April 2013 will be a month we remember for years to come...
The month began with both our first "meet and greet" in Mackinaw (April 6) and the Consolidated Election. Both Andrew Rinehart and I would like to thank the many officials and citizens who came out to greet us on a beautiful Saturday morning, and we look forward to many more of these events throughout District 3 in 2013 and 2014. On April 9, the voters went to the polls to select leaders of townships, municipalities, and school districts for the next four years. Many Tazewell County residents threw their name into the ring as candidates. While I congratulate those who were successful in their elections, I especially want to thank those who worked hard but fell short of their goal. Speaking from personal experience, an election defeat is disappointing, but you should not be discouraged from running again and/or remaining active in the community through various social, service, or other organizations.
As the month continued, our area saw record levels of flooding, and many residents suffered devastating losses. Our prayers for them continue. With the waters rising, communities banded together and filled sandbags, and offered resources to those in need. During our County Board meeting on April 24, Chairman David Zimmerman thanked our area's first responders, and Vice Chairman Tim Neuhauser conveyed what we learned first hand - Tazewell County staff represented our County well during this crisis. For example, our Health Department, Highway Department, and Emergency Management Agency (among others) worked tirelessly to coordinate with federal, state, and local officials from road closures/detours to ensuring financial resources for our citizens. I also want to add my thanks for everyone who served all of us during this difficult time.
On April 24, the County Board also passed an ordinance related to posting addresses on properties in the rural, unincorporated areas of the County. The Land Use Committee and staff consulted with both fire protection agencies and local road authorities to develop a unified plan for all properties to be sufficiently labeled, which will enable fire agencies to quickly identify properties needing assistance. The Committee made sure the final version of the ordinance has a deferred enforcement period to give property owners time to understand what signage is required, and was drafted in a way which guarantees many properties are already in compliance or can be brought into compliance with minimal cost to the owner(s).
The Board also received word at its April meeting that Monsanto will be investing roughly $25 million in Tazewell County, including the addition of many new full-time jobs. In February, the Board had voted to extend a plan in which certain tax incentives were provided to Monsanto. As Chairman Zimmerman noted, County Administrator Michael Freilinger is to be congratulated for his hard work on this project.
In other news...
Governor Quinn announced $2.5 million of his six year infrastructure program will be provided for further engineering and corridor studies on the Eastern Bypass...and
The Illinois House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 961, which will authorize the use of "direct deposits" of the Local Government Distributive Fund ("LGDF"). In essence, Counties and municipalities (who receive the LGDF from the state in lieu of having their own income tax) suffer delays because the state deposits state income tax funds into the state's General Revenue Fund, and then to LGDF for disbursement. Under H.B. 961, the state must immediately deposit the funds into LGDF. The Bill is currently pending in the Illinois Senate.
