GOP chooses Hackman as new chairwoman; full slate of candidates approved by parties

Bartholomew County Republican and Democratic political parties over the weekend selected officers for the next four years.

Republicans chose Barb Hackman, the county auditor, as the party’s new chairwoman. Hackman replaces the late Ted Ogle, the longtime county leader who died in January.

The party’s central committee, made up of precinct committee members and vice precinct committee members, voted Saturday for its slate of candidates, which included DeWayne Hines as vice chairman, Jorge Morales as secretary and Luann Welmer as treasurer.

The county Democrats also had their organizational meeting on Saturday, and there were no changes to the party’s leadership.

Priscilla Scalf will continue to serve as chairwoman, Zack Ellison as vice chairman, Jessie Hill as secretary and Kathy Thompson as treasurer.

Scalf is executive director at the Eastside Community Center. She was a four-year member of the Columbus City Council and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in the November 2011 election.

She became Democratic Party leader in May 2012, replacing Jaimie Johns.

Although the GOP leadership position would normally have been filled within 30 days, the state party advised the Bartholomew County Republicans to wait until Saturday’s reorganization meeting to fill the position that had been held by Ogle.

“Ted had so much passion, so much energy, not only for the party but for his country, for Bartholomew County,” Hackman said. “He just really cared about what happened in his community. They are big shoes to fill, and I hope I can do them justice.”

Hackman has worked for the county in a variety of roles since 1983, including 13 years in the auditor’s office under former auditors Sue Paris and Vernon Jewell, and about two years in the treasurer’s office. She ran for county recorder in 2002, losing to Betty Jean Beshear.

Hackman was elected Columbus Township assessor by a Republican caucus in 2003 to replace Katie Garvey, who resigned.

Hackman won a full term to the township office in 2006, but in 2008 voters decided to merge the Columbus Township assessor’s office with the Bartholomew County assessor. Before that election, Hackman was appointed to finish the term of Auditor Nancy McKinney, who died in an October 2008 house fire with her husband, Jimmie, a former county sheriff. Hackman was elected to a full term as county auditor in 2010.

Mary Shaffer, the Republican Party’s former vice chairwoman, served as interim chairwoman after Ogle’s death. She did not seek re-election.

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