WGFA News for Thursday, June 11, 2009 >
Thursday Headlines: New revenues needed to erase deficit…. Board Chairman cuts own pay…. Defeated member re-appointed….Hoopeston baby dies in accident….
Weather > More rain, 50% chance of showers, high near 73.
* A 23-month-old baby died from injuries sustained in a traffic crash in Vermilion County. Zachary Howard was a passenger in a pickup truck that hit an SUV head-on Wednesday afernoon, just south of Hoopeston on Route 1. The driver of the pickup had gone around another vehicle slowing for a turn. Sheriff’s Police report five other injuries; four of them airlifted to an Urbana Hospital. The accident shut down Illinois Route 1 for two hours.
* A Ford County accident last evening also injured four people, including a baby. Police said 16-yr-old Alyssa Cejka of Paxton ran ayield sign while southbound, colliding with 23-yr-old Kelsie Savage of Paxton. An infant in the Savage car was taken to Carle Hospital. Both cars ended up in a farm field.
* A one-term Iroquois County Board member, defeated by voters last November, is back on the board — appointed by Chairman Ron Schroeder. Jim Hurt of Wellington was sworn in to fill the vacancy in District 5, created by the death of John Kuntz. Schroeder named Hurt to the Highway and Tax committees. Filling the vacancy had created a stir amongst board members, delaying an appointment for 3-months. Some members favored Kuntz’ widow, (Marge Kuntz) fill the un-expired term. Others stated Hurt was defeated by voters and should have the voters approval to regain a seat.
* The Iroquois County Board will try AGAIN to find an acceptable solution to a deficit budget. Finance committee chairman Jim Meyer is yet to schedule another brainstorming session, but some members insist whatever avenue is taken will deal an upfront approach, without hidden agendas. As was reported, two efforts to cut the budget across the board for the remaining five months of this fiscal year were defeated Tuesday by the County Board.
At issue is public safety, in light of the violent crime that’s made news of late. Carl Brown was introduced as the new Director of the 21st Judicial Circuit’s Probation Department. Brown is well aware of the money-crunch. He says fiscal responsibility goes both ways….. :41 {look at} # 5
Board member Susan Wynn-Bence is director of the Kankakee-Iroquois County Center Against Sexual Assault. She addressed the board Tuesday saying she’s seen the serious crime cycle rise and fall, and it’s rising again…….. :18 {not react} # 6
Bence said the most recent crimes tell it all….. :13 {wrong} # 7
Those opposing cuts of up to 15% point to the impact in operations in the sheriff’s department, reducing manpoer and crippling response times. The public safety issue also affects probation and emergency management, impacting grant money on projects already underway.
But proponents argued that if cuts weren’t approved, the county’s financial condition will worsen and force even-deeper cuts for fiscal 2010. They say the county needs to slice $600,000 to erase the budget deficit. The county, it’s been pointed out, has operated the last 3-4 years having underfunded its levys.
* Looking for new revenue, the County Board (Tues) approved fee hikes for public services in the county clerk’s office. The fee for unpaid real estates taxes will jump to $110-dollars, up from the current $3 fee. A marriage license will increase from $15 to $28. The certified birth and marriage records will increase from $7 to $12; and certified copies of death records will cost $24, up from the now $7 fee. County Clerk Mark Henrichs said based on an independent study of the services’ costs, revenues will jump from $90,000 to over $178,000. The fee increases begin July 1.
* Board Chairman Ron Schroeder announced he, personally, will cut his own pay 10%. That’s in addition to the 10% cut the Board took back in December. Board members are now getting $50 per day for meetings. Schroeder also announced a July 1st meeting is scheduled to begin contract consession talks with unions representing employees.
* Chairman Schroeder also delayed for a month the renewal of liquor licenses. Ten existing licenses will be reviewed and presented to the board in July.
* Also approved was the appointment of Warren Hamby to a Trustee seat for the Loda Sanitary District.
* A tree dedication ceremony in Gibson City finds loved ones remembering two, young lives lost in a fire. Friends, family and school officials gathered to remember 13-yr-old Madisyn Moore and her 14-yr-old friend. The girls died in a Gibson City house fire. The two girls were having a sleepover when the fire started. They were both trapped inside.
