posted Jul 22, 2010, 11:07 AM by Nick Camlin
At the County Board meeting on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Nick Camlin was nominated by Chairman Jim Bohnsack to fill the vacant District 15 seat for the remainder of the current term, four months. He received unanimous and bi-partisan support in the confirmation vote, and was sworn in moments later by Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride. In addition, the County Board also confirmed Dianna Ruhl as the interim County Clerk. Read the Argus/Dispatch story below.
By Brandy Donaldson, bdonaldson@qconline.com
The Rock Island County Board on Tuesday named Dianna
Ruhl as interim county clerk and Nick Camlin as interim county board
representative for District 15. Former County Clerk Dick
Leibovitz, first elected in 1986, resigned last month to retire early.
Ted Davies, who represented District 15 on the county board for more
than 30 years, also retired last month. Both had five months remaining
on their terms; neither sought re-election this year. Because
both officials were Democrats, they had to be replaced with Democrats
recommended by county board chairman Jim Bohnsack. Board members on
Tuesday unanimously approved the appointments of Ms. Ruhl and Mr.
Camlin, who will serve until Nov. 30 when officers elected in the Nov. 2
general election are seated. Democrat Karen Kinney and
Republican Harrison Wallace are vying for the county clerk position. Ms.
Kinney, who won a three-way Democratic primary for the nomination, was
offered the interim position, but declined it. Nick Leibovitz,
one of Ms. Kinney's primary opponents, resigned from his position as
deputy county clerk as of Friday to work elsewhere. He gave two weeks
notice, Mr. Bohnsack said. Nick Leibovitz had supervised the office since his father's exit on June 30.
Ms. Ruhl will be paid a little more than $20,600 for her four months as
county clerk. The annual salary for that position is $82,500. Her
office manager position and the deputy clerk seat will remain vacant
until the new county clerk is elected, Mr. Bohnsack said. Ms.
Ruhl has worked in the county clerk's office for 32 years, the last four
as office manager. She frequently acted in an official capacity in Mr.
Leibovitz's absence. "Its natural to appoint someone who knows
how to manage the office and has done so anyway," Mr. Bohnsack said
Tuesday. "She will do a great job. We're confident we won't see anything
different in the office other than the name of the person who is
running it." Ms. Ruhl has held several positions in the office, including deputy clerk for former county clerk William Foley.
"We will continue to have good elections and wait to see who wins (in
the general election)," she said. "We've always run good elections and
we will continue to do so." Mr. Bohnsack said he recommended
Mr. Camlin for Mr. Davies' vacant seat because Mr. Camlin won the
Democratic nomination for that district in last year's contested primary
election, indicating he was the party's choice. Mr. Camlin
faced Mr. Davies son, Jim Davies, in the primary. He's up against
Republican Bill Long in the general election. Mr. Camlin will be paid
$500 per month, for a total of $2,000. The stipend for county board
members is $6,000. "I'm thrilled to have this opportunity
afforded to me," Mr. Camlin said. "I'm very eager to get busy working
for District 15. I believe this is the right thing for me to do, to take
this appointment. I think I'm the best person for the job and I think
my district wants the best person representing them."
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