0109 Carlinville Macoupin County EnquirerDemocrat Publication Date: 03/26/2015 Page Number: 4 Title: Take time to learn about township government Author: Size: 28.83 square inch Carlinville, IL Circulation: 4805
GuEST cOLuMNiST Take time to learn about township government Although I have lived township can be described township with the nearest in Carlinville town in two ways: a unit of sur being Calhoun, Morgan, ship since 1970, I veying (survey township), Scott and Menard counties. recently realized and a unit of local govern Macoupin County has that I do not know very ment (civil township). Typ 26 civil townships, 22 be much about its operation. ically the survey township ing six miles square and Yet it is a unit of local gov preceded the civil town four being six miles by ernment that impacts our ship. Both usually contain three miles. These four are lives both directly and in the same area: six square Virden, Girard, Mt. Olive directly. miles comprised of 36 sec and Staunton townships. The Carlinville Town tions each, one mile square. Carlinville township con ship meets the last Wednes This was the surveying tains 35.37 square miles. Its day of the month at 6 p.m. system used by the U.S. boundaries are Lampe Road at their office at 233 West government after it ac on the west, Hettick Road Main Street in Carlinville. quired the Northwest Ter on the north, Nursery Road If you are employed full ritory from England after on the east and Barnett and time and or raising a fam the Revolutionary War. The Rinaker Roads on the south. ily you probably don't have Northwest Territory includ The 2010 census reported the time or energy to look ed what are now the states its populations at 6,605. Af into such things. I didn't of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, ter the state of Illinios was until I retired and now have Illinois, Wisconsin and part established in 1818, the con the leisure to do so. of the state of Minnesota. stitution gave each county In my opinion the best The U.S. government sold the opportunity to adopt functioning of democracy these surveyed units of land civil government in its sur herein the United States at auction to raise money vey townships. It is written is dependent upon an in for its treasury. that by 1850, the first civil formed voter. I have under This brings us to town townships began function taken to look into the form ships in the state of Illinois. ing in Illinois. The earliest and functioning of my local There are 1,431 civil town recorded civil government township government and ships in Illinois functioning operation in Carlinville share my findings. in 82 of its counties. Seven township was a meeting of So what is a township? A township road and bridge teen counties have no civil commissioners in 1885.
NORM SEMROCK
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