COMMENTARY: Vanderburgh County Republican Party Chairman Wayne Parke Served with Diligence and Passion 

Vanderburgh County Republican Party Chairman Wayne Parke Served with Diligence and Passion 

by the Staff of the City-County Observer

The Vanderburgh County Republican Party was recently advised that Wayne Parke, who has successfully served as the Party Chairman for over a decade, will not be a candidate to continue as the Vanderburgh County Republican Party Chairman.  It is now time for the Party to contemplate their future, and it will be a difficult task to replace the diligence and commitment that Mr. Parke brought to the table.

The City County Observer, over the decade that Mr. Parke has served, has had a love and less than love relationship with Mr. Parke, but we have never ever had anything less than professional respect for his competence and commitment to make Vanderburgh County a better place through his political vision and leadership.

Through the Parke years we have enjoyed finding common ground on several issues, including the spending of over $50 million on space age water meters by the outgoing Weinzapfel Administration.

It is widely accepted belief that balanced government is only achieved when there are two healthy political parties represented.  The long-term diligence of E. Wayne Parke is a testament to this concept.  Balanced, but functional governance in Vanderburgh County, is perhaps the biggest accomplishment of this successful businessman’s leadership. Other political types could learn much from what Mr. Parke has done for the Evansville/Vanderburgh County political landscape.

It is also commendable that Mr. Parke contributed generously from his own personal funds to strengthen the local Republican Party of Vanderburgh County, that had fallen into irrelevance before he took the helm of the local GOP.

We have found Mr. Parke to be a strong willed, focused leader with endless perseverance. Yes, he was a little hard headed and opinionated at times and ruffled political feathers of people in his own party. The City County Observer has also found Wayne to be a person of conviction who can be counted on to do what he commits to do with passion and grit.

Wayne Parke has conducted his role as the Vanderburgh County GOP Chairman with honor and determination. He will be missed, but his accomplishments as a political visionary will benefit the members of his party for many years to come.