Who Runs Springfield? — Government Structure Guide

🏛️ City of Springfield

The City of Springfield uses a commission-manager form of government. That means voters elect a five-person City Commission, and the Commission hires a professional City Manager to run day-to-day operations. Think of the Commission as the board of directors and the City Manager as the CEO.

How the chain of command works

Voters of Springfield

▼

City Commission (5 elected members)

▼ appoints

City Manager

Law Director

Finance Director

City Clerk

▼ City Manager oversees

Police

Fire

Community Dev.

Public Works

All Other Depts.

City Commission

Five members elected at-large (city-wide) to four-year terms. The Commission selects the Mayor and Assistant Mayor from among themselves. Meets every other Tuesday at 7:00 PM at City Hall.

Rob Rue Elected

Mayor

Term ends: December 31, 2027 Email: rrue@springfieldohio.gov Phone: 937-324-7341

Tracey Tackett Elected

Assistant Mayor

Term ends: December 31, 2027 Email: ttackett@springfieldohio.gov Phone: 937-324-7341

Chris Wallace Elected

City Commissioner

Term ends: December 30, 2029 Email: cwallace@springfieldohio.gov Phone: 937-324-7341

Andy Rigsbee Elected

City Commissioner

Term ends: December 30, 2029 Email: arigsbee@springfieldohio.gov Phone: 937-324-7341

Larry Ricketts Elected

City Commissioner

Term ends: December 30, 2029 Email: lricketts@springfieldohio.gov Phone: 937-324-7341

What does the Mayor actually do? In Springfield's system, the Mayor is one of five equal commissioners. The title is mostly ceremonial: the Mayor presides over meetings and serves as the official representative of the city. The real executive power belongs to the City Manager.

Appointed City Leadership

These positions are appointed by the City Commission, not elected by voters. They serve at the pleasure of the Commission.

Bryan Heck Appointed

City Manager

In role since: February 2019 Reports to: City Commission Phone: 937-324-7300

Jill Allen Appointed

Law Director

Reports to: City Commission Phone: 937-324-7351

Katie Eviston Appointed

Finance Director

Reports to: City Commission Phone: 937-324-7700

Regina Jeffers Appointed

City Clerk

Reports to: City Commission Phone: 937-324-7341

Why does this matter? The City Manager is the most powerful non-elected official in Springfield. Bryan Heck oversees every city department, hires and fires department heads, and proposes the annual budget. If you have a problem with how a city service is running, the City Manager's office is where the buck stops.

Key Department Heads

These people report to the City Manager and run the departments that deliver services to residents.

Allison Elliott, Police Chief

Police Division — 937-324-7685

Jacob King, Fire Chief

Fire Rescue Division — 937-324-7605

Tom Franzen, Asst. City Manager

Economic Development — 937-324-7300

Logan Cobbs, Director

Community Development — 937-324-7381

Chris Moore, Director

Service Department — 937-525-5800

Leslie McDermott, Director

Human Resources — 937-324-7372

Karen Graves, Director

Communications — 937-324-7300

Jason Via, Deputy Director

Public Safety & Operations — 937-324-7300

🏢 Clark County Government

Clark County has a traditional Ohio county structure. The Board of County Commissioners is the main governing body, but many other county offices are independently elected and operate with their own authority. The county government covers all of Clark County, including Springfield and the surrounding townships and villages.

County structure at a glance

Voters of Clark County

▼ elect separately

Commissioners (3)

Sheriff

Prosecutor

Auditor

Treasurer

Recorder

Engineer

Clerk of Courts

Coroner

Commissioners hire a County Administrator to manage day-to-day operations

▼

Jennifer Hutchinson, County Administrator

City vs. County: What's the difference? The City of Springfield only covers the city limits. Clark County covers everything: Springfield, all the townships (German Twp., Moorefield Twp., etc.), and the smaller villages. Some services overlap, and some are split. For example, city residents are served by the Springfield Police Division, while people living outside city limits are served by the Clark County Sheriff.

Board of County Commissioners

Three commissioners elected at-large to four-year overlapping terms. They handle the county budget, facilities, and personnel. Regular sessions at 3130 East Main Street, Springfield.

