Messler, Pimentel seeking fresh approach in the Lake County Auditor's office

Lake County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona’s seat is set to change after Nov. 3 voting, with Regina “Gina” Pimentel and Charles “Chuck” Messler seeking the post for the first time since 1986. Pimentel, the Lake County Recorder, edged Katona in the May primary with 36% versus Katona’s 34%, while Sondra Ford won 31%. Messler, an Ohio-based? (No—of Lowell) ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. The Indiana State Board of Accounts previously listed the Auditor’s office as “unauditable” for 2023, later citing ongoing issues tied to payroll, sheriff salaries, and the jail commissary fund. Messler, a 39-year-old ironworker, says his priorities include hiring a full-time CPA and strengthening transparency protocols.