Michael D. Vandeveer (born August 22, 1941) is an American politician and former public official who served as mayor of Evansville, Indiana, from 1980 to 1987. A Democrat, Vandeveer previously served as an at-large member of the Evansville City Council from 1975 to 1979. He was elected mayor in 1979, reelected in 1983, and resigned during his second term in 1987 to enter the private sector.
Early life and career
Vandeveer was born on August 22, 1941, in Evansville, Indiana.
He attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he received an upper-division honor scholarship from 1961 to 1963. He later served in the United States Army Reserve, attaining the rank of Specialist Four and serving from 1966 to 1972.
Vandeveer became active in Evansville government during the 1970s. In 1975, he was elected as an at-large member of the Evansville City Council, serving until 1979.
Mayor of Evansville
Vandeveer sought the Democratic nomination for mayor in 1979. In the Democratic primary, he defeated Vanderburgh County Assessor James Angermeier.
The general election was considered one of Indiana’s more competitive mayoral races that year. Vandeveer faced Republican Randall T. Shepard, an administrative assistant to outgoing mayor Russell G. Lloyd Sr. Shepard later became chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.
Vandeveer won the November 1979 election and took office on January 1, 1980, succeeding Lloyd. His election returned the Evansville mayor’s office to Democratic control after eight years of Republican leadership.
Early in his administration, Vandeveer appointed Ray Hamner as Evansville’s police chief and John Behme as fire chief.
His administration also attracted national attention for its use of volunteers in city government. Facing financial pressures and reductions in municipal spending, Vandeveer appealed to Evansville residents to volunteer for city programs. During the program’s first year, residents contributed approximately 89,000 hours of volunteer work, which the city estimated saved taxpayers about $290,000. Evansville was subsequently among 20 cities recognized by the United States Conference of Mayors for its recruitment and use of volunteers.
Vandeveer was involved nationally in municipal government issues, particularly transportation. He served as chairman of the Indiana Democratic Mayors Caucus from 1980 to 1985 and became chairman of the urban highways committee of the United States Conference of Mayors. He also served on the transportation committee of the National League of Cities and was involved with the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.
During the early 1980s, Vandeveer advocated for greater local control over federal funding. In a 1981 communication to Congress, he supported federal block-grant programs but argued that funds intended for larger cities such as Evansville should be provided directly to local governments rather than administered through the state.
1983 reelection
Vandeveer sought a second term in 1983.
He faced two challengers in the Democratic primary, including former university professor and Evansville Housing Authority member Berta Hammerstein. Vandeveer entered the election as the strong favorite and won the Democratic nomination.
He subsequently won the 1983 Evansville mayoral election, giving him a second four-year term.
During his second term, Vandeveer continued to be involved in economic development, transportation and downtown Evansville projects. In 1984, he participated in the groundbreaking for the new national headquarters of American General Finance in Downtown Evansville.
Vandeveer received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Indiana Planning Association in 1986 and became chairman of the Evansville Urban Transportation Study that year.
Resignation
Vandeveer initially planned to seek a third term as mayor in 1987.
He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination and won renomination in the May primary. Only days later, however, Vandeveer announced that he would resign as mayor to accept a position in the private sector.
His resignation created an unusual situation in Evansville politics because the Democratic Party had to replace its mayoral nominee after the primary while the city also needed someone to complete the remainder of Vandeveer’s term.
The Evansville City Council selected Frank F. McDonald II, then an at-large council member, to serve as mayor for the remainder of Vandeveer’s term. Democratic leaders also selected McDonald to replace Vandeveer as the party’s candidate in the November election.
McDonald subsequently won the 1987 mayoral election and remained mayor through 1999.
Vandeveer’s resignation ended more than seven years as mayor of Evansville and approximately twelve years in elected city government.
Political career
Vandeveer was a prominent figure in Evansville Democratic politics during the late 1970s and 1980s. In addition to his positions on the City Council and as mayor, he served as chairman of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Central Committee beginning in the early 1980s.
His tenure as mayor occurred during a transitional period for Evansville as the city dealt with financial pressures, downtown redevelopment, transportation planning and changes in the region’s industrial economy.
Vandeveer was succeeded by Frank F. McDonald II, beginning a period in which Democrats controlled the Evansville mayor’s office continuously from Vandeveer’s inauguration in 1980 through the end of McDonald’s administration in 1999.