JCJ 11.20.13

Page 1

OPINION: More to politics than toeing the party line: Page A4 NEWS: Small Business Saturday Nov. 30: Page B3

CURRENT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Jerseyville, IL PERMIT NO. 204

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

P.O. Box 407 Jerseyville, IL 62052

JERSEY COUNTY

JERSEYVILLE, IL 62052

INSIDE NEWS

Schroeder named Home Health Employee of the Year. See page A9

FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

Samuel turns 2. See page B1

SCHOOL

Jersey State Bank's Student of the Month. See page C4

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 20, 2013

County Board members discuss rolling back from ICC codes By BOB CROSSEN Jersey County Journal

County board members wrangled with how to approach building codes during their regular meeting Nov. 12 after months of public comments complaining about the restrictive regulations. Board member Jeff Ferguson brought up the issue during the meeting, noting the International Code Council (ICC) codes were approved in April of 2008, according to meeting minutes he reviewed. He said when they were originally approved, the county building inspector was required to be certified in ICC codes. But in June of that same year, Ferguson said the approval was amended to remove the requirement for certification. However, he said the county building inspector does review blue prints and inspects county properties on a regular basis using the regulations approved by the county. “I know that our county code administrator has been performing inspections based on the ICC codes, and I know that he’s also been reviewing drawings, construction drawings,” Ferguson said. According to the meeting minutes from 2008, Ferguson said board members repeatedly stated that Jerseyville, Fieldon, Grafton and other communities would also follow suit with the codes with certified inspectors. Chairman Jerry Wittman said if the inspector is to be certified, both persons in the code administrator’s office need to be certified. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have people certified. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s a good deal,” Wittman said. “In all reality, it says that she [county code administrator

assistant Natalie Walsh] must be doing inspection on sites and plan review and she does everything according to her job description that he [county code administrator Mike Prough] has to do, or whoever has to do.” Wittman said both should be certified, but they should be given a year to get the certification, noting the process took Jerseyville building inspector Jeff Soer around six months. Ferguson said it’s been five years since the codes were adopted, adding he thinks that was an adequate amount of time to become certified. Ferguson said he would like to step back from the International Code Council regulations which he said are increasingly stringent on contractors and builders in the county, and board member Ed Koenig agreed with Ferguson’s sentiment. Working in the electrical field for many years, he said simple jobs that could be done around the house are exacerbated by the codes. “One of the requirements in those codes that I brought up at that time was that if you wanted to so much as move an outlet in your house, it required you to hire a licensed electrician,” Ferguson said. “If you wanted to put a new ceiling fan in place of an existing light, it requires hiring a licensed electrician. That’s the kind of overbearing thing that exists in these codes.” By stepping back from ICC, he said the county could return to other codes it already has on the books to bring more construction into Jersey County and provide a means for local builders to sustain themselves financially. “I’m concerned, and especially with the turmoil in (See, COUNTY, A2)

LITTLE

JOURNAL VOL. 11, NO. 47 - 75¢

GOBBLERS PREPARE FOR FEAST

Robert Lyons/Jersey County Journal

Kindergarten student Nora Mifflin sets up her Thanksgiving Dinner centerpiece Wednesday morning at West Elementary in Jerseyville. Students decorated the cafeteria and many dressed up for the event. The meal included turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and dessert.

Family receives $2.9 million settlement from gas explosion the lines and preventing an even larger disaster. “He literally sacrificed himself for my

By ROBERT LYONS Jersey County Journal A St. Louis attorney has announced a $2.9 million settlement for the family of the man killed in a 2010 explosion at a Jerseyville propane facility. James D. Smith of Godfrey was injured during an explosion while making a bulk delivery of propane to Updike’s Gas Service on Sept. 13, 2010. He died in the hospital six days later, on Sept. 19 from his injuries. A leak in a gas line caused a cloud of propane to form in the area around Smith’s delivery point. The cloud was ignited by an undetermined source and exploded. Three nearby residences caught fire, but did not sustain significant damage. Smith was hailed a hero by residents neighboring the facility for reportedly staying on the scene of the leak after it was discovered, turning off the valves to

“That man was a hero. He could have ran, but instead, he stayed and made sure he shut off every valve. If it wasn’t for him, we would probably all be gone right now.”

Greg Shain Jerseyville resident family and all of our neighbors,” Summer Murray, who resided on McBride Street, said the week following the incident.

