The beauty of rural life

Bishop Hill forgets that they needed to elect a mayor. Ooops.

BISHOP HILL -- No one realized it in time for the April 5 election, but Don Talbot's term as mayor is expiring.

The mayor's seat was supposed to have been on the ballot earlier this month, outgoing village clerk Marcia Carleson told the village board Wednesday.

The State Board of Elections recently brought the oversight to the attention of Henry County officials.

The mayor wasn't at the meeting, but Trustee Wayne Ericson said the mayor thought he had a four-year term. He was appointed to the job in November 2001, replacing Laura Wendel, who resigned to spend more time with her family.

Ms. Carleson said to solve the mixup, it was recommended the board appoint Mayor Talbot to another two-year term, ending in the spring of 2007 -- which trustees did.

Not one person in town government noticed this. The state board of elections had to point it out. The mayor had the length of his term mixed up. A solution was proposed, and they immediately took care of it.

If this had happened around here, (not that it would), they'd fight over it for months. The mayor would be characterized as an incompetent buffoon. (well actually, the mayor would NEVER be honest enough to admit they thought their term was four years rather than two) And there would be much gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair over simply extending the mayor's term to solve the problem.
Rural life certainly has it's advantages.