PG voters to decide on appointing future village clerks

By Bob Balgemann
Reporter
A busy Nov. 1 ballot is going to get busier now that Poplar Grove voters will decide if their future village clerks are appointed, or continue to be elected.
The village board at its Feb. 8 meeting approved putting that question to referendum later this year. Village Attorney Jim Stevens was asked to draw up the necessary paperwork, for another vote sometime in the near future.
To get that referendum on the general election ballot the village board would have to adopt a resolution to that effect by Aug. 22, and get it to Boone County Clerk Mary Steurer by Sept. 1.
Poplar Grove’s current village clerk is Martha Suhr. She’s held that position for the past 32 years and,  73; she said she’d be 76 after serving another term. While she’s leaning toward not running again, even though that’s not definite, she has plenty of time to make a decision.
Petitions for village president, clerk and three village board seats will be available for circulating come September, While Clerk Suhr said she had not received the exact date that they will be due in her office; it usually is the end of December.
So, would-be candidates will know well in advance if the position will be elected or appointed, giving them ample time to decide whether to run.
As for her status, she said, “I’ll probably decide after the November election. But I’m pretty much planning on not running.”
Under the village’s first village administrator, Mark Lynch, there was talk about appointing the clerk. But research determined the change in procedure would have to be approved in a referendum. That’s because according to the 2010 census, Poplar Grove had a population of more than 5,000.
“The new administrator (Diana Dykstra) believes it should be an appointed position,” Suhr said.
No trucking noise
Also at the Feb. 8 meeting the board approved prohibiting trucks from making the chattering, almost machine gun sound known as “Jake Brake,” when approaching a stop light.
The matter went through the village’s administration committee after complaints were received by people living near the intersection of Illinois 173 and Poplar Grove Road.
“Jake Brake” is the Jacobs brand of engine brakes that can produce a lot of noise and exhaust from valves and cylinders.
The village of Cherry Valley prohibits that noise and so does the city of Belvidere, but the village of Capron does not.