Lovelace announces his final term for Dayton

City’s longest-serving commissioner and Joseph take oaths of office.

DAYTON — Longtime City Commissioners Dean Lovelace and Matt Joseph renewed their oaths of office Tuesday, with Lovelace saying this will be his final four-year term serving the city of Dayton.

“This is my sixth and last term as a commissioner; you won’t be hearing my name anymore (after this term),” Lovelace said. “The 18 years I’ve served has definitely been a great way to do public service.”

Lovelace and Joseph each got more than 17,000 votes in November, easily defeating election challengers Mark Manovich and William Pace. In December, Lovelace, 65, surpassed Dick Zimmer as the longest-serving commissioner in Dayton’s history.

In a commission chamber packed with city and county officials, state legislators and family and friends, both men thanked supporters. Lovelace said he’ll continue to focus on poverty reduction, community reinvestment and fair lending, issues he said have always been part of his “economic justice” agenda.

Joseph, beginning his third term, focused on positive momentum for the city, pointing out several consecutive months of revenue gains. He said after years of cutbacks “that would have horrified people” 10 years ago, he looked forward to being part of the city’s next wave of prosperity.

“I think maybe toward the end of this (four-year) term, things are going to be better,” Joseph said. “We’ve been in the valley and we’re finally coming out. ... We’ve been a leading city, a vital city. We retain elements of that, and we’re going to get back there again.”

With Lovelace and Joseph returning to office — alongside Mayor Gary Leitzell and Commissioners Joey Williams and Nan Whaley — the commission is unchanged for 2012, only the second election in which that’s happened since 2001.

About the Author