GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS January 5, 2011 – Vol. 142, No. 1 – Carrollton, Illinois 62016
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Three county offices to close on Fridays By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press The Greene County Board held a special meeting on Dec. 30 during which board members not only approved this year’s budget, but also reduced three county offices to a four-day workweek. Effective Dec. 31, the offices of
the county clerk, supervisor of assessments and treasurer are open only Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Friday. The county is facing a shortfall in the budget of between $150,000 to $200,000 due in part to the state being behind in payments. The board asked all department heads to reduce
their budgets by 20 percent which is reflected in this year’s budget. “Originally we were looking at a shortfall of between $300,000 to $400,000 in the budget,” Finance Chairman Doug Wagner said. “The measures we have taken has cut that in half, but if the state continues to not pay or departments go over their budgets, we could be looking at an
Fire destroys Kane home
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even larger deficit.” According to State’s Attorney Matt Goetten, by statute, the county only has the authority to set working hours in those three departments. The circuit clerk, probation, state’s attorney, sheriff’s department and highway department will remain on the five-day workweek. However, those departments still received the
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20-percent reduction in their budgets for the coming year. Goetten said a resolution setting forth the reductions was not needed since the budget reflects an 80 percent reduction in the workforce. “You don’t need a resolution because you have already taken your action as a board by reducing the payroll of each department by 20
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percent,” Goetten said. A memo will be issued to all department heads reiterating the 20percent reduction in their budgets. “The memo is to remind the office holders of the 20-percent reduction,” Goetten said. “That way, you can hold their feet to the fire by not signing the vouchers if they are over 80 percent of budget.”
PROGRAMS
By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press A weekend fire left a rural Kane family homeless. Carrollton Fire Protection District received a call at 7:40 p.m. Sunday and responded to a fire at the home of Marty Smay. Members of the Carrollton, Kane and Eldred fire departments responded to the blaze. “The home was fully involved when we arrived on the scene,” Carrollton Fire Protection Fire Chief Tim Thaxton said. “No one was at home when the fire was reported.” Cold conditions and a lack of water proved to hamper firefighter’s efforts. “The nearest hydrant was two miles away, so water was an issue,” Thaxton said. “The home was located on a hill and had a very narrow drive which also presented a problem because we had to back the tankers in. When the water started to freeze in the drive, that presented another problem.” Tanker trucks from Greenfield, White Hall, Roodhouse and Jerseyville were also called to the scene. Thaxton said firefighters were on the scene for nine hours. No cause of the blaze has been determined. “Because it was fully evolved when we arrived, everything was burned so badly that we couldn’t even establish a point of origin,” Thaxton said. “We’re not even sure what part of the house it started in.”
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
Members of the Carrollton High School ladies basketball and volleyball teams met at center court during the Carrollton Boys Basketball Holiday Tournament to accept a $3,000 donation each from Ford’s Drive One For Your School program. The event, sponsored by Evans Ford Mercury in Carrollton, gives schools the opportunity to earn money by getting people to test drive vehicles during the day-long event. Carrollton had over 300 people test drive the vehicles to receive the maximum award.
Boyd Hospital pushes to establish resale shop By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press Carrollton is the only community in Greene County with a zoning ordinance and that ordinance is coming into question due to a request by Boyd Hospital to open a resale shop in a house owned by the hospital. The plan is for volunteers to operate the shop three days a week. Zoning ordinances are written regulations and laws that define
DOMINOES,
how property in specific geographic zones can be used. Zoning ordinances specify whether zones can be used for residential or commercial purposes, and may also regulate lot size, placement, bulk (or density) and the height of structures. Zoning ordinances are lengthy documents describing not only the acceptable use for specified areas of land, but also the procedures for handling infractions (including any penalties), granting variances and hearing appeals. The house, located at 700 9th St.,
ANYONE?
> > Currently, a zoning ordinance prevents
efits. “First of all, it would help the hospital get much needed equipment with the proceeds from the sales used to help purchase equipment,” Dewitt said. “Secondly, it would help out the community by not only providing reasonable clothing, but also by helping out in the event of a tragedy, such as a fire when a family loses everything. They can come and get a voucher and go over to the house and get
the hospital from opening a business in a vacant home in a residential neighborhood. however, is zoned SR1, which is a single residence. A variance is permitted to allow certain commercial businesses to locate in a residential neighborhood if the home is occupied, but the home is vacant. Formerly, the home was used as a residence for emergency room doctors who were on call due to its close proximity to the hospital.
Boyd Hospital filed with the county clerk to open Boyd’s Closet, described as a resale shop that offers new and gently used items at yard sale prices, back in mid 2010. Boyd Hospital employee Frank Dewitt, who is in charge of the proposed endeavor, said the resale shop would have two-fold ben-
(See, SHOP, A2)
2010 Year in Review Part Two: July – December
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
Nellie Kunzeman, Wanda Klunk and Doris Pranger enjoy an exhilarating game of dominoes prior to lunch at the Carrollton Senior Citizens Center to begin the new year. The seniors are currently trying to raise money to help pay utility bills in the center located on the square in Carrollton.
Greene Prairie Press Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7 Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Marketplace. . . . . . . . . . .B3-4 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Our Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . .B5-6 School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1
Local
Inside
other lawsuit – this time from the family of a Kane man who was allegedly killed by his son last year. David K. Prough, administrator of the estate of Dennis Prough, is suing the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the county, and other unknown members of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department under the Wrongful Death Act, the Illinois Survival Statute and the Statutory Indemnification Act. Each count seeks in excess of $50,000 and a jury trial has been requested. Carrollton Mayor Tim Brannan announced at the July 13 city council meeting that the pool will be released from the control of the park board and a separate board set up to run the pool. Two STAT Packs were recently donated to Boyd Hospital by Christ United Methodist Church in White
Hall. The idea originated from a project by the GFWC/Illinois Junior Women’s Clubs to outfit all ambulances in Illinois with packs that can easily be taken from an ambulance into an area of need. - AUGUST Carrollton School District called a special meeting to approve a resolution authorizing the issuance of tax anticipation warrants in anticipation of the collection of taxes levied for the year 2009 in the amount of $430,000. Dr. Randall Voigts of Illini Medical Associates of Roodhouse is celebrating a milestone this month. Twenty-five years ago in August 1985, a young Dr. Voigts, fresh off his internship after medical school, opened the doors to the building that (See, 2010, A2)
Sports
Local
Hawks win own tourney. See page B1
Alexander graduates basic. See page A5
A tribute to those we've lost in 2010.
© 2011 Greene Prairie Press
OBITUARIES
News
- JULY A Greenfield man has been sentenced to two years in the Department of Corrections on a charge of aggravated battery following an incident in Greenfield in which the victim later died. Gary G. Goff, 35, was originally charged with two counts of aggravated battery for allegedly striking Michael W. Feldman, 27, of Grafton, in the side of the head with his fist on Prairie Street in Greenfield on Aug. 26. If great things do indeed come in pairs, then the Carrollton Grade School is in for some really good times ahead as it readies for the new school year with not one, but two principals. Leslee Frazier will be principal of the middle school while Lori Baez supervises the day-to-day activities at the grade school level. Greene County is facing yet an-
IN THIS ISSUE:
JONES, KESSEY, MILLER, RIMBEY.
Birthdays and more. See page A5
See page A6
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