The Town of Hamlet has a new street superintendent. The town council opted not to reappoint Fred Rowe to the position Wednesday, and instead promoted Street Department employee Kevin Leinbach to the position.
No reason was given for the change, but Council Member Connie Bailey noted that Rowe had recommended Leinbach. “I would like Kevin to know that Fred suggested you for the super’s job,” she said. “There’s no hard feelings.”
The change makes Leinbach Hamlet’s only Street Department employee for the time-being. Council members said more discussions are needed before they start the process of hiring any more help. “With our new superintendent, we’ll discuss whether he wants to stick with the full-time assistant or have two part-time, or however we want to deal with that,” said Council Member Brian Earnest. “We’ll kind of give him his recommendation on that, as well.”
“And he’s going to submit his goals to us,” added Council President Dave Kesvormas, “and we need to have time to review his goals and desires for his position.”
Meanwhile, council members reappointed Town Marshal Clint Norem and Town Attorney Martin Bedrock. They also extended the contracts of Water Operator Jason Cox and Wastewater Operator Jason Clemons through the end of the year.
Kesvormas was reelected council president, and Earnest will represent Hamlet on the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation did not request a representative for its board of directors, since Hamlet is no longer one of its member communities, according to Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts
