RELATED: Rue, Chilton, Estrop elected to Springfield city commission
The commission will have two new members beginning next month, the first change to the city’s governing body in eight years. Incumbent City Commissioner Joyce Chilton will be sworn in for her third term, while local funeral home owner Rob Rue and retired school superintendent David Estrop both will begin their first term.
Springfield Fire/Rescue Division Assistant Chief Brian Miller also will be sworn in as the city’s new fire chief, replacing Nick Heimlich, who served as chief since 2010 and retiring.
Chilton, Rue and Estrop will join Mayor Warren Copeland and longtime City Commissioner Kevin O’Neill on the five-member board.
Estrop and Rue will replace Dan Martin, who served five terms but lost his re-election bid in November, and Karen Duncan, who didn’t run again after 12 years on the commission.
RELATED: Report: Springfield in fiscal stress, leaders say finances better now
Chilton, a freelance paralegal who retired from the Clark County Public Library, will serve her third consecutive term on the commission. Rue is co-owner of Littleton and Rue Funeral Home and Estrop is the former superintendent for the Springfield City School District. Both men are first-time politicians.
Commissioners earn an annual salary of $10,750. They oversee a government that serves about 59,000 people with a $43 million annual general fund budget and about 570 employees.
The city’s regular bi-weekly business meeting will follow the swearing-in ceremony.
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