Law Day Observed by City, County Government

The 2015 Law Day, sponsored locally by the Effingham Elks Lodge and nationally by Elks Lodges across the country, was held today in Effingham.

Students from St. Anthony and Effingham high schools became city officeholders for a day, while students from Beecher City, Dieterich, and Teutopolis high schools toured county facilities.

The students from Effingham and St. Anthony schools joined someone else new to city government, at least in an elected capacity, as Mayor Jeff Bloemker, just sworn into office on Tuesday night, was on hand to welcome the students. City Administrator Jim Arndt gave an overview of the workings of the city. 

A mock City Council meeting was held Thursday morning EHS senior Sean Sandifer presiding as Mayor for a Day. Agenda topics included whether to provide infrastructure assistance for a movie studio wanting to locate in Effingham, an employee annual salary increase, a treadmill desk workstation for telecommunicator fitness, and whether to support the county's efforts for a maximum security prison in Effingham County.

Again, those were make believe agenda items, but it gave students the opportunity to simulate what the real city officials address on a daily basis.

In addition to Sandifer, students and their city offices included: Commissioner of Accounts and Finances Savannah Blake, Commissioner of Public Health and Safety Katie Tegeler, Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements Sean French, Commissioner of Public Property Ashley Workman, City Administrator Billy Arndt (pairing up with his father), Public Works Director Maddy Field, Economic Development Director Jessica Miller, Building Official Jake Linders, Public Works Operations Manager Braydon Bone, EMA Coordinator Madison Woelfer, City Clerk Olivia Thompson, Police Chief Arpan Shah, Police Department Communication Manager Avery Liss, Fire Chief Kevin Daugherty, Director of Tourism Kierstyn Simmons, and City Attorney Katie Roberts.

EHS and SAHS students got to tour the Effingham Performance Center, the fire department and the water treatment plant, and then the shooting range.

Students from the county schools included, by school: Beecher City--Brady Randall, David Black and Alex Blair...Dieterich--Riley Pruemer, Mallorie Vahling, Courtney Flach, Alex Bohnhoff, Jodi Thoele, Devin Aherin and Brandon Kuhl...and Teutopolis--Gina Westendorf, Audra Breer, Braydan Bushue, Dustin Hartke and Lane Koester.

The county students were welcomed to the County Government Center by Resident Circuit Judge Kimberly Koester. The students toured the firing range, job shadowed county office holders and shared with the city students a lunch hosted by the Effingham Elks Lodge.