They might not have said it, but that's what many people around the world were likely thinking after clocks bonged for the 12th time in each of the time zones Saturday morning, as computers kept running, missiles stayed in their bays and ATMs continued to dispense cash. For years Putnam County's power structure remained the same. The legendary sheriff Walt Pellicer, his circle of close friends and a few others called the shots. But even before Pellicer left office 11 years ago, power was shifting. When you look at the people most likely to shape Putnam County in the next decade or so, it is difficult to make a distinct division between those who are most likely and those who are poised to be most likely.
Some people work better out front.
Others work behind the scenes. Putnam County's last 25 years show the evolution of a Northeast Florida county coming of age into the 21st Century. Hoping to retain its rural heritage, Putnam County is entering the year 2000 with numerous positive signs of impending unprecedented growth. During the last 25 years of the millennium several buildings, offices and bridges have been rebuilt, refurbished and remodeled in Putnam County. Prior to the late 1970s, local retail had been primarily centered in downtown Palatka along St. Johns Avenue.