Hamilton County Democrats issued a statement Tuesday saying Fishers Police and Fire Merit Commission appointments have “skirted” state law, but Mayor Scott Fadness responded that any allegation Fishers is not in compliance with state law is “false.”

State law requires 2 Democrats be appointed to each commission, according to the HAMCO Democrats.  The statute says to qualify as a Democrat, an appointee’s party affiliation is determined by their three most recent primary elections.

“The City of Fishers has skirted the mandate by including historically Republican commission members who have voted for a Democrat only once in recent history, which is not a true representation of how they will govern, and thus represents a conflict,” Dayna Colbert, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair, said in a party news release.

In a statement issued in response, Mayor Fadness argues the city is in compliance with the law.

“This release is an annual attempt by the Hamilton County Democratic Party to play partisan politics and any statement or insinuation that these commissions are not in compliance is false,” Fadness said.

County Democrats recommended 2 women be appointed to each commission, but none of the proposed appointees were named in the party’s news release.

The Police and Fire Merit Commissions are composed of civilian members charged with administering discipline to department members, including suspension, demotion, and termination of employment.  For each commission, the mayor has two appointees, the city council one and the police or firefighters themselves vote on the remaining two members.  The mayoral and firefighter or police appointees are required to be of different political parties.