NEW BLOOMFIELD - New Bloomfield's new mayor may sound familiar to the town's long-time residents.
Terry Shaw, chosen by the board of aldermen Friday to succeed Greg Rehagen, previously held the position in the early 2010s. He has also once served as an alderman, he said. He was the only nominee suggested by board members, who voted unanimously to select Shaw. He will be sworn in at the Callaway County Courthouse early next week.
"He has been an active member of the community for a long time," said Martha Siegel, the board member who served as interim mayor following Rehagen's May 16 resignation.
Rehagen cited health reasons, including a need to recover from prior and upcoming surgeries, when announcing his resignation.
Shaw grew up in small-town Illinois and later served aboard a Navy submarine. In 1980, he moved to Callaway County to work at the nuclear plant.
"I drove down Highway 54, which at the time passed through New Bloomfield," he said. "I couldn't see much of the town, but what I saw, I liked."
Soon, he was living in New Bloomfield, which, he said, reminded him of the town where he grew up. He and his wife have raised four children in town.
Following his stint at the nuclear plant, Shaw worked at the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center and owned his own custom cabinetry shop. He said he was mayor in about 2010-12.
Shaw said he wanted to restore community trust in the the town government.
"I want to begin healing the rift," he said. "I didn't accept this position to do nothing."
Locals expressed a willingness to give Shaw a chance.
"He's going to have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk," said Jennifer Graves, a participant in the effort to have the town audited following the budget crisis early this year.
Luther Riley, a former colleague of Shaw's from his FRDC days, said Shaw had his support.
"I intend to support (him) as mayor simply because I know the man," he said.