Lady Piasa Birds win opener.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Six arrests in drug sweep, more pending

See page C6

ONLINE Visit us on the web at

jerseycountyjournal.com

By ROBERT LYONS Jersey County Journal

TOP STORIES ONLINE Week of Nov. 13-19

1) Stine and ‘stache: Local woodworker wins award for mustache 2) County approves temporarily filling vacancy of suspended employee 3) County considers stepping away from ICC codes 4) Curtis Adams project on road to completion 5) Plans presented for intersection improvement

INDEX Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C9 News . . . . . . . .A2, A3, A5,C2 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . A7 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Our Town . . . . . . . . . A10 Public Notice . . . . . . . . D1 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . C10 OBITUARIES: DAWDY, GATES, OGDEN, POPE, STECKEL.

jerseycountyjournal .com

© 2013 Jersey County Journal

Another neighbor, Greg Shain, constructed a makeshift memorial near the site in honor of Smith. “That man was a hero. He could have ran, but instead, he stayed and made sure he shut off every valve. If it wasn’t for him, we would probably all be gone right now,” Shain said. St. Louis based attorney Kevin Davidson, of the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm, represented the family in a law suit against Updike’s Gas Service. According to an Oct. 22 press release, it was determined “many of the company’s safety valves were manufactured in the early 1970s and had not been properly maintained. Also, the failed flexible connector was made of copper making it highly susceptible to failure.” The press release states the family received an out of court settlement of $2.9 million. (See, SETTLEMENT, A2)

Bob Crossen/Calhoun News-Herald

Darrell Becker stretches an adhesive along the edge of a manhole as part of the Curtis Adams project Tuesday afternoon in Jerseyville. The project aims to improve the flow of water in the area by directing it away from homes which regularly suffer interior flooding during heavy rains.

Curtis Adams project on road to completion By BOB CROSSEN Jersey County Journal Residents near the intersection of Curtis Street and Adams Street should be relieved of basement flooding and stagnant water in the neighborhood after the completion of a drainage project in two weeks, weather permitting. Donna Lott, Curtis Street resident, said heavy rains make it difficult for her to even enter her house, and hopes the new drainage system will alleviate those problems. “It floods our yard all the way up to our porch. It floods the road. It’s constant.

When it rains, everything comes here to this yard,” Lott said. “I’ll be glad for people to come in and actually be able to use the step instead of walking around the house and jumping onto the porch to not step in the water.” Jerseyville streets and public improvements commissioner Andy Macias said he has weekly meetings on the project which was started as a means to bring drainage to the neighborhood constantly marred by stagnant water after a heavy rain. “The land is basically flat in that area, so a lot of it was just stagnant. It just stayed right there or soaked in or went

into the basement,” Macias said. “Now, at least at the southern section there, it will be able to drain away towards the detention basin.” The water will drain to the south and will be metered out across County Road. The draining is aided by concrete troughs rather than muddy ditches, and Macias said the troughs give the area a much better appearance. Jerseyville resident, Sherry Vanost, a Curtis Street resident, has only lived in her home along the problem area of Curtis Street since March, but she said during heavy rains, the basement will (See, PROJECT, A2) C

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Law enforcement officials rounded up six individuals for selling drugs in Jersey County, and have arrest warrants for at least two more suspects. David L. Heape, Justin P. Combs, Terry L. Counts, Jack L. Green, Deborah A. Scoggins and Joshua M. Keeney all face felony drug charges. As of Thursday afternoon, all six remained in custody in the Jersey County Jail. Jersey County Sheriff Mark Kallal said the timing of most recent drug sweep made it atypical from ones done in the past. “We just went after them as we could,” Kallal said. “Normally, we try to get together and round them up all about the same time. This one didn’t require that.” Heape, 31, was charged with delivering between one and 15 grams of cocaine, and was being held on $100,000 bond. Green, 23, is accused of delivering less than five grams of a substance containing Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, and was being held without bond. The other four suspects each face two felony counts. Combs, 27, was charged with delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park, for allegedly delivering less than five grams of a substance containing morphine. Combs was held on $100,000 bond. Counts, 27, is accused of

delivering less than five grams of a substance containing hydrocodone and more than 10 but less than 30 grams of cannabis. Counts is being held on $50,000 bond. Scoggins, 36, faces two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled sub-

“We just went after them as we could. Normally, we try to get together and round them up all about the same time. This one didn’t require that.”

Mark Kallal Jersey County sheriff

stance within 1,000 feet of a school, one count for allegedly delivering less than five grams of a substance containing Alprazolam and less than five grams of a substance containing hydrocodone. Scoggins is being held on $75,000 bond. Keeney, 36, is being held on $50,000 bond for two counts of delivery of between 30 and 500 grams of cannabis. The names of the other two individuals with warrants issued were not made available, as they have not yet been apprehended. The drug sweep was conducted by the South Central Illinois Drug Task Force and the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department.


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