A caucus is one method towns and villages with a population under 5,000 can use to nominate candidates for local offices. At a caucus, established political parties name candidates who are then approved by one of several methods of voting: either by ballot, voice vote or standing vote.

In Atlanta, the Republican Party named incumbents to run again: Bill Martin, mayor; Kenneth Martin, clerk; and Vicki Martin, treasurer. The party also named Fred Finchum to run as alderman in the first ward, Darrell Deverman to run as second ward alderman, and Billie Cheek, incumbent, to run as third ward alderman.

The Democratic Party in Atlanta named Taplia (Jack) Renfrow, former first ward alderman, to run for mayor, and Ricky G. Lynch to run as alderman in the second ward. No other candidates were named. Incumbent aldermen whose terms run until 2003 are Mark Flynn, first ward; Adam McVey, second ward; and Dale Colaw, third ward.

In Hartsburg, the Citizens Party slated Thomas Anderson for village president, Doris Last for village clerk, and Thomas P. Mikelson and Philip Langley for trustee. They are all incumbents. Dean Leesman was named as trustee to replace Lois Sherwood, who is retiring. Three other trustees, Ruth Aper, Norma Bathe and Bob Detmers, are serving terms that do not expire until 2003. No other party in Hartsburg named candidates.

In Emden, the People’s Party slated three incumbents: Ivan Rademaker as village president, Frank Pieper as village clerk and Joe Hackett as trustee. Also slated for trustee are new candidates Kay Melton and Crystal Flatley. Incumbent trustees whose terms will be up in 2003 are Gene Cross, Nick Rohlfs and Ron Barry. No other party named candidates.

In Broadwell, the People’s Party named Warren Bradley, a former village trustee, as village president and Deanna Bradley as village clerk. They will replace retiring D. Keith Hunter as president and Ruthann Ridgeway as clerk. Named to run for trustee were Paul Muchow, Bill Kennett and Lee Benner. Incumbent trustees whose terms will be up in 2003 are Roger Reeves, Bill Hilgendorf and Charlie Ridgeway. No other party nominated candidates.

In Elkhart, a large number of people turned out for the Citizens Party caucus. They named incumbents Dayle Eldredge to run for village president and Gwen Rosenfeld for village clerk. Four trustees were slated: incumbents Tim Gleason and Dan Durchholz, and new candidates Joe Olson and Charles Matthews. The additional trustee was slated to run this year because Eldredge, then a trustee, was appointed mayor after the resignation of former mayor Terry Moore. Two trustees, Jeff Kutz and Tom Moore, have terms that will expire in 2003. No other party fielded candidates.

In San Jose the Citizens Party nominated Duane Worlow for village president, replacing George Weyhrich, who is stepping down after serving two terms. Incumbent Joy Zimmerman was re-slated for village clerk, as were incumbent trustees Jim Hidgon and Ray Satchfield. Ken Kastner Jr. was named for the third trustee seat on the Citizens Party slate.

The Independent Party also chose candidates. Ida M. McWilliams was slated for village president and Danny McWilliams, Billy Blackstock and Larry Andereck as trustees. The Independent Party did not nominate a candidate for village clerk.

Incumbent trustees in San Jose whose terms will not be up until 2003 are Brent Coburn, Bradley Martin and Joe Elks.

The candidates for offices in Latham were not immediately available but will be announced later.

Three municipalities in Logan County — Mount Pulaski, New Holland and Middletown — will nominate their candidates using the petition method. Under this method, candidates file petitions on a nonpartisan basis with local election officials, usually city or village clerks. Any number of candidates may file petitions as long as the petitions contain enough signatures: 10 percent of the votes cast for that office in the previous election. Petitions may be filed between Jan. 15 and the Jan. 23 deadline.

"Unfortunately, if you mail a letter with a 33-cent stamp any time after the last pickup at your post office Saturday, Jan. 6, you will get your letter back," said Jane Baize, postmistress at Atlanta. "You will have to add a one-cent stamp. But the post office has printed a great supply of peel-off one-cent stamps."

[The American kestrel, formerly known as the sparrow hawk, is pictured on the new one-cent stamp.]

She expects to have a busy morning Monday at the Atlanta facility selling the one-centers. "It will be the busiest day of the entire year — busier than Christmas or income tax time. I’ll see people from out in the country that I don’t see all year. It’ll be a big occasion."

However, people who live on rural delivery routes don’t even have to come to the post office. Their mail carrier has both penny stamps and the new 34-cent stamps, Baize said. Also, postage can be ordered over the post office’s website, www.usps.gov, or by calling their toll-free number, 1-800-STAMPS-24.

"Most of our small businesses here buy their postage online," Baize said. "It’s great for small businesses. The search engine at the website explains it all step by step."

The 34-cent first-class stamps will have pictures of the Statue of Liberty and some attractive florals, Baize said, and a new love stamp will be out later this month. The one-cent stamp carries a picture of a sparrow hawk (also called a kestrel).

Baize is looking forward to greeting her customers Monday morning, but she’s sure she will hear some complaints about the higher prices.

"I’m the closest thing to the federal government most of my customers see. Some of them think I have control of all areas of the government. The truth is, I don’t even have much control over the post office."

At the Dec. 14 meeting of the entire board, member Rod White asked Phil Mahler, chairman of the committee, to put the subject on the agenda for discussion.

Once every 10 years, by law, the board must address the topic and vote to maintain the current "at-large" process or switch to the members being elected from districts, based upon population.

A number of people are currently circulating petitions in a bipartisan effort to obtain nearly 2,000 signatures from registered voters in order to have the measure put on the ballot through a court order.

"The committee can recommend to the board as a whole to place the question on the April ballot," White said.

"If the board does vote to put the issue before the voters, the petition drive wouldn't be necessary," he added.

The referendum is advisory in nature and does not bind the board to public sentiment.

Those not able to attend can contact the board members to express opinions on the referendum, which only seeks public opinion.

Board members who currently serve are as follows: