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Pinckneyville Leadership Series

Posted March 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Leo Eisenhauer

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ County officials County Clerk Kevin Kern, Circuit Clerk Kimberly Kellerman, County Treasurer William Taylor and County Engineer Douglas Bishop, joined by Pinckneyville officials Mayor Joseph Holder, Commissioner August Kellerman, Commissioner Martin Beltz and Commissioner David Stone, all gathered at Pinckneyville City Hall Thursday afternoon to inform the public about how local government works and offered advice on how an individual would get started in local government.

City and County officials each took turns describing in detail what their job consisted of and their method of making decisions.

The floor was open for questions throughout the program and several residents took advantage of the opportunity.

"How do you balance decisions between having to choose what is best for your department or what is best for the city as a whole?"

Beltz: We are voted by the people of the city to do what is best for the city. However, some departments, such as the fire department, require good funding to make sure those employees come back alive.

"What would a person do to prepare running for a position in local government?"

Holder: Learn about the city. For Pinckneyville in particular that would be to learn about its financial situation. Also attend meetings and speak with department heads about what each department needs.

"Does job performance suffer knowing you may not be the one in that office after the next election?"

Taylor: I would rather get beat (in an election) knowing I've done what is right than be a "yes " man in fear of losing that job.

"What do you believe to be some of the strengths and weaknesses of the county?"

Taylor: The landfill could bring in a lot of money if they would pay.

Bishop: The county infrastructure needs a lot of work. We need to provide an adequate infrastructure for society to exist.

Kern: Perry County has been in a recession since the coal mine problems and now it is occurring nationally. Our county has learned to diversify.

Kim Kellerman: The state of the economy has brought in more cases, lawsuits, and so on.

"How do you feel about Pinckneyville's method of government?" [Officials choosing which department head to run for instead of being appointed by the mayor.]

Holder: Pinckneyville is only 1 of 5 cities in the state with this kind of government. There is no substitute for good management.

Beltz: I would rather run for a department that I have knowledge and experience in than be appointed to a department that I am not qualified to lead.

"What is your vision?"

Holder: I see Perry County as the tourism center of Southern Illinois, if not the whole Midwest.

August Kellerman: I see Pinckneyville with a new school, new roads, and a new hospital. If we can get those things we can really change the town.

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