Monday, Dec. 2

 

New county officials eager to begin work

[DEC. 2, 2002]  "Eager" and "ready to go" are the self-descriptions of newly elected Logan County officials at their swearing in this morning.


[Sheriff Steve Nichols]

Already on the job for a day by the time he took the oath of office, Sheriff Steve Nichols said he has used the time to meet with six deputies. He described the meetings as "positive contact" and "getting the whole process started." He plans one-on-one discussions with all his employees and has also asked them for written comments. He expects this process to help everyone to work together well and set rumors to rest.

None of the five new county board members named a particular issue he wanted to work on but all expressed eagerness to get started. All have been preparing for this day since being nominated in the March primary.

 


[Photos by Bob Frank]
[Mitch Brown]

Mitch Brown of rural Lincoln said he has spoken with former county board member Phil Mahler, now director of the Logan County Regional Planning Commission. From him Brown has learned the ins and outs of board procedure. He says he wants to "get my feet wet first" before tackling specific issues.

 


[Bob Farmer]

Bob Farmer of rural Lincoln began attending board meetings before the primary. Since then he has missed only one full board meeting and one or two of the highway and law enforcement committees. In addition, he has attended one or more meetings of almost all other board committees. Farmer reported being nervous before the swearing in ceremony, saying, "I wanted to learn everything I could before I take office."

 


[Pat O'Neill]

Pat O’Neill of Lincoln noted that he has attended 62 board and committee meetings since the primary. "I’m excited," he said. "I can’t wait. It’s what I’ve been waiting for since March."

 

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[Chuck Ruben]

Similarly, Chuck Ruben of rural Hartsburg has been attending meetings off and on since before the primary. He referred to the sessions as a "learning experience" and the swearing in as "another new experience." Ruben has attended meetings of the finance, law enforcement, building and grounds, and airport committees.

 


[John Stewart]

John Stewart of Mount Pulaski said he plans to "do the best I can for the whole county." He has prepared for his first elected office by attending a few meetings of the full board, conferring with retiring board member Rod White and studying Robert’s Rules of Order. Stewart said he was already familiar with the basics of parliamentary procedure from his eight or nine years as president of the Mount Pulaski Jaycees.

Circuit Judge Dave Coogan and Associate Circuit Judge Don Behle conducted the swearing-in ceremony before a crowd of about 100 people in the third-floor courtroom of the Logan County Courthouse. All county officials swore to support the U.S. and Illinois constitutions and to discharge their duties to the best of their ability.

Also sworn in were returning Logan County Treasurer Mary Bruns, County Clerk and Recorder Sally Litterly, and six county board members. Those returning to the board are Paul Gleason, Lloyd Hellman, Dave Hepler, Dick Logan, Gloria Luster, Dale Voyles and Terry Werth. Hellman could not attend the ceremony because of illness.

The term of the newly elected regional superintendent of schools, Jean Anderson, begins July 1, 2003.

[Lynn Spellman]


Articles from the past week

Saturday:

  • Santa Shopping Spree
    Downtown Lincoln giving you more  (Business)

  • World AIDS Day observance Sunday  (Health)

  • Newly designed passenger license plate replacements completed

  • Renew your license plate online  (Community)

Friday:

  • Holiday home tour

  • So you don't want to be part of the mad, mad shopping crowd

  • 1977-78 LCHS basketball  (Sports)

Thursday:

  • Thanksgiving Day holiday -- no new articles

Wednesday:

  • City wrestles with the possible

  • A thankful story, a LifeLine pilot story
    (
    Good Neighbors)

  • For somebody special  (Good Neighbors)

  • Illinois individuals and agencies lead the nation in adoption compassion

Tuesday:

Monday:

  • No articles posted on Top Stories

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