HANCOCK COUNTY — His family spent a lot of time using a steam iron on D.J. Davis’ black judge’s robe earlier in the day. Underneath the robe, he was wearing a shirt and tie in purple, his father’s favorite color.
With his wife, Heather; two sons, Kevin and Ryan; along with his brothers, his mom and his in-laws standing by his side, Davis placed his hand on the family Bible and was sworn into office as the new Hancock County Superior Court 1 judge.
“This whole day has just been great getting warmed up for this,” Davis said. “I’m overwhelmed because you look forward to this and then there is a lull in between the win and this, but it is happening.”
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Davis’s longtime friend, Judge Jonathan Brown of Hamilton County Superior Court 2, a former law partner, did the honor of swearing Davis in.
When asked how it felt to put on his robe, something he’ll wear most days moving forward, Davis said, “It feels good.”
Davis was one of several newly elected or re-elected county officials taking the oath of office Thursday, Dec. 17, in Hancock County Circuit Court, with their new positions set to start Jan. 1. All the new officeholders are Republicans.
Judge Scott Sirk of Hancock County Circuit Court; Judge Dan Marshall of Hancock County Superior Court 2; and outgoing Superior Court 1 Judge Marie Castetter handled the swearing-in ceremonies for the county office winners.
Among the first-time officeholders on hand to take the oath of office were Bill Spalding, county commissioner, District 3; Jane Klemme, county treasurer; and Robin Lowder, county council at-large. Steve Leonard, newly chosen as Center Township trustee by a Republican Party caucus to replace the retiring Ron Horning, also was sworn in. Another first-time county officeholder, Keely Butrum, was unable to attend to be sworn in as a new county council member.
Four incumbents also were sworn in for new terms: County Commissioner John Jessup, representing District 1; County Coucilman Kent Fisk; Coroner David Stillinger; and Marshall. He took the oath of office administered by Sirk before then pitching in to swear the others into office.
Spalding, who was sworn in by Marshall, brought his three sons — Ethan, Jacob and Joey — along with his mother, Sarah Spalding, and his friend Ronda Cook to share in the occasion.
“That was an exciting moment,” Spalding said afterward, still holding the family Bible in hand. He said he’s ready to get to work.
“The fact that the seat got settled back in June left a lot of time between then and now to prepare, and I don’t know if you call it anxiety about the wait to get in the office, but here in the next few weeks, it’s going to happen,” Spalding said. He won in the June primary and was unopposed in the November election.
He thinks the COVID-19 pandemic will be at the forefront of business for the commissioners. He also wants to continue to make sure the county grows in a positive direction, Spalding said.
Klemme, the new county treasurer, was county auditor in Fayette County some 20 years ago. She said she was looking forward to getting to work.
“I’ve been in training actually this week and last week, and they didn’t have that kind of thing 20 years ago, so that has been really, really nice, just taking it all in,” Klemme said. “I’ve got a lot of reading to do, but there is a good staff in that office, so that will help.”
Janice Silvey, the outgoing county treasurer and chair of the county Republican Party, organized the event and noted the ceremony is always a fun event for the incoming officeholders and their families.
“This isn’t something that we have to do, but we’ve always thought it was special to have the judges swear people in,” Silvey said. “This is what they’ve waited for and is going to send them off on their big start.”
