Scott County Times WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
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NEWS
Schools to receive funding from Coronavirus Stimulus Bill. See page A2
Crimestoppers fugitive of the week. See page A3
LOCALS
Cox heads to JWCC. See page A3
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, APR. 10
53 38 High
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SATURDAY, APR. 11
58 46 High
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SUNDAY, APR. 12
58 35 High
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WINCHESTER, IL 62694
VOLUME NO. 153 NUMBER 15
Serving our readers for more than 151 years
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Alderwoman, treasurer resign from Winchester Council By CARMEN ENSINGER Scott County Times The city of Winchester accepted three resignations at the April 1 meeting, and they were not April Fools jokes. Alderwoman Cathy Debold, Treasurer Amy Brown and Police Officer Nathan White. Debold filled out the unexpired term of Alderman Randy Fisher when he moved out of Winchester. She was then elected to the position at the next election. She was not in attendance at the April meeting. “I just want to thank Cathy for stepping up and taking over the vacancy left by Randy when he moved,” Mayor Rex McIntire said. “I appreciate her for doing that and then running for reelection and getting elected.” Treasurer has been with the city much longer. She was in attendance via video conference and McIntire said he was really sad to see her go. “Amy came into this position the same time I was elected mayor in 2013,” McIntire said. “So she has really been through the fire and I want to thank her for everything she has done for the city.” Brown said the reason she was resigning was due to other obligations. “I have enjoyed working with everyone and I think the council has done a great job improving things for the city and I’m happy to have been a part of that,” she said. “However, the
demands of my day job that pays the next meeting. A pre-construction meeting was bills has gone up recently and I have been stressed to the max trying to find held for the construction of the new filter house for the pool and the plumbtime to devote to the city.” McIntire said he was having a hard ing contractor suggested increasing the size of the filter house time finding a replaceby three feet. ment for Brown. Benton and “I have had one “I have enjoyed Associates Engineer heck of a time findGreg Hillis said he ing a replacement for working with gave the suggestion to Amy,” he said. “I have everyone and I the contractor to see if asked five people so far if they would be inter- think the council it was really necessary. total cost of ested in taking over as has done a great the“The increase in length is a treasurer and no tak$3,826,” Hillis said. “It ers.” job improving would be nice to have In the meantime, it bigger but it is not a McIntire said that things for the requirement – we have Alderman Lawrence city and I’m met all of the speciCoultas will assist the happy to have fications. Therefore, city with its finances. we do not recommend “I talked Lawrence been a part of that you approve the into helping out since increase.” he was the treasurer that.” The council didn’t several years ago and think it was worth it he is currently out of Amy Brown and therefore denied work since school is former Treasurer the request. shut down,” McIntire The council did said. “He has graciously accepted to help out with the trea- approve a legal agreement with a surer duties until we find someone to law firm to join in the legal proceedings against Panhandle Pipe Line to fill that vacancy.” As for the vacancy left by Debold, fight the proposed up to 500 percent McIntire said he has talked to three increase Panhandle is requesting for people about taking the position but delivery of natural gas to its customers. If the city doesn’t join in the lawhas had no takers. However, he hopes to have someone to recommend to the suit, they would stand to potentially be council to take over the position at the out $110,000 per year in additional gas
Winchester proceeding with grant for library addition By CARMEN ENSINGER Scott County Times Despite the financial uncertainty right now due to COVID19, the city of Winchester approved submitting the application for a grant from the Secretary of State’s Office to build an addition onto the library. Benton and Associates Engineer Greg Hills was in attendance at the meeting and informed the council about the meeting held with members of the library board and Alderman Lawrence Coultas. Hillis explained about the grant. “Back in 2013, the library submitted for a grant through the Secretary of State’s Office and at that time they did not receive it,” he said. “Back in December they got a letter stating they would be eligible to get their grant if they wanted it. But the caveat was the grant amount was not going to increase over what it was in 2013 – it was going to stay the same at $188,250.” Any additional cost for the addition would have to be assumed by the library and the city. “We started getting prices in to day’s dollars, which are very uncertain giving bidding estimates are ridiculously high at this time,” Hillis said. “That was evidenced by the amount of the pool bids that came back. The estimate we got back was $360,500.” The addition would go on the west side of the library and if the council approves, the project would be started in 2021 and finished in 2022. The original grant was a 75/25 grant, meaning the city would be accountable for 25 percent of the project. However, with today’s prices, the city would be liable or $172,250 bringing the grant down to a 52/48 share if the project comes in at the $360,500 price tag. “That is not to say that our estimate might not be a little on the high side,” Hillis said. “With all the turmoil going on its hard for contractors to give a good estimate.”
