(UPDATED) BREAKING NEWS: Shepherd replaced as highway superintendent

Basil Shepherd

Mike Hennette

Basil Shepherd, who has served as Greene County Highway Department Superintendent for the last three years, is expected to be replaced when the commissioners meet Friday at 9:30 a.m. for an annual reorganizational session.

Beard, along with newly elected commissioners Steve Lindsey and Kermit Holtsclaw, will elect officers and make their annual appointments at that meeting.

The Greene County Daily World has learned that Shepherd will not be re-appointed and will be replaced by former county highway department superintendent Mike Hennette.

While the vote won't be official until Friday, the change was confirmed Monday morning by Greene County Commissioner's president Bart Beard.

Beard said, "He (Hennette) is what we are looking for. We have got to get this thing turned around and we can't get that from within the department."

Shepherd, who has been told he will not be re-appointed to the superintendent's job, will stay on the department as a mechanic, according to Beard.

When contacted on Monday, Shepherd, who lives in Lyons, also confirmed that he had been told by the commissioners that he would not be re-appointed.

"I have enjoyed the job and met a lot of nice people," Shepherd said.

He added with a laugh that the job also afforded him the chance to see a lot of Greene County.

"I sure know Greene County better now," Shepherd said.

Shepherd said he didn't want to comment further about the leadership change.

Hennette, a 1970 Linton-Stockton High School graduate, is retired and most recently served three years as Greene County Highway Superintendent -- leaving the appointive office at the end of 2005. Prior to that he worked two years with the Indiana Department of Transportation out of the Vincennes District office.

Hennette also worked in middle management for Peabody Coal Company for nearly 30 years.

Hennette, who lives in Linton, is married to Rita Hennette. She currently serves as Greene County Recorder.

The Hennettes have two sons.

Jason, who is an officer on the Loogootee Police Department, is married and the father of two children, Jamison and Hailey Jo.

Troy is a government teacher in the Pekin Eastern High in the East Washington County School District.