Niemann is New County Board Chairman

On a 5-4 vote, Jim Niemann of Effingham was elected Effingham County Board Chairman on Monday.

Jeff Simpson of Altamont was also nominated as Board Chairman.  A vote on Simpson's nomination was taken first.  Simpson, Karen Luchtefeld, Joseph Thoele and Doug McCain voted for him; Niemann, Dave Campbell, Lloyd Foster, Rob Arnold and Mike Depoister voted against him.

The vote then came on Niemann's candidacy.  Niemann, Campbell, Foster, Arnold and Depoister voted for him; Simpson, Luchtefeld, McCain and Thoele voted against him.

Dave Campbell of Effingham was then nominated for Vice-Chairman.  That vote was 5-4 in favor, with Simpson, Luchtefeld, McCain and Thoele voting against him.

All nine board members, elected in November, were sworn in Monday by County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel.  Thoele, Foster, McCain and Depoister are new to the Board.

Apparently anticipating his election as chairman, Niemann distributed proposed committee assignments.  In the same breath, though, he suggested the Board reduce the number of Committees of the Whole from five to two.  Committees of the Whole involve all nine board members having an opportunity to discuss issues before the full Board's monthly meetings.  Those items and some proposed by-law changes and appointments to boards and committees where terms have expired will be considered by the Board at a special meeting Niemann has called for next Monday, the 10th.

(COUNTY CLERK KERRY HIRTZEL {in green shirt} EXPLAINS TO COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS THE PROCEDURE FOR THEIR SWEARING-IN CEREMONY.  MEMBERS AROUND THE TABLE ARE, FROM LEFT: DAVE CAMPBELL, JEFF SIMPSON, MIKE DEPOISTER, LLOYD FOSTER, JOSEPH THOELE, ROB ARNOLD, JIM NIEMANN, DOUG McCAIN AND KAREN LUCHTEFELD)