Saint Joseph County Council elects officers for 2026

The Saint Joseph County Council elected Brian Tanner as its 2026 council president in a roll-call vote on Jan. 6, 2026, the council announced at a special organizing meeting.

Council members nominated Tanner, and the nomination was seconded by Missus Shabazz. After a roll-call vote, the presiding officer announced, 'Passes 6 to 3,' electing Tanner to lead the council for the coming year.

The organizing meeting also selected Dan Chesil as president pro tempore. Mister Tanner nominated Chesil and Councilwoman Hess seconded the motion. That vote passed 5–4 after a roll-call that recorded yes votes from Hess, Catanzarite, Schoetzle, Shabazz and Tanner and no votes from Thomas, Figg, Drake and Rutten.

A brief procedural exchange preceded the pro tempore vote when a member raised a point of order asking whether nominations should be opened to multiple candidates. The presiding officer said the council’s rules were changed last year to handle nominations as motions that must be resolved before another motion may be considered; members discussed past practice before proceeding to a recorded vote.

The council also elected Randy Figg as vice president pro tempore. Figg accepted the nomination after it was made; the roll-call vote carried 6–3, with the presiding officer again announcing the result ('Passes 6-3').

Vote tallies were recorded by roll call. For the president election the council recorded yes votes from Rutten, Hess, Catanzarite, Tanner, Figg and Shabazz and no votes from Thomas, Drake and Schoetzle. For the president pro tempore vote the yes votes were Hess, Catanzarite, Schoetzle, Shabazz and Tanner; for the vice president pro tempore vote the majority carried 6–3. The meeting concluded after the officers were elected and a motion to adjourn was approved.

The elections set the council’s leadership for 2026. No other substantive policy items were taken up at the special meeting.