A Beech Grove councilor wants to be the city’s first Republican mayor since 2011.
Dan McMillan announced his 2027 mayoral bid Sept. 19 during the city’s fall festival. McMillan said he wants to ensure Beech Grove remains a city separate from Indianapolis.
“I’m afraid the city is going to try to be swallowed up by Indianapolis, and I don’t want that to happen,” McMillan told Mirror Indy. “I cannot give up on Beech Grove yet. It’s been good to me and my family for all the years we’ve lived here.”
It should be noted, Beech Grove and Indianapolis haven’t been in discussions about combining.
While Democratic Mayor Jim Coffman hasn’t made an official announcement yet, he told Mirror Indy he does plan to run next year. Coffman, 44, said he’s not yet focused on his campaign.
“My focus is on running the city government,” Coffman said. “The day-to-day activities and responsibilities I have to do as the current mayor for the city of Beech Grove, and working to get this budget presented and approved.”
McMillan and Coffman have not seen eye to eye on many issues. They’ve debated over sewer rate increases, salary bumps during last year’s budget and implementing an outdoor drinking area once customers buy alcohol in certain areas of the city.
Republicans create 2027 ticket
McMillan’s announcement is part of a larger Republican ticket that includes both incumbent city councilors and newcomers. The party has not decided who will run for clerk-treasurer. Here’s who else is on the ticket.
- Karla Orange for District 1
- Ryan Matkins, an incumbent, for District 2
- Mike Hemmelgarn, an incumbent, for District 3
- Greg Ford for District 4
- Mike Earnest, an incumbent, for District 5
- Chris Duffer, an incumbent, for at-large
- Phil Davis for at-large
Democrats have yet to announce candidates for next year.
The 2027 election will come as the city prepares for an uncertain financial future. A 2025 state property tax law slashed tax revenue local governments use to fund public services.
McMillan, 72, was the city’s clerk-treasurer from 2012 to 2020, which oversees finances, the website and digital records. During that time, McMillan said he was able to help overcome financial hardships. Now, McMillan believes he can resolve what he sees as budget issues again.
“I pulled us out of the financial problems we had, and I think I can do it again,” McMillan said. “Even though that would not be my job, I would advise the clerk-treasurer on different things on how I did it previously.”
One of the ways McMillan hopes to boost the city’s budget as mayor is by renegotiating Beech Grove’s arrangement to utilize Indianapolis’ first responders.
Although the city has its own police and emergency medical services department, Beech Grove’s fire department merged with the Indianapolis Fire Department in 2021. As part of that arrangement, the southside city pays a fee to the Indianapolis fire department. In 2027, Beech Grove is projected to pay over $3 million, rising 3% each year.
But McMillan said the agreement doesn’t include any financial support for the EMS services Beech Grove provides outside of the south side.
“We have an EMS service that runs all over Indianapolis, we don’t charge them any additional fees,” McMillan said. “I think for Beech Grove to survive, something’s going to have to happen there.”
Still, McMillan faced some challenges during his two terms as clerk-treasurer. A federal lawsuit was filed against McMillan and the city in 2015 after two staff members claimed he created a hostile work environment and sexual discrimination. The federal case was settled by the city.
“It was a frivolous lawsuit filed by the mayor’s secretary and the sewage clerk,” McMillan told Mirror Indy.
McMillian defeated Coffman in a different race
McMillian and Coffman faced off once before.
McMillian narrowly beat Coffman for clerk-treasurer in 2015, with 38% of the vote to Coffman’s 36%. Coffman ran as an independent that year, though.
Coffman was later elected clerk-treasurer after beating Republican Chris Duffer, who is now an at-large councilor. Coffman ran as a Democrat that year.
The mayoral primary will be May 4 and the general election will be Nov. 2
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Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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