present time Donald Rohrberg and Judy Jeffreys are aldermen from the first ward, Ed Ingerski and Max Lemon are aldermen from the second ward, and Jim Hasty and Leonard Canull are aldermen from the third ward. Mrs. Jeffreys became an "alderperson" following a special election held June 18, 1974. Although several women have served as city treasurer, Mrs. Jeffreys is the first woman to serve as an alderman.
At Secor, Larry Harshbarger is the mayor and Betty Steidinger is clerk. At Kappa, Merel Locke is mayor and Ruth Anne Roberts is clerk. Panola is one of the smallest incorporated towns in the state, with a population of about 30 persons. Cecil Johnson has held the office of mayor since 1935. Lyle Stine is the city clerk.
TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT – James Bigger is the supervisor of El Paso Township, with J. W. McHugh serving as clerk, Lawrence G. Wilkey serving as assessor, and Raymond Newkirk serving as road commissioner. In Palestine Township, Harold Sparks is supervisor, Virginia Garrels is clerk, Albert Turner is assessor and Merton Simmons is road commissioner. In Greene Township, Edward H. Kapraun is supervisor, William F. Dehority is clerk, Riemond Rippel Sr. is assessor, and Melvin Weber is road commissioner. In Panola Township, Lawrence Guard is supervisor, John Taylor is clerk, Clara Stimpert is assessor, and John Gauger Jr. is road commissioner.
Three county officials live in or near El Paso at this time. These include Lawrence Guard who is chairman of the Woodford County Board of Supervisors; Leland Morgan, county coroner, and Paul Meador, county treasurer.
Recent trends in population are shown below
1950 1960 1970
City of El Paso 1818 1964 2291
Village of Kappa 125 119 131
Village of Secor 375 427 508
Village of Panola 52 43 30
El Paso Township 2307 2390 2729
Greene Township 552 510 451
Palestine Township 882 954 984
Panola Township 525 438 395
NEW ADDITIONS – The Knecht Addition west of U. S. 51, between Second and Fourth Streets was added in 1957. On March 4, 1967, a strip along U. S. 24, south of the highway and north to the T. P. & W. Railroad, west from Heller's store to the west boundary of the Sweeney Oil Company lot, was added to the town.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Geiselman opened a 10-acre tract on Eighth Street from Pine Street west to the I. C. Railroad in April, 1972. In 1973, the street name was changed from Eighth to Seventh Street, in order that the streets might be in consecutive order. The mistake goes
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