The city’s 25 percent share of the original project would have been around $48,000, compared to the $172,250 now. The library has around $70,000 that could go towards the addition. At this time, however, that $100,000 plus is a bit unrealistic. “We don’t know how long people are going to be able to pay their water and gas bills if they are not working,” Mayor Rex McIntire said. “The stimulus payment might help for awhile but it could get pretty ugly. We get a lot of money from sales tax, income tax and gaming. Gaming along brought in $20,000 last year and they are all shut down.” Should the city decide to turn down the opportunity for the grant, it could hamper future grant applications. Hillis had a solution. “The city could put a caveat in on the application saying that they could possibly come up with the additional money if the bid came in at no more than $300,000,” he said. “After we submit the application with a camp of $300,000 on the project and it comes back for an approval agreement to be signed and the city can’t pay, then you could back out at that time.” McIntire said it seemed like a low risk to move forward with the grant at a project cost of $300,000. “If we go in with the lower estimate and it comes in at $360,000, we can tell them we can’t do it,” McIntire said. “But the thing is this might be a one time shot for us because it has been seven years since the last grant.” Coultas said if the library could raise an additional $50,000 through fundraisers, it would be more feasible for the city. “If they could raise even half of the $100,000 and leave us holding the bill for $50,000 – I would feel somewhat more comfortable,” he said. “So, I would like to see us move forward with this idea and if it doesn’t work by the time to start the project we can say sorry, we can’t do it. This (See, GRANT, A2)
expenses that they could not recoup if it is decided that Panhandle can’t raise the delivery charge that much. The council did put a cap of $7,000 on the amount to spend on the litigation. The council approved the purchase of blinds for council chambers and the mayor’s office at a cost not to exceed $720. “I went to Home Depot a couple weeks ago and got some samples and then took the measurements on the windows here in the council room and in my office, which faces the south and really needs blinds,” McIntire said. “For the large blinds they are $155 each because they have to be specially made.” Alderman Ron Bell thought the city needed to stop spending. “I think it’s time for me to resign this council because we can’t even afford our employees right now and we are talking about purchasing blinds,” he said. McIntire said the situation with the city is not that bad right now, but that could change and that is the reason staff is being cut now. “We are doing okay now but this thing (COVID-19) could come to a situation where people can’t pay their bills and we are waiting on their money,” he said. “Could be sales tax money goes down, income tax money (See, RESIGNATION, A2)
Coping with COVID-19 Carmen Ensinger/ Scott County Times
Katie Morris, an employee at Buck and Jo’s Too, brings out an order to a hungry customer Friday during lunch hour. While restaurants are not allowed to serve customers inside the restaurant, they are allowed to do call-in orders and deliver them curbside.
Carmen Ensinger/ Scott County Times
Sam Killday, an employee of Great Scott Community Market, restocks fresh bananas Friday afternoon. The market is seeing a big increase in sales due to the stay at home order.
Carmen Ensinger/Scott County Times
It was a great tagline for Jeff Foxworthy, but this sign at Scotty’s Gas Station in Winchester just about says it all amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Wash your hands and pray. It can’t get much simpler than that. But what’s more, the $1.69 a gallon for gas hasn’t been seen in probably more than a decade.