Cappa fills seat for ‘dear friend and mentor’

Jeff Cappa left Richmond Common Council after one term to spend more time with his family.

Then Bob Chamness, a man Cappa considers family, asked Cappa to replace Chamness on Wayne County Council, if the need would arise. Chamness died March 3, just more than a year into his third term, and a month later, Cappa represented District 1 during council’s April 3 meeting.

“I’ve got some awfully big shoes to fill. Bob did a fantastic job,” Cappa said. “I was very humbled by him asking me to do this on his behalf.”

Cappa was selected April 2 during a Republican caucus to complete Chamness’s term. Chamness was Cappa’s lieutenant with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and the men knew each other for more than 40 years.

“Bob was a dear friend and mentor, and I considered his family part of my family,” Cappa said.

After Chamness requested Cappa fill his seat if his health failed, Cappa spoke with his own family and with Chamness’s family. Those conversations led Cappa to decide that the right thing was “to fulfill and honor Bob’s request to serve on the county council.”

“Bob was an icon for county government, years of working for the county,” Cappa said. “I just want to continue those strong, conservative values that Bob lived his life on.”

Cappa became a full-time jail officer April 1, 1980, and served the sheriff’s department until ending the maximum two terms as sheriff Dec. 31, 2018. He then joined Reid Health as its security team transitioned to a police department and became the department’s chief during September 2022.

In the 2019 election, Cappa won the District 4 seat on Richmond Common Council. He served as council’s president during 2023.

“Serving on Richmond council certainly gave me a different perspective and helped me learn the responsibilities of being a council member, but I also think my 38-plus years of service with Wayne County also helps,” Cappa said. “I’m looking forward to working with the county council.”

Make My Move

Council unanimously voted to consider funding an additional contract year with Make My Move.

The year, with an increased goal of 30 movers, requires a $130,973 commitment, which would come from consolidated EDIT funds. If Wayne County incentivizes 30 remote workers to relocate, it could receive a $60,000 grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. There currently have been 13 movers in more than two years.

The city of Richmond paid the Make My Move contract the first two years, but did not budget this year for Make My Move. The city, however, is the largest contributor to the consolidated EDIT fund.

Council actions

• Council voted to spend $105,500 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars for a sheriff’s vehicle and transport van. The savings in the general fund will be put into a special projects line item. Using the ARPA money now, eliminates the federally required time line for spending the funds.
• Council in the morning and commissioners in the afternoon approved a letter of engagement with Waggoner Irwin Scheele & Associates in Muncie for employee salary studies in preparation for the 2025 budget. The work will cost up to $10,620. Max Smith, chair of council’s personnel committee, said he’d like council to begin seriously considering longevity pay.