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The Putnam County
Volume 145 No. 12
Putnam County’s Only Newspaper
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Emergency services building on schedule By Ken Schroeder kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN — The Putnam County Board meeting on Nov. 12 started with a moment of silence for Putnam County Emergency Management Agency Supervisor Jim Goldasich and his wife, Sharon. Jim died of cancer on Oct. 27. His wife was killed in a traffic accident on Nov. 11. In other business, the board learned work continues on the Emergency Services building. The concrete
Election filing begins Nov. 25
footings have been poured, and most of the trusses are in place. Work is continuing on schedule, with the building currently 25 percent completed. In other action, the board: • Briefly revisited the application from attorney Roger Bolin to be included in the county’s Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. As it turns out, the decision is not up to the board, since Bolin’s position as public defender is appointed instead of elected. The IMRF will be making the decision. • Heard a report from board member Chauntelle
Biagi-Bruer concerning her meeting with the Hennepin Fourth of July Committee concerning including the commemoration of the courthouse’s 175th anniversary with Hennepin’s Independence Day festivities. • Learned from Putnam County Sheriff Kevin Doyle the report from the testing of the courthouse’s tuck pointing and walls should be coming within the next two weeks. • Received a report on a recycling grant from North Central Illinois Council of Governments’ representative Kendall Cramer.
A Veterans Day salute ...
By Ken Schroeder kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN – The general primary election will be held on March 18, 2014. Filing for candidates, however, is coming up quickly, “The first day we’ll be accepting petitions will be Nov. 25 starting at 9 a.m.,” Putnam County Clerk Dan Kuhn said. “We’ll continue taking them during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. up to Dec. 5. On the last day, we will keep the office open until 5 p.m. to accept applications. We’ll be closed Nov. 28 and 29 for the holiday.” Anyone who is interested in running for office can pick up a candidate packet from Kuhn’s office at the Putnam County Courthouse in Hennepin. These packets are available throughout the filing period. Offices up for re-election in Putnam County include the county clerk and recorder, currently held by Kuhn; county treasurer, currently held by Kevin Kunkel; county sheriff, currently held by Kevin Doyle and three county board seats, occupied by Duane Calbow, Chauntelle BiagiBruer and Jordan Ellena. Statewide, the 2014 elections will include those for the U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer, and representatives for the U.S. Congress and Illinois General Assembly. The number of registered voters is down from the 2012 with 4,246 registered countywide. According to the latest census, population has also decreased. Last year, 36 percent of the registered voters in Putnam County went to the polls in the primary election. Peak participation in primary elections was in 2004 when 54 percent of Putnam County’s registered voters exercised their right.
A memory from the past ... Hennepin Township High School By Dixie Schroeder dschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN — Several of the small towns in Putnam County have fought to keep their schools. Through the years, due to declining enrollment, financial concerns and the like, area high school have closed. Some have deactivated, and some have merged with others. The village of Hennepin was incorporated in 1817. It grew very rapidly hitting one of its population highlights of 2,144 residents around 1875, according to www.illinoishighschoolglorydays.com. Schools in
Above, the Putnam County High School choir under the direction of Natalie Hulmstrom perform at the start of the Putnam County High School Veterans Day program. The recognition ceremony honoring local former military personnel has been a long-standing tradition with Putnam County schools with similar events happening throughout the week at all four school buildings. At right, area veterans salute the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance during the Putnam County High School Veterans Day program. Putnam County Record photos/Dixie Schroeder
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