•November 8, 2017•
Sullivan City Council will conduct a public hearing on water service improvements with possible financial assistance through a Community Development Block Grant.
Citizens interested should attend the 6:45 p.m. special meeting at Elizabeth Titus Library Monday, Nov. 13 Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Blue Inspired Dinner
Front from left: Dressed in blue county Dem shirts precinct committeeman Linda Alumbaugh, county clerk Georgia England and featured speaker Dr. Glenn Poshard. Back: Joy Voltenburg, precinct committeeman Ed Voltenburg, precinct committeeman Tim Singer, county board member Gary Smith, county treasurer candidate Pam Wittkowski, county board candidiate Steve Mayberry, county treasurer candidate Diane Waggoner and Democrat county chairman Stuart Wade. Story on page 3.
Diane Waggoner
•November 8, 2017•
Diane Waggoner will be running as a Democratic candidate for Moultrie County Treasurer in the March 2018 primary election.
She brings almost 20 years of banking experience to the position and has worked at First Community Bank of Moultrie County, formerly known as First National Bank of Sullivan, since 2003.
From 1998 until 2003 she was employed with First-Mid Illinois Bank and Trust of Sullivan. Throughout these years Waggoner acquired a wealth of knowledge in finance as teller to her current job title of new accounts. Gaining this banking knowledge throughout these years qualifies her for Moultrie County Treasurer. Read More
Rejects Bonus Plan
•November 8, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
The Moultrie County board personnel committee agreed to recommend an additional $300 annual salary increase for county employees to the county board for vote Nov. 9. They had previously approved $1000 annual increases in the tentative 2018 budget
A motion by Gary Smith and seconded by Kevin McReynolds approved the additional $300 with Ron White dissenting.
The recommendation for across the board raises was prompted following requests from Supervisor of Assessment Lori Barringer to give three full time office employees a one time $2000 bonus.
Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden also proposed a one time $2000 bonus for eight employees.
Motions for both bonuses failed for lack of a second. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan Middle School eighth grader Sydney Williamson shows Tara Standerfer her artistic efforts as she decorates a pumpkin for SCED Oktoberfest weekend.
•November 1, 2017•
Sullivan Middle School’s first community service day began as a leap of faith for principal Nathan Ogle.
By the end of the morning Thursday, October 19 it set the bar for Proudest Principal Moment.
“I believe that one of the responsibilities we have as educators is to instill in our students a sense of ownership in their community,” Ogle said. “If our small town is going to succeed in the next century, it is because individuals take responsibility to make it so.”
Service Day at Sullivan Middle School included eighth grade students painting pumpkins to help the Chamber of Commerce decorate for Octoberfest; seventh grade students traveling to Mason Point to visit residents, do crafts and entertain; and sixth grade students spending the morning with K-first grade students on reading activities.
“Our teachers tackled the challenge with enthusiasm and came up with ideas beyond anything I had in mind,” Ogle continued, noting they coordinated all the community events to make Fall Service Day take shape. Read More
Stephanie Helmuth
•November 1, 2017•
Stephanie Helmuth is seeking election as a Republican candidate for the Moultrie County Treasurer position.
“I feel I can bring new eyes to the processes,” Helmuth said, “and help find efficiencies and work towards saving the taxpayers dollars.”
She has nine years in banking after graduating college in 2008, two of those doing audit and analysis and seven of them in trust services.
She has worked at The First National Bank in Mattoon for seven years and has been the trust officer for the last four years. Read More
•November 1, 2017•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
The city’s animal ordinance regarding chickens was brought to light at a council meeting on October 9 when Enos Yoder asked if it was possible to have a couple of chickens at their home.
Sullivan administrator Dan Flannell had looked into the issue and reported to the council. During the discussion of the ordinance, Flannell instructed the council that they would have to be careful how they crafted it.
Details to consider include enclosures (and the visual effect they would cause), if it were necessary for families to hold permits, what would happen if animals were to escape and the restriction of the number of chickens/animals a family could have. Read More
Glenn Poshard
•November 1, 2017•
By Harry S Truman
for the News Progress
Moultrie County Democrats gathering for the election season who kick off dinner at the Sullivan American Legion are in for a treat Friday, Nov. 3.
Glenn Poshard, retired three-term 19th District U. S. Representative, is the featured speaker with former 101st District State Representative Julie Curry (1995-2003), and State Treasurer Michael Frerichs completing the program that begins at 6:45 following the 5:00 p.m. spaghetti supper.
Julie Curry
Local Democrats will be joined by 15th Congressional District candidates Anthony March, Carl Spoerer and Kevin Gaither.
Keynote speaker Poshard’s last political race was against convicted Republican governor George Ryan in 1998 where he lost to Ryan 51% to 47%. Poshard endorsed campaign finance and refused to accept money from lobbyists during the campaign where Republicans outspent him four to one.
Poshard broke the story about Ryan’s licenses for bribes as secretary of state, which eventually led to the governor’s conviction on racketeering charges. Read More
•October 25, 2017•
Upon learning of the retirement of current treasurer Marci Thompson, Pam Wittkowski has announced her candidacy for Moultrie County Treasurer.
She has served as chief deputy in the county clerk’s office for the past 12 years.
Wittkowski is seeking the office as a Democrat.
Her primary duties include payroll, managing the county’s budget process, back tax redemption process and maintaining the county’s self-insured health plan. As project manager of the new accounts payable, banking, general ledger, payroll and budget financial software shared with the treasurer’s office, Wittkowski has worked with the software vendors to set up and fine tune the converted system that began implementation in May 2017. Read More
•October 25, 2017•
Michelle Liddiard is seeking election to the office of the Moultrie County Treasurer.
Current treasurer, Democrat Marci Thompson, has chosen not to seek another term in office.
Liddiard is currently the Chief Deputy Treasurer and has been in that position for the past three years.
She is seeking the office as a Republican candidate.
Liddiard has been a Democrat since returning to Moultrie County in 1992 when she signed Democrat Griz England’s petition for county clerk and has served the party as an election judge, most recently in the 2016 general election. Read More