Thursday May 21, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 13
The Weekly Post
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Brimfield fire district selects Forney as new chief By BILL KNIGHT
BRIMFIELD – After an hourlong executive session on Thursday (May 14), trustees for the Brimfield Community Fire Protection District (BCFPD) appointed Bob Forney as the interim chief after Chief Jamie Bennett resigned May 4. Trustees Ralph Peters, Merle Turner and Jerry Weaver declined to comment, but BCFPD attorney Rick Johnson said there had been some unspecified concerns about Bennett’s manageFor The Weekly Post
Firefighter Bob Forney has replaced Jamie Bennett as chief of the Brimfield Community Fire Protection District. Photo by Bill Knight.
ment of the district, which this year built a new firehouse on East Knoxville.
Elmwood OKs golf carts, other small vehicles
Bennett told The Weekly Post he stepped down to spend more time with his family and to con-
FARMINGTON FFA AG EXPO
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – Licensed drivers will be permitted to use golf carts and Utility Vehicles (UTV) within the City of Elmwood in a matter of weeks, under an ordinance unanimously approved by the City Council at its regular meeting on Tuesday. “They must get a permit and sticker,” reminded Mayor J.D. Hulslander. “Violators’ vehicles will be impounded.” The new ordinance was modeled after similar laws in Chillicothe, Lacon and Washburn, where golf carts and UTVs (but not All-Terrain Vehicles) must have brakes, reflectors, rear-view mirrors, Slow- Moving Vehicle signs, headlights, tail lights, brake lights and turn signals. Users must pay a $50 registration fee. Discussed since February, the measure requires permitted drivers to be For The Weekly Post
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centrate on his career full-time. Bennett, who started as a Brimfield firefighter in 1991, is a regional sales representative for Global Emergency Products, the authorized dealer for Pierce fire apparatus for Illinois and Indiana, with locations in Washington and Aurora, and Whitestown, Ind. “The department has very skilled, knowledgeable people and will carry on flawlessly,” he said. “I did what I could to help the community the best I could.” For his part, Forney, assistant chief at the Brimfield station with
20 years as a firefighter, said his goals are simple. “We have a [2015-16] budget we’re working on, and I’d like to finish up the firehouse – it’s almost there,” he said. “And I’d like to get everybody involved.” Bennett The District has one of the largest areas to cover, from the Continued on Page 2
Farmington votes down TIF funding to Petersen By MICHELLE SHERMAN
FARMINGTON – A clause regarding paying prevailing wages was the sticking point in an ordinance that would grant Petersen Health Care $270,000 in Tax Increment Financing funds, among other incentives, to build a 35-bedroom assisted living facility. On Monday, the Farmington City Council voted 3-2 to reject a measure that would give Petersen the lump TIF sum, waive the city’s building permit fees and protect the city from any recourse under the Prevailing Wage Act. Ward One Alderman Matt Ulm voiced his concern that the proposal not only gave the For The Weekly Post
Farmington FFA held its first Ag Expo on May 13 at Farmington High School, providing students and community members a chance to see more than $1 million in farm equipment (including drones) and plenty of farm animals. Photos by Dave Giagnoni.
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