About Us


Our Early History

1986 — City Clerk Mary Haynes, Peoria, and Marianne Edwards, Normal, took a trip to Marion, Illinois, to attend Municipal Clerks Seminar and discussed forming Central Illinois Clerks Regional Group.

1987 — As MCI District Director, District IV, Haynes solicited members and/or member input through newsletters, mailings, and seminar announcements.

1988 — Haynes, Edwards, Robert Arnold, East Peoria, and Anita Carlton, Galesburg (and 1988 MCI District IV Director) agreed to work to promote group. Carlton reported similar talks began at Institute to form organization.

June 29, 1998 — First Organizational Meeting held at Holiday Inn, Brandywine. Attending were:

  • Anita Carlton, City Clerk of Galesburg
  • Ilion Crabel, City Clerk, Chillicothe
  • Sharon Crabel, Assistant Clerk, Chillicothe
  • Joan Steffen, City Clerk, Goodfield
  • Robert Arnold, City Clerk, East Peoria
  • Veona Dinkins, Assistant Clerk, East Peoria
  • Harriet Anderson, City Clerk, Morton
  • Earlene Nelson, City Clerk, Bloomington
  • Susan Cramer, Deputy City Clerk, Peoria
  • Carol Moss, City Clerk, Washington

Also in attendance, representing MCI, were President Pat Ehrhart of Neoga and former MCI President and District VIII Director, Edward Voumard of Alton.

Elected to formally set the Second Organization Meeting and provide for the actual signing of the Charter were Temporary Chairman, Mary Haynes of Peoria, and Temporary Vice Chairman/Secretary, Anita Carlton, Galesburg.

September 8, 1998 — Second Organization Meeting — Lariat Club, Peoria., Illinois. Our Agenda was set to Adopt By-Laws, Elect Officers, and sign our official Charter, along with other brief business pertinent to forming organization.

Those registered as members and luncheon guests are as follows:

  • Penny L. Bright, Delavan
  • Mary L. Haynes, Peoria
  • Anita Carlton, Galesburg
  • Harriet Anderson, Morton
  • Chris Pitts, Bayview Gardens
  • Robert Arnold, East Peoria
  • Veona Dinkins, Asst. Clerk, East Peoria
  • Marianne Edwards, Normal
  • Wendy Briggs, Deputy, Normal

Attending as luncheon guests and potential members were:

  • Mary Howeter, Havana
  • Earlene Nelson, Bloomington
  • Sandra Kurtz, Germantown Hills
  • Carol Moss, Washington
  • Sharon Gordon, Germantown Hills
  • Ilion Crabel, Chillicothe
  • Sharon Crabel, Chillicothe

Officers were elected as follows:

  • President:              Mary L. Haynes, Peoria
  • Vice President:       Anita Carlton, Galesburg
  • Secretary:               Carol Moss, Washington
  • Treasurer:              Robert Arnold, East Peoria

Committee Members were assigned by the President and named as follows:

Membership:

      • Veona “Berta” Dinkins, East Peoria, Chair
      • Robert Arnold, East Peoria
      • Vicki Crum, Marquette Heights

          Auditing:

      • Harriet Anderson, Morton, Chair
      • Earlene Nelson, Bloomington
      • Wendy Briggs, Normal

          By-Laws:

      • Joan Steffen, Goodfield, Chair
      • Sue Cramer, Peoria
      • Penny Bright, Delavan

Candles were lit for the signing of the Charter to signify the following precepts of the Organization:

FRIENDSHIP: Penny L. Bright, Delavan, First Member

SUPPORT: Ilion Crabel, Chillicothe Clerk for 65 years, longest in Illinois, and Recipient of 1st Member of the Year Award from Municipal Clerks of Illinois

GROWTH: Carol Moss, Secretary

PROFESSIONALISM: Robert Arnold, Treasurer

ALLEGIANCE: Anita Carlton, Vice President

KNOWLEDGE: Mary L. Haynes, President

WITH THE WORDS,

“WE FORM THIS ORGANIZATION FOR THE SAKE OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT, TO PROMOTE PERSONAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONALISM, WE OFFER OUR ALLEGIANCE TO OUR COUNTRY, OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND TO CIMCO, AND WE PLEDGE TO SEEK KNOWLEDGE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL.”

The candles were lit and the Charter was signed by the officers, the first member and those attending the first and second meetings and submitting a membership form.

The next meeting, which was the first official meeting of the newly formed CENTRAL ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL CLERKS ORGANIZATION was set for the second Wednesday evening in November in Galesburg. As of November 9, 1989, we had 33 Charter Members and growing. We met bi-monthly with some luncheon meeting and some evenings. Our topics were informative and relevant to the duties of a Municipal Clerk. By year-end we had 50 members. I am grateful to all who worked with me to breathe life into this fledging organization. I am grateful to a loyal staff who always managed to assist me and CIMCO. I’m grateful to each Municipal Clerk and Deputy who made this organization to be proud of. It has been a privilege to be your first President.

Mary L. Haynes, CMC/AAE
Peoria City Clerk

October 14, 1998