 Hackett was elected to the city council of Milford, Ohio, a city in Clermont and Hamilton Counties, in 1995 to replace Chris Imbus, who was recalled from office by a vote of 410 to 86.In the recall election on May 2, he defeated businessman Jacques E. Smith by a vote of 388 to 81.On the Milford council, he opposed efforts to rezone a parcel of land in order to retain the Milford post office within the city limits.