SPOTLIGHT ON EVANSVILLE DEPUTY MAYOR STEVE SCHAEFER

By Michael L. Smith, Jr.

City-County Observer Staff

January 22, 2022

This series of interviews aims to find Evansville locals making a positive impact on the community through their hard work and bravery to showcase their amazing contributions. 

This week I had the opportunity to speak with Steve Schaefer, Interim Parks Department Executive Director, Deputy Mayor of Evansville, and the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.

QUESTION: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WORK AS DEPUTY MAYOR OF EVANSVILLE 

ANSWER: Sure, my name is Steve Schaefer and I’m a native of Southwest Indiana. I went to St. Wendel in Posey County, grew up there, and attended Mater Dei High School. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University and my Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern Indiana. I worked in Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis for a time before moving back to Evansville. I currently live in Evansville with my lovely wife Ashley and my two boys Leo and Jack. 

As Deputy Mayor, every day is a new challenge, but our team is made up of problem solvers and we love to find solutions. Whether it’s trying to finance a big project, like the Aquatic Center or convention hotel, or tasks such as improving customer service in a city department or making sure there’s mulch in the parks. It’s a wide range of issues that we have to tackle. Mayor Winnecke has a frequent saying, which is “That’ll go in the book!”, because we have so many stories that we have seen and experienced over the years. Whether that be stories of success or stories of failure. It has been quite a rollercoaster but in the best of ways.

I also have a little bit of a unique connection with the city of Evansville. We share the same birthday! The city is 210 years old, and I am the first Deputy Mayor in all that time. I suppose that is my claim to Evansville fame, so to speak. Funnily enough, when the City Council approved creating that position back in 2016, Zach Evans, who was writing for the Courier & Press at the time, jokingly asked me if they would have to start putting up pictures of all the Deputy Mayors on the wall opposite all the pictures of the mayors. With a chuckle, I said, “It’s not that historic, but I’ll see what I can do.”

I started as Mayor Winnecke’s Chief of Staff from the beginning, helping manage 20+ departments. I continue that work now, as well as helping make sure major projects get off the ground and actually get completed. It’s been fun, I love it. It’s been a dream job. You know, I don’t think there is another job that allows you to be involved in so many aspects of the community: social issues, economic development, city services. It is exhausting, it’s a lot of hard work, but it is worth it. It is incredibly rewarding.

QUESTION: HOW HAS THE JOB COMPARED TO OTHER WORK YOU’VE DONE FOR VARIOUS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

ANSWER: Well, whether it was Congressman Buschon (IN-08), Congressman Boehner (OH-08), or Congressman Hostettler (IN-08), that work on the legislative side of government has been incredibly helpful in my work now. It’s a lot different on the executive side of things, being in the mayor’s office and handling public works. I’ve worked in just about every layer of government but working in city government has been the most rewarding. That’s because in city government when you make a decision, it is generally enacted in short order or will take place soon. You don’t get bogged down in the procedural aspect of things. So, it’s been exciting. Lobbying for I-69, being involved in the State House, working through the legislative process, sometimes issues could get hung up due to policy differences or procedural maneuvering. Whereas on this site, you create a plan, figure out the best way to enact that plan, and get it done.

QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE COMMUNITY?

ANSWER: To be honest, it is an extremely long list, one that has evolved during our time in office and will continue to evolve as we pursue projects the city both wants and needs. Of course, there are the typical, run of the mill political answers like creating jobs and lowering taxes, but I feel like those are things everybody wants. We are interested in how we can accomplish those kinds of goals, but having a plan and details is what’s really important. The devil is in the details, as they say. Speaking broadly, we are interested in solving the city’s problems with realistic solutions. Maintaining and building infrastructure is one part of it, whether that is roads or parks or what have you. As a city we really need those quality-of-life amenities taken care of. Educating the public about local government is another area as well.

In terms of specific projects, I would say the revitalization of Roberts Park is a big project. It’s not just renovating the site where Roberts Park used to be, but it is also improvements to Wesselman, Hartke Pool, the trails out there. It is a massive project that the mayor and I are determined to get off the ground. We’re spending a lot of time there. With my role as Interim Parks Department Executive Director, I’ve also been focused on facilitating a new Parks master plan for making improvements to our neighborhood parks. Put simply, we are rebuilding the Evansville Parks & Recreation Department.

QUESTION:  HOW DO YOU JUGGLE BEING THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF EVANSVILLE MAYOR’S CHIEF OF STAFF, AND THE INTERIM PARKS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR ALL AT ONCE?

ANSWER: It can be exhausting. It is time-consuming, it is hard work, but it is incredibly worthwhile. I always think of that well-known quote “You’ll rest when you’re dead.” Or even “Make whatever you can of the time you have.” Certainly, when you’re in a position like this, you never know what the future holds. From the beginning days of joining Mayor Winnecke, it’s been pedal to the metal. When it came to helping Evansville, we hit accelerate and we have not stopped. I don’t see any yielding of that mentality in the future. 

In regard to juggling all of it, the good thing is that as Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor, I already have insight into the main projects happening in the departments and have experience trying to help them manage their workload. Projects like the Aquatic Center, which I chaired the task force, or developing plans for Roberts Park were already on my plate. I think the community will be very happy with some of the programs and initiatives being developed that will be announced in the near future. 

QUESTION: HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTED YOUR WORKING PERFORMANCE FOR THE CITY.

