Turner-Sloss, new city Commissioner Darius Beckham and returning Commissioner Darryl Fairchild were sworn in to their seats on the Dayton City Commission during a ceremony at the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center in Dayton. The three join Commissioners Matt Joseph and Chris Shaw.
Turner-Sloss took her oath with her family, former Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, and the families of former Commissioners Dean Lovelace and Idotha “Bootsie” Neal by her side. Turner-Sloss joined the commission in 2022 and defeated incumbent Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. in the November election.
The new mayor shared her vision for the city, which she called a “flight plan”: housing, public safety, and building stronger business relationships were among the top priorities toward success.
“The runway is clear, the engines are ready, and the future is calm,” Turner-Sloss said.
Beckham joins the city commission for the first time as a commissioner. He previously served as the former legislative aide for the city commission and as Mims’ previous senior policy aide.
“I’m committed to a Dayton where our streets are safe, stable, and cared for. Where responsibility is shared across residents, property owners, and city hall,” he said.
Fairchild is entering his third term on the commission. He is also the manager of chaplain services at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Fairchild told a packed room on Monday that Dayton must invest in young people, stop the spread of blight and take steps to make sure every resident feels safe.
“I don’t believe in top-down leadership. I believe in working with residents, with neighborhood associations, with parents, faith leaders, and young people, because real change comes when people are committed together,” he said.
Turner-Sloss won 52% of votes during the general election in November, unseating Mims. Mims had been Dayton’s mayor since 2021, before then serving as a commissioner.
Mims wished his successor all the best during Monday’s swearing-in ceremony.
“There’s probably no other honor, except being a veteran in Vietnam, that I expressed as being your mayor for the great city of Dayton, Ohio. None,” Mims said.
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