New city council member picked among 5 candidates

A longtime resident who has always wanted to serve on the city council is getting his chance.

Dan Richards, a sheriff’s deputy who works providing security at the Johnson County Courthouse, is the newest member of the Franklin City Council.

He was picked by local Republican Party leaders in a caucus this week and replaces city council member Keith Fox, who resigned because he was moving outside the city.

Richards said he believes in applying common sense and integrity to his position as a city leader, and said he is a committed fiscal conservative.

His job as a member of the seven-person city council will be to consider and approve the city’s annual spending budget and major projects and expenses.

He was one of five men who sought the seat on the city council.

Former Mayor Fred Paris, Josh Prine, a network administrator, local business owner Josh Lewis and Michael Spongberg, a veteran who moved to Franklin three years ago and made it his home, wanted the job.

Richards was selected by 19 precinct committee members who cast secret ballots at the caucus. Two votes were conducted before Richards had a simple majority and was sworn in.

He is a graduate of Indian Creek High School and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Richards moved to Franklin in 1976 and is a member of the American Legion and the Franklin Elks Lodge 1818.

Richards will serve through the end of 2019. Council members are paid $7,374 this year.

This was the fifth caucus to replace a Franklin official in about a year. Last year, then-mayor Joe McGuinness resigned in the middle of his term to become commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation, and city council member Steve Barnett was selected as the new mayor. Bob Heuchan was selected to replace Barnett on the city council.

In January, longtime member Joe Ault resigned his District 1 seat due to public concern about a post on Facebook. He was replaced by Stephen R. Brown, who resigned within days due to concern over a recent criminal charges. Danny Blankenship was selected to replace him in March.