Vandalia swears in interim city manager Kurt Althouse and two new police officers

Vandalia officials administered oaths of office to Kurt Althouse as interim city manager and to two newly hired police officers during the council meeting.

Mayor Herbst administered the oath to Kurt Althouse. City remarks introduced Althouse as a native of Tipp City with 22 years of service in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, who joined the Vandalia police department in October 2014, served as chief of police since 2018 and previously served as interim city manager in 2020 and 2021. Althouse spoke briefly and thanked council after the oath.

Council then swore in two police officers who reported for duty that morning and began initial orientation and field training with the Division of Police. Hunter Stout was introduced with remarks that he graduated from Wharton Senior High School (2009), earned a bachelor of science in communication from the University of Louisville (2013), and served in school security and corrections roles prior to joining Dayton Police in March 2023; staff said he currently lives in Kettering. Alexander (Alex) Plummer was introduced as joining the department the same morning, having worked as a corrections officer with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office before joining Dayton Police in March 2023; staff said Plummer lives in Kettering with his girlfriend and daughter. Each officer repeated the standard oath to support the Constitution and to observe the city charter and ordinances and to faithfully discharge the duties of their offices.

Council and staff welcomed the new officers and Althouse. Several council members and staff during the meeting later thanked public works crews and other city employees for recent snow‑removal efforts and reiterated support for new staff who had just been sworn in.