Marlena Sloss/The Herald
Huntingburg Mayor Steve Schwinghamer, center, shakes the hand of Clerk-Treasurer Tom Dippel after being sworn in as mayor while Schwinghamer's wife, Becky, left, holds the Bible at Old Town Hall in Huntingburg on Wednesday.

By CANDY NEAL
cneal@dcherald.com

HUNTINGBURG — Steve Schwinghamer is ready to take the reins as Huntingburg’s new mayor.

“I have the interests of the city and what’s best for the city in my heart,” he said Wednesday morning at Old Town Hall. “And I’ll work every day to do that.”

Schwinghamer, 69, was sworn in Wednesday morning, making him the 22nd person to hold the position. His wife, Becky, was by his side and holding his personal Bible, on which Schwinghamer laid his hand. Watching in the audience were some of their children: Molly Prior, Jon Menke and Jeremy Schwinghamer. Molly brought her children, 2-year-old Henry and 1-year-old Jackson. Jeremy, who lives in Florida, came to town and surprised his dad at the ceremony.

A caucus of Republican committeemen selected Schwinghamer on Nov. 19 to complete the last three years of Denny Spinner’s term. Spinner resigned to become executive director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

“With Denny’s leadership in the past nine years,” Schwinghamer said, “the shoes are going to be big to fill, let’s put it that way. I certainly will do my best to do that.”

Schwinghamer has been working the last few days to get acclimated. He sat with Spinner to learn the workings of the position, met with department heads in individual meetings and talked to staff to learn more about their job duties. He attended Tuesday night’s Huntingburg Common Council meeting via telephone to address the council members.

“I know together we can make this place even better than what it already is,” Schwinghamer told the councilmen.

At Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony, he indicated he was ready to work for the city and its residents.

“It is truly an honor to be next mayor of the great City of Huntingburg,” Schwinghamer said. “I look forward to working with all of you. And we’ll see if we can keep this going in the right direction.”