Craig picking up Vonderheide's vision with future in mind

County Clerk Amy Kippenbrock administered the oath of office for Mayor Elect Ryan Craig with his family beside him after a caucus selected him to fulfill Mayor Dean Vonderheide’s remaining time as mayor.

Ryan Craig, 39, will officially take office as Jasper’s mayor on April 1. He was chosen by caucus vote to finish Mayor Dean Vonderheide’s term.

For now, he has a dual responsibility: shadowing Mayor Dean Vonderheide and finishing out his time on county council. He hasn’t officially resigned from the council, but will soon. His final meeting may be this coming Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. After he resigns, Amy Kippenbrock, head of the Dubois County GOP, will call another caucus to fill his position on the county council.

Indiana allows the elected official’s party to choose their successor through an election by the caucus of precincts in the office’s jurisdiction. Craig was chosen by a caucus of 13 precinct committee members in Jasper on Friday evening. He and Phil Mundy were the only two applicants for the position after Vonderheide announced his resignation.

GOP Chair Amy Kippenbrock opened the proceedings to the media, though these meetings are not required to be open.

*Phil Mundy and his family listen as Kippenbrock calls the caucus to order and gives the rundown for the evening’s event.*

The caucus began at 6 p.m. with Kippenbrock going over the rules and calling for approval from the precinct committee members. After unanimous approval, she announced the candidates would speak in alphabetical order.

Each candidate was allowed a two-minute introduction — Doug Bawel introduced Craig, and Chris Thyen introduced Mundy — before each candidate spoke for three minutes to the caucus. Afterward, the caucus voted by paper ballot with two election officers and a watcher assigned by each candidate, counting the votes.

During the remarks, both candidates emphasized continuity with current city projects and their extensive community involvement.

Craig, who serves as vice president of Dubois County Council, focused his campaign on maintaining the momentum established under Vonderheide’s leadership. He highlighted his own investment in downtown Jasper through the renovation of the Central Building and his volunteer work throughout the community.

“Jasper doesn’t need disruption for the sake of disruption. It needs momentum,” Craig told the caucus. “My goal as mayor would be simple. Protect that progress and build on it.”

Craig emphasized his government experience through his role on the county council, where he had gained firsthand knowledge of budgets and long-term planning. He also serves as president of the Southwest Indiana Association of Realtors, a 1,000-member organization that works with state and federal legislators on housing and tax issues.

His community involvement includes volunteering with youth sports, schools, the Knights of Columbus, and serving as board president of Mentors for Youth.

“I’ve spent years volunteering in Jasper and Dubois County,” Craig said. “I work with youth through youth sports, volunteering in schools, the Knights of Columbus, RWB (Red White and Brauen) Fest, supporting the vets in the community and putting shoes on children who need it.”

Craig emphasizes his commitment to responsible stewardship and maintaining community confidence in local government.

“If selected, I bring continuity, collaboration and accountability. I will be a careful steward of the taxpayer dollars, support our workforce and keep Jasper moving forward responsibly,” Craig said.

*State Senator Daryl Schmitt holds up a warning sign as an introduction approaches the time limit. Councy Councilwoman Sonya Haas watched the time.*

Mundy highlighted his seven years of experience on the Jasper City Council, including two years as council president. He also serves on the Jasper Redevelopment Commission and operated downtown businesses for over 28 years.

“As a longtime merchant, coworker, coach, referee, mentor, member of civic, school and city boards, councilman, friend, husband, father and now grandfather, I feel uniquely prepared for the responsibilities of this office,” Mundy told the caucus.

He emphasized his commitment to making decisions that benefit the community rather than popular opinion.

“I approach each decision with a commitment to do what is right for our community, even when it was not the most popular choice,” Mundy said.

He outlined three key priorities: filling open positions and addressing retirements; understanding budget revenue changes and implementing new revenue sources; and making strategic infrastructure investments to address traffic congestion and public safety needs.

Referring to his experience on the city’s council, Mundy indicated he was uniquely qualified to step in to lead the city.

*Craig’s children watched the proceedings.*

“It is imperative that the new mayor hits the ground running,” Mundy said. “With my leadership and council, I am prepared to do this.”

Regarding the Mid-States Corridor project, Craig emphasized the need to be prepared for the impacts of whatever actions INDOT and the Federal Highway Administration take regarding the road’s construction.

“The Mid-States corridor brings strong opinions on all sides. While the mayor has no authority over whether a state or federal road is approved, we do have the responsibility of being prepared, ensuring safe exits, sensible traffic designs and a (having a) voice in what we can influence,” Craig explained.

Mundy didn’t directly address the Mid-States Corridor in his speech, but recently publicly announced his stance against it.

*Precinct Committee member Nancy Eckerle places her ballot in the box during voting.*

After the candidates spoke, Kippenbrock recognized the appointment of two tellers. County Councilwoman Sonya Haas and State Senator Daryl Schmitt served as the tellers. Mundy appointed Dave Kunkel as his watcher of the vote and count.

After each member voted, Kippenbrock announced the winner, stating that she would not reveal the caucus vote count, simply the majority winner, before announcing Craig was chosen. Afterward, she clarified that the vote count was not required to be revealed.

Regarding his appointment, Craig said he was excited and surprised. He was content being a member of the County Council.

*Craig hugged his son, Charlie, after speaking with reporters.*

“I didn’t really ever think that the mayor opportunity would come so soon, but after thinking and praying about it and getting plenty of encouragement from the community and lots of discussion with my wife, I decided to do it,” he said.

Craig’s wife, Whitney, said it was a long discussion before the couple decided he would put his name in the running.

“There was some hesitation,” she said. “But we want this city to thrive for our kids when they grow up. We want it to be great.”

The mayor elect’s two children, Millie, 10, and Charlie, 8, were there to watch the process.

Millie said she was excited for her dad and Charlie admitted he was looking forward to having some school friends over Friday evening to celebrate with his family.