Sasha Rittenhouse Elected

Commissioner, Board President

Elected: November 2022 Term ends: December 31, 2026 (up for election Nov. 2026) Phone: 937-521-2004

Charles Patterson Elected

Commissioner

Elected: November 2024 Sworn in: January 3, 2025 Term ends: December 31, 2028 Phone: 937-521-2002

Rick Lohnes Acting

Acting Commissioner

Serving since: January 2, 2026 Filling vacancy left by Melanie Flax Wilt (resigned Dec. 2025) Seat term runs to: December 31, 2028 ⚠ Permanent replacement pending (see note below)

What's happening with the third seat? Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt resigned at the end of December 2025. Former Commissioner Rick Lohnes was named acting commissioner on January 2, 2026. Under Ohio law, the Republican Central Committee is supposed to appoint a replacement, but two rival groups each claiming to be the legitimate committee have each appointed different candidates. As of March 2026, the situation remains unresolved and Lohnes continues to serve. The seat will be up for election in November 2026.

Other Elected County Officials

Unlike city department heads who work for the City Manager, these county officials are each independently elected by voters. They don't report to the County Commissioners.

Christopher D. Clark Elected

Sheriff

Chief law enforcement officer for the county Phone: 937-521-2050

Daniel P. Driscoll Elected

Prosecuting Attorney

Prosecutes felonies and advises county agencies

Hillary Hamilton Elected

County Auditor

Manages property values, tax distribution, county payroll

Pamela Littlejohn Elected

County Treasurer

Collects property taxes and invests county funds Phone: 937-521-1831

Nancy Pence Elected

County Recorder

Records deeds, mortgages, and official documents

Johnathan Burr Elected

County Engineer

Maintains county roads, bridges, and drainage

Melissa Tuttle Elected

Clerk of Courts

Maintains court records, titles, and passports

Dr. Susan Brown

Coroner

Investigates suspicious and unattended deaths Ran as Independent in Nov. 2024 general election Currently listed on county website as serving

🏠 Ohio State Legislators

Springfield and Clark County are represented in the Ohio General Assembly by a State Senator and State Representative. These are the people who write state laws, set the state budget, and shape policy that directly affects your community.

Kyle Koehler Elected

Ohio State Senator, District 10

Party: Republican District: Clark, Greene, and Clinton Counties Term ends: December 31, 2028 Lifelong Clark County resident (Springfield) Website: ohiosenate.gov/members/kyle-koehler

Bernie Willis Elected

Ohio State Representative, District 74

Party: Republican District: Springfield / Clark County Term ends: December 31, 2026 Website: ohiohouse.gov/members/bernard-willis

🇺🇸 Federal Representatives

Springfield and Clark County's representatives in Washington, D.C.

Mike Turner Elected

U.S. Representative, 10th District

Party: Republican District includes Clark, Montgomery, and Greene Counties Dayton office: 937-225-2843 Website: turner.house.gov

Bernie Moreno Elected

U.S. Senator (Senior)

Party: Republican In office since: January 3, 2025 Next election: 2030 Columbus office: 614-469-2083 Website: moreno.senate.gov

Jon Husted Appointed

U.S. Senator (Junior)

Party: Republican Appointed by Gov. DeWine on Jan. 17, 2025 to fill J.D. Vance's vacancy Serving until: Special election, November 3, 2026 Columbus office: 614-369-4925 Website: husted.senate.gov

❓ Common Questions

My street has a pothole. Who do I call?
If you live inside city limits: the City of Springfield Service Department (937-525-5800). Outside city limits: the Clark County Engineer's office.

Who do I complain to about my property taxes?
Start with the Clark County Auditor's office (Hillary Hamilton). They set property values. If you believe your valuation is wrong, you can file a complaint with the Board of Revision.

Can the City Commission fire the Police Chief?
Not directly. The Police Chief reports to the City Manager. The Commission can pressure the City Manager, or fire the City Manager if they're unhappy with how things are going, but they don't hire or fire department heads themselves.

What's the difference between the City Law Director and the County Prosecutor?
The Law Director (Jill Allen) handles the city's legal work: contracts, ordinances, misdemeanor prosecutions in municipal court. The County Prosecutor (Dan Driscoll) handles felony criminal cases and serves as legal counsel to county agencies.

When are City Commission meetings?
Every other Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Forum of City Hall. The public is welcome. View upcoming agendas on PrimeGov →