ANSWER:  Right, right, and you know we’ve actually talked about that a bit. Creating a book of best practices or something along those lines. There simply hasn’t been enough time to do it yet, unfortunately. Really, the pandemic changed everything. I know everybody probably says that, but it’s true. It has had a lasting impact. During the pandemic, I’ve chaired the mayor’s “Reopen Evansville” task force. That was a comprehensive, city-wide effort to not only address the challenges of the pandemic but also plan for the “light at the end of the tunnel” so to speak. We had both community leaders and medical experts involved, with a focus on workplace safety, Covid testing, food security, and business assistance. We always had the medical professionals involved in all the decisions as we moved forward. That was key.

On a personal level… well, let’s be honest, we could talk for hours and hours about the impact of the pandemic. The craziness of it all. I mean it feels like so much time has passed since it all started. When I had my boys at home, doing virtual learning, it was tough and it’s really a test of anyone’s patience to have to navigate that. It certainly opened my eyes to how fragile life is, and it opened my eyes to the importance of one’s credibility. Making decisions with accurate information, with the best intentions, should be the goal of any elected official or any leader in the community. The pandemic really shined a light on how important that is.

QUESTION: WHAT DROVE YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN POLITICS

ANSWER: Public service, first and foremost. It has been a driving force throughout my career. My mother loves telling a story about me in second grade at St. Wendel. I dressed up as the President of the United States. I was originally going to go as an attorney but on the way to school, Ronald Reagan was giving a speech that was playing on the radio. It inspired me and gave me the idea to switch my costume, and I even convinced one of my classmates to change their costume to be a Secret Service member for me. So, it really started young, my passion for public service. I did speech and debate in school as well. I even remember meeting Governor Orr on a visit to my parent’s school and coincidentally, my parents both had John Hostetter as a student. I also worked in D.C. and once you work in the Capitol you kind of get hooked. It’s the center of politics and government in our country and the energy there is contagious. Obviously, the routes I have taken have changed, and while I was and still am a public servant, working for the city just means so much more. You see and better understand how it all works, how it all fits together.

QUESTION: WHICH PROJECT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF TO HELP EVANSVILLE FORWARD

ANSWER: Well, Interstate 69 is a project that comes to mind as impacting more than just Evansville. It impacted the region and the entire state. I will never forget working with Governor Daniels and the legislature to pass Major Moves which was the $3.8 billion allotments that jump-started the new interstate. It took so much time and effort and so much of our lives to get that started. It is a credit to so many others in the community as well, not just me. I just happened to be leading the Hoosier Voices for I-69 coalition at the time.

Here in Evansville, I hope my family is most proud of my public service, whether it’s my work leading the “Reopen Evansville” task force or my work making the Deaconess Aquatic Center a reality. Bringing in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament here to Evansville’s Ford Center is another significant win. I currently still chair the Evansville Sports Corp and we took that OVC tournament from Nashville to Evansville in 2018. That was awesome, especially since Ja Morant was a star attraction that brought Magic Johnson and other celebrities to the Ford Center. 

Right now, what I’m particularly proud of, and what I hope others will be proud of, is how I am helping rebuild the Parks Department. Our parks are precious, and they should be in the best shape possible.

QUESTION: WHAT CAN OUR COMMUNITY DO TO BETTER SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY

ANSWER: Staying positive is huge, as well as getting involved wherever you can. Asking questions is key. When you bring ideas forward, do so in a constructive manner. Something everybody seems to have trouble with is making a concerted effort to understand both sides of an issue, so we all need to work on that. Supporting a city can happen in so many ways, whether it’s supporting your church, your school, a community organization, it really comes down to getting involved. I would also say, becoming educated on your local government and elected officials. You need to not just see a name that you recognize at the ballot box but know what they are about and what they stand for. Make sure that if you vote for them, they are going to govern in the way that you see fit. If they’re not, then bring it up and have that crucial conversation.

QUESTION: IF MAYOR WINNECKE DECIDES NOT TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN RUNNING FOR HIS SEAT?

ANSWER: My primary interest is continuing to do great things for the city of Evansville, and right now that is best achieved with Lloyd Winnecke as mayor. Now I know some people may have wanted a different answer, but that’s how I truly feel. I love my job, and I have so much respect and admiration for my friend who is leading our great city. All I can think about right now is doing the job in front of us and doing it to the best of my abilities.

QUESTION: ENDING THIS INTERVIEW ON A LIGHTER NOTE. I HEAR THAT YOU ARE A BIG SUPERMAN FAN. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUPERMAN COMIC OR MOVIE?

ANSWER: Oh man, yeah, that’s tough. I go back to the original Superman films, to be honest. Lately, with DC trying to compete with Marvel, it’s just been hard. I love Marvel as well, and they are dominating the superhero universe with their movies. For example, Spider-man is my son Jack’s favorite, and we are actually building the Daily Bugle LEGO set at home right now. Jack is always asking me who my favorite superhero is after each of these movies and shows, and it is always Superman. That’ll never change. I like the old Superman comics, including the series of issues where he died and then came back in the ’90s.

Steve Schaefer is a father, husband, Interim Parks Department Executive Director, Deputy Mayor of Evansville, and the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.

Prior to his work on behalf of Evansville, Steve worked extensively in the public sector with business, education, government, and community initiatives. As Vice President of Public Policy for the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana, Steve worked closely with former Governor Mitch Daniels and state legislators on the passage of the Major Moves legislation.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University and his Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern Indiana.

FOOTNOTE: Michael L. Smith, Jr is a profile writer for The City-County Observer and is currently completing classes at Ivy Tech Community College in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. 

If you know someone who deserves to have a spotlight shined on their contributions to the community, please email the author at msmith1221@ivytech.edu