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Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Putnam County Board re-elects Calbow Sloan questioned about vacation hours By Ken Schroeder
kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN — Despite the changing of the guard,
Duane Calbow will continue to lead the Putnam County Board after being elected unanimously at the board’s Dec. 8 meeting. The position was up for grabs
after his seat came up for the November election. The December meeting is the first for new board members elected in that election. Newcomer Steve Malavolti was elected by a threeto-one margin over Sheila Haage as vice-chairman. Calbow, who nominat-
ed Haage, was the lone voter for Haage. Malavolti takes the position which was vacated by departing board member Chauntelle Biagi-Bruer, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for county clerk. This was Malavolti’s first meeting as a board member. He and Luke Holly won
seats in the November election. Putnam County Highway Supervisor Pat Sloan was questioned about rolling over vacation hours into the new fiscal year. Haage and board member Willie Holmes — both of whom serve on the board’s Finance Committee — took
Sloan to task for doing so. County regulations state any vacation hours not used by an employee are lost. Sloan admitted he was unaware of such regulations, but Calbow reminded him he was told to read the county
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McNabb looks at economic development group By Ken Schroeder
kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
MCNABB — Jeff Clawson of Princeton appeared before the McNabb Village Board during its Dec. 10 to present details on the establishment of a new organization aimed at attracting businesses to the tri-county area. The Economic Development Corporation of North Central Illinois has been bringing its presentation to governing bodies throughout the area with the goal of having communities come on board and providing the first seed monies and strategies to attract business. “Other areas have development agencies like this,” said fellow presenter and Hennepin Mayor Kevin Coleman. “We can definitely benefit from having an organization spreading the word about Putnam County.” The organization would represent Putnam, LaSalle and Bureau counties as a possibility for locating new industrial and manu-
facturing facilities. Clawson is looking for a minimum three-year commitment from the communities involved. He noted most of the communities that have expressed interest are from the outer regions of the three-county area. Putnam County has already signed up to the organization and other communities are weighing the options. When the corporation starts, the board make-up will include six representatives from communities in the region; three from LaSalle County, two from Bureau and one from Putnam. In addition, nine businesses would also be represented on the board. The organization is looking at a June 1 tentative start date. “The more participants we can have, the more successful we’ll be,” Clawson said. In other action, the board: • Discussed purchasing a generator for the south
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PCR photo/Ken Schroeder
Santa visits Magnolia Magnolia residents Jackson Baum (center) and Sawyer Smith sit on Santa Claus’ lap with Santa’s helper elf, Peggy Smith (left). Santa visited the Magnolia Fire Department on Dec. 7. Refreshments were served to those who came to deliver their wish lists.
Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka dies after a stroke By Goldie Currie Shaw Media Service
Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka has passed away at the age of 70. Her office released a statement confirming she died early Dec. 10 due to complications from a stroke she suffered the day prior. Topinka, a Republican, Vol. 147 No. 16 One Section - 20 Pages
had just won a second term last month in a tough race with Democratic challenger Sheila Simon, the former lieutenant governor. Topinka was born in the Chicago suburb of Riverside. She was a 1962 graduate of Ferry Hall High School in Lake Forest and earned a bachelor’s of science degree in 1966 from Northwestern University’s
Medill School of Journalism. Upon graduation, she became a reporter for several award-winning suburban Chicago newspapers, and eventually rose through the ranks to became an editor. Topinka began her political career as a state representative from the Western Suburbs in 1980. Serving two terms in the Illinois House of Represen-
tatives positioned Topinka for a successful bid for State Senate in 1984. Ten year later, Topinka joined the Illinois State Treasurer race and was elected to the position. Topinka previously served three terms as Illinois State Treasurer, was a former Illinois GOP chairwoman and ran for governor in 2006. When Topinka was
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sworn in as Illinois State Comptroller in 2011, she became the first woman in Illinois history to serve in two state constitutional offices. Several politicians from both parties sent out statements offering condolences following Topinka’s death. Gov. Pat Quinn called Topinka a longtime public servant, who was a trail-
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blazer in every sense of the word. “Never without her signature sense of humor, Judy was a force of nature. She left her mark on the state she has called home her entire life. Her leadership improved Illinois and paved the way for countless women in politics,” he said.
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