Hillsboro City Council members sworn in for new terms
At left: Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha swears in Hillsboro City Council members (l-r) Tom Eichinger, Heith Brown, Cody Mathews, Mary Stanforth and Dan Baucher. At right, Mayor Justin Harsha administers the oath of office to incoming council member Gary Lewis. (HCP Photos/Caitlin Forsha)
Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha administered the oaths of office to six incoming Hillsboro City Council members during a ceremony Thursday, Dec. 11.
Current council members Dan Baucher, Tom Eichinger and Mary Stanforth, as well as newly elected members Heith Brown, Gary Lewis and Cody Mathews, were sworn in Thursday. The incoming council will also include incumbent Adam Wilkin and newcomer Logan Kelly.
The new members will not officially take office until Jan. 1, 2026.
Harsha said he was “happy to swear everybody in and ring in a new year,” as he welcomed the new council members and thanked the incumbents for their continued service. The new council members were joined by family and friends for the ceremony.
“Thank you for your commitment to the city of Hillsboro,” the mayor said.
All three at-large seats on council were won by newcomers in Brown, Kelly and Mathews. Brown is a Marine veteran and former educator who was previously employed as the Highland County Director of Workforce Development. Kelly is an Army National Guardsman, a full-time Pike Natural Gas employee and a part-time Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire employee. Mathews is a teacher at Hillsboro High School, where he has served as an assistant football coach and as president of the Hillsboro Education Association’s executive committee.
The three new council at large members will replace Jason Brown, Kathryn Hapner and Greg Maurer.
The other new member to council, although not new to city government, is Republican Gary Lewis, who was elected to represent Ward 2. Lewis previously served as city auditor for just over 13 years. Since leaving that position in 2019, Lewis has been employed as the finance director of the Village of Greenfield. He replaces current council member Don Storer.
During the regular city council meeting held after Thursday evening’s ceremony, Harsha recognized the current council members for their service.
“I’d just like to thank all the council members that are leaving after this meeting,” Harsha said. “Thank you for all you've done for the city of Hillsboro.”
Eichinger has served as council president since being appointed in April 2019. First Ward representative Wilkin and Fourth Ward representative Stanforth are entering their third terms on council. The other incumbent Baucher, the Third Ward representative, will be starting his second term in 2026.
Due to legislation enacted in 2024, the four ward positions are two-year terms for this term only, after which candidates will resume being elected for four years. The change was made in order to have staggered terms.
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