Myrl Shoemaker’s Son to Preside over Chillicothe City Council
At noon Friday – in a special joint session of the Ross County Common Pleas Court, Ross County Probate and Juvenile Court, and Chillicothe Municipal Court – four judges administrated the oaths of office to 11 officials who won their fall election.
Those included the re-elected Mayor of Chillicothe Luke Feeney (D), council members and council president, and re-elected Judge of Chillicothe Municipal Court Toni Eddy (R).
Kevin L. Shoemaker (D) was sworn in as President of City Council, using the family Bible of his father, locally famous Ohio legislator and Lieutenant Governor Myrl Shoemaker. Hear my interview of him below. He won election over incumbent Joe Gieringer (R).
Officials often brought their families and family Bibles up to the judges for the oaths. The officials were then seated in the jury box as a traditional representation that they are now no longer ordinary citizens.
Refreshments were served in the courtroom foyer by a bipartisan effort of the Ross County Democratic and Republican parties.
The officials who were sworn in:
- Luke Martin Feeney, Mayor of Chillicothe, by Judge Schmidt
- Kevin L. Shoemaker, President of City Council, by Judge Ater
- Jeffrey D. Creed, Council at Large, by Judge Benson
- Allison Henderson, Council at Large, by Judge Schmidt
- Dustin Proehl, Council at Large, by Judge Ater
- Lisa A. Bennett, First Ward Council, by Judge Street
- Diedra M. Nickerson, Third Ward Council, by Judge Benson
- Steven W. Barnes, Fourth Ward Council, by Judge Schmidt
- Gregory A. McKeever, Fifth Ward Council, by Judge Ater
- Dan Demint, Sixth Ward Council, by Judge Benson
- Toni L. Eddy, Judge of Chillicothe Municipal Court, by Judge Street
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including a video interview.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.