New Jasper Council meets, organizes, makes appointments

ByMatthew Crane Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Jasper Common Council met in a special organization meeting Monday morning.

The annual meeting is held to elect the council pro-tempore as well as allow the council to approve their appointments to the various boards and commissions they have representation on.

The council pro-tem, or pro-tempore, is an appointment made annually of a council member to lead the meeting in the absence of the mayor. Retired councilman Tom Schmidt has held the position for several years.

Today, Republican Councilman Kevin Manley was nominated for the position by Councilman Dave Hurst but prior to the council considering the decision, newly-elected Republican Councilman Dean Vonderheide stated he would like to nominate Republican Nancy Eckerle for the appointment.

Prior to the vote, Republican Councilman John Bell voiced that he felt Eckerle was the better appointment to avoid an personality conflicts that may exist. “I don’t want to be the standard politician and get mixed up in oil and water type issues and personalities and things like that,” he said. “From that regard, it makes more sense to go with Nancy.”

Manley and Eckerle both have experience leading board meetings and are familiar with council proceedings, so the nomination was largely split according to party. With the formal nomination of Manley made and seconded, Mayor Terry Seitz proceeded with the motion to nominate Manley for the position and Manley carried the nomination 4-3 with his own vote and three votes from the remaining democrats on the council.

The council also approved the following appointments:

  • Jasper Board of Zoning Appeals: Matt Schaick, new appointment
  • Jasper Plan Commission: Earl Schmitt, new appointment
  • Jasper Arts Commission: Jay Hamlin, new appointment
  • Jasper Utility Service Board: Michael Kern, new member, and Derek Smith, new member to complete Councilman Dave Hurst’s term
  • Dubois County Solid Waste Management Board: John Bell, new appointment

The council also approved Councilman Dean Vonderheide’s continued membership to the Jasper Library Board of Trustees as their appointment. Vonderheide is currently serving as president of the board. His current term is over at the end of 2018.

Mayor Terry Seitz also made his appointments known including the appointment of Jeff Theising as the new street commissioner, replacing Raymie Eckerle.

Scott Eckerle will serve as assistant street commissioner.

  • Mike Bennett, police chief
  • Nathan Schmitt, assistant police chief
  • Kenny Hochgesang, fire chief and code enforcement officer
  • Darla Blazey, director of community development and planning
  • Chad Hurm, city engineer and stormwater manager
  • Renee Kabrick, city attorney
  • Cale Knies, personnel, safety and loss control director
  • Kit Miracle, arts director
  • Ken Buck, park director
  • Bud Hauersperger, general manager of utilities
  • Jerry Schitter, electric distribution manager
  • Ernie Hinkle, gas and water manager
  • Ed Hollinden, wastewater manager

Mayor Seitz has not replaced the mayor’s assistant position formerly held by Lois Kuntz.

The following are board appointments by the mayor, most are four-year terms.

  • Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety: Councilwoman Nancy Eckerle, new appointment and Tim Bell, returning member
  • Jasper Community Arts Commission: Becky Hickman, returning member
  • Jasper Economic Development Commission: Peter Ariens, new member, and Robert Whitten Jr., returning member
  • Jasper Park Board: Dana Schnarr, returning member, one year term
  • Jasper Partnership Commission: Irene Kapp and Max Verkamp, returning members
  • Jasper Plan Commission: Lisa Schmidt, new appointment
  • Jasper Redevelopment Commission one year term: Rick Stradtner, new member, Andrew Seger, returning member, and John Kahle, returning member; (non-voting school board representative) Bernard Vogler, returning member
  • Jasper Stormwater Management Board: Roger Messmer, returning member
  • Jasper Utility Service Board subcommittees, one year term: Dave Hurst for gas, new appointment, Earl Schmitt for electric, returning member, Greg Schnarr for wastewater, returning member, and Kevin Manley for water, returning member
  • Hospital Authority of City of Jasper: Scott Blazey and Ed Cole, new appointments
  • Dubois County Alcohol Beverage Commission, one year term: Barbara Leinenbach, returning member
  • Dubois County Museum Board, three years: Kathy Bachman, returning member
  • Dubois County Tourism Commission, two years: Gail Hettinger, returning member and Robert Ruckriegel, returning member
  • Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission, one year term: Greg Schnarr, new appointment

The council also rescheduled the January 20 regular meeting due to a conflict with an Indiana Association of Cities and Towns newly-elected officials workshop that John Bell, Nancy Eckerle, Dean Vonderheide and Dave Hurst will be attending. The meeting was moved to Thursday, January 21, at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.

 

 

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