Muterspaw, 53, served with the Middletown Division of Police for 30 years, the last five as chief.
“He needs to stay true to his beliefs,” Becker recommended. “As chief, you have one role. On council, that role is completely different. It’s two totally different jobs. Going from one to the other isn’t that simple.”
Muterspaw believes he’s up to the challenge. After retiring two years ago, he turned down other law enforcement job opportunities and earned his real estate license.
He thinks his time as acting city manager when Doug Adkins was out of town will help him as a city councilman. He has experience working with all city departments. He knows the names of those who work throughout the City Building and not just those in the police department.
As police chief, the difficult decisions always fell on his shoulders. On council, he will be one of five people guiding the city of 50,000 people.
“I know I have to change my mindset,” he said. “There were ideas I had as police chief that I couldn’t discuss with my staff but they were my subordinates. But on council, they will be my peers. That’s a big difference. All five have the same goals to move the city forward.”
Throughout his campaign and during his speech last week at his and Zack Ferrell’s swearing-in ceremony, Muterspaw stressed the importance of “unifying” city council members. He has watched for years as council members and city staff have vehemently argued during public meetings.
That’s not a good image for the city, he said.
“Totally unacceptable,” he said of council behavior. “You can disagree, but you don’t have to argue. The bickering is insanity. We have to be unified. Let’s fix that first and the rest falls into place.”
He also said council members need to understand they serve Middletown residents and not city staff. He plans to continue meeting citizens in coffee shops, restaurants, anywhere someone wants to talk.
“We have to listen, and then we have to react,” he said. “They tell you what they want.”
He and his wife, Julie, have three children, Lauren, Matthew, Maddie, and three grandchildren.
This certainly isn’t where the younger Muterspaw thought he’d be in 2021. As a student at Middletown Christian, where he graduated in 1988, he planned on being a math teacher and boys basketball coach.
“Life takes weird turns,” he said with a laugh. “I love Middletown and the people in it. My heart is here. It’s nowhere else.”
Then some of the enthusiasm left his voice: “Middletown took care of me when I was young.”
Muterspaw and his older brother were raised by their single mother who divorced when the boys were young. She worked two jobs. Sometimes that wasn’t enough. Boys like to eat.
Friends dropped off groceries, gave Muterspaw rides to basketball practice. His upbringing isn’t much different than a lot of people in Middletown. So the Muterspaw family assists others, usually when no one is watching.
“You appreciate what people did for you as you get older,” he said.
Now, like the other four people on council, Muterspaw will be judged by what he does for Middletown residents.
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