Panel formed to promote jail bond referendum

Mike Hampton and Kay Denning have been elected co-chairs of a new committee that will focus on encouraging voter turnout for the Aug. 1 bond referendum election for a new county jail/law enforcement center.

The committee will operate under the handle Citizens Organized for Public Safety (COPS) committee. Mary Koontz will serve as the committee treasurer.

Hampton served as chair of the citizen?s jail committee which was charged with the selection of the site and plan for a new law-enforcement center. That committee began meeting in November 2016 and met nearly monthly with its final meeting earlier this month.

Other members of the COPS committee include Nancy Davis, Mary Elgar, Kurt Garretson, Steve Gerling, Jesse Howard, Gary Lauger, Dr. Bob McPheron, Kirby Moon, Kate Newman, Steve Nichting, Brad Roth, Judy Sammons, Cherry Sandeen and Jerry Wells.

Henry County supervisors Marc Lindeen, Gary See and Greg Moeller as well as Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee also serve on the committee.