By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Six elected and 13 appointed Decatur officials took an oath of office Thursday night in a 30-minute ceremony at The HIVE downtown.
Among them were Mayor Dan Rickord and five members of city council, all of whom begin four-year terms come January 1. Rickord, Matt Dyer, Scott Murray and Tyler Fullenkamp will be starting new terms while Jenny Bowers-Shultz and Abby Wilder are new members.
There was one surprise, something which had been rumored but became official Thursday night: Craig Coshow will be remaining on the city’s board of works and safety.
Coshow has been a member or the board during his eight years on city council, but he lost his council seat when defeated in last spring’s Republican primary.
He and Fullenkamp were appointed by Mayor Rickord to new four-year terms on the board and were sworn in.
Fullenkamp was the only person to take an oath twice, as a member of council and also as a member of the board of works.
All oaths were administered by Adams Circuit Court Judge Chad Kukelhan (photo) who, along with the mayor, offered some brief remarks before the official work began.
A good-sized crowd was on hand, with many of those sworn in being surrounded by family members as they took the oath.
One elected official was unable to attend: Kevin Hackman, who replaces Phyllis Whitright as clerk-treasurer. He will be sworn in later.
Noting that “these paths are promises,” the mayor said, “I’m very happy with the team we have assembled.”