Hampton Appointed To Fill District 5 City Council Seat
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Dan Hampton was appointed to serve as District 5 councilman on the Warsaw City Council during a caucus Tuesday night at the Republican headquarters.
Hampton will replace former Councilman Bill Rhoades, who died Aug. 26.
Carl Sowers, who prev iously ran for the seat in 2003 against Rhoades, also applied for the seat.Republican Precinct committeemen Warren Tatter, 5-1, and Josh Spangle, 5-2, appointed Hampton to fill Rhoades' seat.
Hampton will join councilmen Joe Thallemer, Kyle Babcock, Charlie Smith, Jerry Patterson, Jeff Grose and George Clemens on the council.
Both candidates had the opportunity to speak about why they would make an effective city councilman.
Hampton has served as chief deputy prosecuting attorney since 2003 and said he feels his legal background will assist him with serving on the council.
"I'm excited to serve on the city council and to be in a position to monitor city departments and look for avenues to bring money into the city to promote less burden on city tax payers," Hampton said.
He said he is interested in establishing a neighborhood watch program that would encourage residents to watch out for one another.
Aaron Rovenstine, Kosciusko County Republican P arty chairman, said Hampton will serve the city well.
"I always knew Dan would be a politician when we attended Ball State together and he came up to me and convinced me to vote for him for student council," Rovenstine said.
Mayor Ernie Wiggins said he was pleased with the candidates who ran for the seat.
"I've known Dan for some time and I think he will bring fresh ideas to the council and be a good addition," Wiggins said.
Hampton moved to Warsaw from Grant County in 1969. He attended Lincoln School, Warsaw Middle School, Warsaw Freshman High and graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1980.
After graduating from Ball State University in 1984 and Thomas Cooley Law School in 1987, he returned to Warsaw in 1988.
He began serving as an associate attorney to the Warsaw city attorney. He also was a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney for Kosciusko County.
In 1991, he was promoted to chief deputy prosecuting attorney and served for four years.
For a brief period he worked in Allen County and returned to Warsaw in 1998 where he and his wife are raising their two children.
In 1998, he established the law firm, Hampton & Voelz, where he rejoined the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney's office under the administration of Steve Hearn.
He has served as chief deputy prosecuting attorney since 2003.
Hampton is a precinct committeeman, Republican party state delegate, former president of Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals and Kosciusko County 4-H and Community Fair; Kosciusko County Shrine Club member and Warsaw Community Development Corp. member.
He also serves on Warsaw Evening Lions and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus and is a former president of Kosciusko County Shrine Club; Kosciusko County Shrine Mini Bike Patrol; Warsaw Masonic Lodge; Pierceton Masonic Lodge; Kosciusko County YMCA and Kosciusko County Bar Association.
