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[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."
[to top of second column in
this article]
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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]
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