Starke County Council Reorganizes, Makes Appointments

Posted on January 24, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI

The Starke County Council members reorganized on Tuesday night and made several appointments to county boards and commissions.

David Pearman was elected president while Brad Hazelton was elected vice president.  Marty Lucas was retained as county attorney.

Pearman and Hazelton were appointed to serve on the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board of Directors, Councilwoman Kay Gudeman was appointed to the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission, Councilman Howard Bailey was elected to serve as the council’s representative on the Starke County Planning Commission, Councilman Freddie Baker was elected to serve on the Starke County Solid Waste Board, Susan Lucas on the Starke County Library Board, Rik Ritzler to the Starke County Park Board, Rebecca Ferch to the P.T.A.B.O.A Board, and Kenny Wallace to the Alcoholic Beverage Board.

Councilman Tom DeCola made a motion to be the president and vice president of the council which died for a lack of a second.  He also made a motion to be the council representative on many of the open positions available in this year’s appointment schedule which gathered no support from the remaining council members.  With the exception of the library board appointment, he abstained from all votes.

There were no appointments made to the Starke County Convention and Visitor’s Commission.  The council members voted to take a closer look into that organization as county officials have had trouble finding interested candidates to serve.