Retired policeman named councilman

The newest addition to the McCook City Council is used to being in the public eye, serving for more than two decades as a McCook police officer.

Jerry Calvin of McCook was nominated by Mayor Dennis Berry and unanimously approved by the rest of the council to fill the seat vacanted by former councilman Jack Rogers, at the regular meeting Monday night.

Calvin will stay on the council for a little over a year, until December 2010, when voters will choose in the November 2010 general election who will fill the seat.

"I'm not done serving the public," said Calvin, who worked for 221⁄2 years as a patrol officer in McCook including time as a school resource officer. He retired last year for another job and to spend more time with his family, but is still motivated to help the city, he said. "I feel I could make a difference."

Other candidates who submitted applications were Shane Hilker and Andrew Yeager.

Mayor Berry pointed to Calvin's maturity and knowledge of city procedures in his nomination, but indicated he was impressed with the other candidates as well.

"I know Shane and Andrew ... and they are articulate young men with a future," Berry said. He advised them to stay active in the community and to continue their pursuit of public office.

Before the vote was taken, Councilman Aaron Kircher requested to briefly interview each candidate, asking each the same set of questions: How long did it take you to read the council packet for tonight's meeting?

For you, what was the most important agenda item in the packet?

What will be the most difficult aspect of serving on the council?

Why do you want to serve on the council? and

How do you get information about the council?

Calvin said he took about two hours to read and re-read the packet, and the most interesting aspect was the item concerning merging the two mutual aid associations for area fire fighters, as he was unaware there were two associations. He wants to serve on the council as "Serving the people is who I am and what I am," Calvin said, pointing to his military service before becoming an police officer.

The most difficult part of serving on the council would be to make the right decision that may not necessarily be the most popular decision. Most of his information on the council came from the newspaper and the radio, he said, although he has attended meetings in the past.

Shane Hilker has been thinking about public office for a while, he said, and even before the vacancy, he had been contemplating running for City Council. He has been attending meetings for some time to prepare and acquaint himself with city procedure, he added. Hilker said he spent about one and half hours reading the council packet and for him, the most important item on Monday's agenda was the one concerning 21st Century Systems Inc., he said, as he's very interested in helping McCook grow and "anything we can do to build the community and make it stronger."

He's interested in serving on the council as he has a desire to help the community and is already acting as president of the McCook Youth League. The most difficult aspect he imagined would be voting for what is right for the community even if it's something he particularly would not agree with.

His information about the council came from attending meetings, talking with people, the radio and newspaper.

Andrew Yeager is a 2004 McCook High School graduate and a July graduate of Concordia College. A life-long McCook resident, Yeager said he spent about an hour reading the council agenda and the most important item for him was the one concerning the proclamation on awareness of domestic violence, as it's often unreported.

His desire to serve on the council came from wanting to make a difference and being willing to work on the number of issues facing the city. The most difficult aspect would be not being able to please everyone, he said. This being the first council meeting he attended, Yeager's prior information came from the radio and newspaper, he said.

After Calvin was seated, Councilman Lonnie Anderson, a Red Willow County Deputy Sheriff, said he was aware of Calvin's good work ethic. Council member Colleen Grant said that all the candidates were of "high calibre."

Councilman Kircher added that some answers from Hilker resonated with him, such as the importance of 21st Century Systems Inc. but that Calvin was still "a great addition."