Last night in Muncie’s first City Council meeting of 2024, members voted Jerry Dishman as their new president, replacing Jeff Robinson whose term ended late last year. He was voted in by 8-0, with Brandon Garrett being absent.
The meeting comes two months after the 2023 election where three Democratic nominees (Sara Gullion, Harold Mason Jr., and William “Billy” McIntosh) won seats for the first time. Democratic members were sworn in on December 11th and Republicans on December 17th.
Dishman first became elected to the council in 2007 in his race in District 5 against now-mayor Dan Ridenour. 2023 marked his fifth time winning the seat, and he previously served as president between 2012 and 2019. Although there was some possibility of Nora Powell being appointed the position, seeing as how she previously served in council between 2012 and 2019, Powell says she supports the decision to put Dishman in council.
Former president of council Jeff Robinson, who’s now out after being his party’s nominee for mayor, said of Dishman’s appointment: “in the first year with a new majority, I think it’s a real show of respect to the senior member. And that’s exactly what we saw tonight, just a show of respect to the senior member of the council. I think Jerry will lead them well.” Also in appointments last night: Nora Powell was voted Vice President and Sara Gullion was voted reading secretary.