At Monday’s City Council meeting, street commissioner Eric Ikemire offered his bi-weekly report….
IECC Board Of Trustees Meeting Summary
The Board of Trustees of Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday night, November 20th at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Illinois and following a public hearing on the tax levy, Trustees certified the district’s levies for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018 and ending June 30, 2019.
The Board approved an increase in tuition for international students. The rate per semester hour for International students will be $341.51 and the rate per semester hour for second year International students will be $230.00.
The holiday calendar for administrative, technical, professional non-faculty, clerical and maintenance personnel was approved for calendar year 2019. The schedule is the same as in previous years.
The Board postponed consideration of a proposal by the Lawrence County Board to abate property taxes for ten years on residential property and certain commercial property until more details are received.
Updates were approved to the substance abuse policy that continues the prohibition of use of certain recently State of Illinois approved drugs that are not approved at the Federal level. This revision will ensure continued adherence to federal law.
The Board approved two projects to be paid for using Statewide Emergency Capital Funding. The two approved projects are a heat exchanger at Olney Central College and applied fluid acrylic to the Applied Arts building roof at Wabash Valley College.
Affiliation agreements were approved for the Phlebotomy Program with Hamilton Memorial Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital Vincennes and for the Basic Nurse Assistant Program with Aperion Care Bridgeport.
Stephanie Nutall was employed as Title III Project Director, effective November 26, 2018. Wendy Coles was employed as a Workforce Education Instructor, effective January 2, 2019 and Calvin Melvin was employed as a Workforce Education Instructor, effective January 7, 2019.
Change in Status was approved for two current employees. Alyssa Maglone from Administrative Assistant to the Dean at OCC to Coordinator of Curricular Reporting and Articulation at the District Office, effective November 26, 2018 and for Taryn Bunting, from Administrative Assistant at OCC to Coordinator of Financial Aid at OCC, effective November 21, 2018.
A resignation ratification was approved for Dr. Laura Bruck, Assistant Professor at Wabash Valley College, effective May 11, 2018.
Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at 7 p.m. at Frontier Community College, Fairfield.
County Board Agrees To 4 Year Extension With Gittings
Debbie Gittings gets a new four-year term as Assessor. The Wabash County Board on Monday unanimously agreed to a new contract with the long-time Assessor, whose current contract was up at the end of the month. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed at the meeting.
Hudson Issues Another Reminder About Leaves
Mayor Bill Hudson has issued yet another reminder to residents about disposing of their leaves....
Hudson said leaves shouldn’t be blown into the street which in turn clog up storm sewers. The mayor also plugged the Wabash Valley baseball team that is raking leaves around town for a donation. Contact the college for more information.
Last year, the city discontinued the free leaf vac program citing costs, broken equipment, and the fact that one-third or less of residents used the service. This year, the council reinstated the program but required residents to buy a $30 “ticket” good for their leaves to be vacuumed one time.
City Financial Audit Reveals Positive News For Mt. Carmel
Good financial news for the city of Mt. Carmel as the results of the city audit were revealed last night. The news came from Arlynne Stroman of Botsch and Associates in Carmi…
Stroman said there were no issues with how city finances are managed saying it was a clean audit. Finance commissioner Joe Judge said the positive news was the result of a lot of people….
Stroman offered a brief summary of the audit to the city council saying the entire document totaled 70 pages.
Crackdown On Holiday Shoppers Abusing Disability Parking at Malls Statewide
Secretary of State Jesse White announced today that Secretary of State Police will conduct statewide parking stings targeting individuals illegally parking in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities at shopping malls beginning on Black Friday, Nov. 23.
Secretary of State Police will enforce the provisions of the Parking Program for Persons with Disabilities at shopping centers in Aurora, Bloomington, Carbondale, Chicago, Fairview Heights, Oak Brook, Orland Park, Peoria, Rockford, Schaumburg and Springfield on Nov. 23. Friday marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season and one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Other enforcements will take place during the holiday season in Chicago, the suburbs and throughout the state.
“Our mission is not to issue tickets, but to ensure that accessible parking spaces are available to those who need them,” White said. “Parking illegally in a space reserved for people with disabilities means a possible driver’s license suspension and a hefty fine, money which could otherwise be used on gifts. Remember, if you don’t belong there, don’t park there.”
Drivers caught misusing a placard face a six-month driver’s license suspension and a $600 fine. Repeat violators will face a one-year driver’s license suspension and a $750 fine for a second offense; for third or subsequent offenses, violators will face a $1,000 fine plus a one-year driver’s license revocation. The fine for parking in an accessible parking space without a disability placard or disability license plates can be up to $350. Using a deceased person’s placard or a fraudulent placard can result in a $2,500 fine and one-year revocation of a driver’s license.
Currently, there are 547,637 permanent disability placards, 62,503 disability license plates and 6,618 disabled veteran plates registered in Illinois.
White urges individuals to report abuse of parking spaces for people with disabilities by calling 217-785-0309. Callers should be prepared to report placard and license plate numbers, as well as the location of vehicles. People can also report abuse via the Secretary of State’s website at www.cyberdriveillinois.com and complete the Parking Program for Persons with Disabilities Abuse Complaint Form.
Mt. Carmel Man Arrested For Driving Suspended
On 11/15/18 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Cameron B.S. Brown, age 29, of Mt. Carmel, for Driving While License Suspended following a traffic stop in the area of 12th & Market Street. The officer knew Brown had a suspended license and placed him under arrest. Brown was taken to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending the posting of $150 cash bond.
Driving Suspended Results In Mt. Carmel Woman's Arrest
On 11/15/18 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Tamera B. Hadley Richardson, age 53, of Mt. Carmel, for Driving While License Suspended following a traffic stop in the 900 block of Chestnut Street. Richardson was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged and held on a $150 cash bond.
Princeton Woman Jailed On Drug Charge
On 11/16/18 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Hanna R. Tausch, age 41, of Princeton, IN, for Possession of a Controlled Substance following a traffic stop at 8th & Walnut Street. During the stop Tausch admitted to being in possession of Xanax, without a prescription, which is a Controlled Substance. Tausch turned the pills over and was placed under arrest. Tausch was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged and held pending a bond setting by a judge.
Fleeing & Hiding In Basement Doesn't Prevent Mt. Carmel Man's Arrest
On 11/18/18 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Charles Logan Shoemaker, age 23, of Mt. Carmel, for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Resisting/Obstructing a Peace Officer. A complaint was made about a possible impaired driver operating a white Chevrolet coming from Indiana to Illinois. Officers located the suspect vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop after observing a traffic violation. Shoemaker fled from the officer attempting to stop him and continued on to his residence in the 500 block of Division Street. Shoemaker then exited and continued to flee on foot. Officers located Shoemaker hiding in the basement of the residence. Officers placed Shoemaker under arrest at this time. During their interaction with Shoemaker they found signs of impairment from alcohol present. Field sobriety testing was conducted on Shoemaker with the officer observed several clues indicating impairment. Shoemaker was held at the Wabash County Jail on the above mentioned charges pending the posting of bond.
