply to all Indiana counties.
§ 05 · How to Vote
Key dates for November.
Election Day
Nov 3, 2026
Vote for Boone County Council District 3 and every other county and state office.
Registration Deadline
Oct 5, 2026
You must be registered at least 29 days before Election Day. Check your status today.
Early Voting Begins
Oct 6, 2026
Vote early at the Boone County Courthouse. No excuse needed — just bring ID.
Polls Open
6 AM – 6 PM
Indiana polls are open from 6 in the morning until 6 at night on Election Day.
