The end of 2020 means the end of the terms of several long-serving elected officials who did not seek reelection. Jay Sullivan leaves the Pulaski County Council after 20 years in office, several of those as council president. He took time during his final meeting to thank the county’s citizens for giving him the honor of serving them.
“I’m really proud to have served with a number of good individuals on the council, on the commissioners, department heads, and the citizens of the county have stepped up a number of times and helped, too, and helped the county out,” Sullivan said. “The County Home is one. The time thing we went through, that’s another.”
Scott Hinkle was also recognized for his four years of service on the council.
Meanwhile, two of the three Pulaski County Commissioners attended their final meeting last week. Kenny Becker and Jerry Locke decided not to seek reelection after serving a single term. Becker told county officials it had been a pleasure working with them for the past four years.
“It’s been a pleasure working for you for the last three-and-a-half years,” joked Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer. His working relationship with Locke and Becker got off to a rocky start, with a disagreement over tourism advertising in early 2017.
Becker noted some of the challenges they had to face along the way, such as the loss of Commissioner Bud Krohn Jr., decisions over the future of the courthouse, and this year’s COVID-19 pandemic.
In Knox, Jerry Fletcher and Kurt Kemble are leaving the school board after a combined 32 years of service. Superintendent Dr. William Reichhart presented them with plaques during their final meeting earlier this month. “Kurt, we’d like to thank you for your service, for eight years, and Jerry for your 24 years. And for both of you making the best decision of hiring me as your superintendent,” Reichhart joked. On a serious note, Reichhart noted that being a school board member takes a lot more than what people typically realize, requiring members to try to see the whole picture and not just their own vision.
As previously reported, Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem attended her final meeting last week, after three terms on the board.
