By Sadie Hunter
Jim Dillon was elected March 16 by Hamilton Co. Republican Party precinct committeemen in a special caucus to fill the vacant Hamilton Co. Council seat of Jim Belden.
Belden, who served as a county councilor for more than 22 years and was running for reelection in the May 3 primary, died Feb. 14. Since his death, his name has been removed from the ballot. Incumbent Brad Beaver, Bill Dennis, Jeff Hern, George Kehl and incumbent Rick McKinney remain on the ballot to fill three at-large seats.
“No one really expected this, and they needed someone to step in,” Dillon, 76, said. “Two of the guys running in this year’s election that will be in the primary in May, they had other jobs that they didn’t want to quit until the end of the year.”
Dillon’s term, however, won’t be a long one and will end Dec. 31.
“It’s basically a nine month deal,” he said.
Dillon won the seat on the third ballot against John Accetturo, Jerry Brewton, Roger Conn and Bill Dennis. Dillon lead the ballot in the first two rounds, but to be appointed, needed a majority of 50 percent.
“What I’m trying to accomplish is getting the public safety training facility built,” he said.
The $3 million in funding needed by the Hamilton Co. Council to build the training facility was voted down 4-3 Aug. 5, despite strong support from many fire and police departments in the county – including the Hamilton Co. Sheriff’s Office and Hamilton Co. Professional Firefighters Local 4416 – and the cities of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield.
Dillon served on the Clay Township Board for 17 years and has lived in Carmel for 30. Born and raised in Noblesville, he said he married his high school sweetheart, Susannah, and they’ve been married for 54 years. Together they have three sons, William, John and Matthew, and eight grandchildren. The youngest son, Matthew, teaches history at Carmel High School. Dillon’s father, Dr. James A. Dillon, served on the Noblesville Park Board for nearly 40 years is the honoree of Noblesville’s Dr. James A. Dillon Park.
