New Liquor Store To Open In Former Family Video Location

The new year will bring a new package liquor store to Mt. Carmel. Acting as liquor control commissioner last night, Mayor Joe Judge approved renewing all existing liquor licenses and issued a new package liquor license to Liquor Lake, LLC, headed by JK Patel . The new liquor store will locate in the former Family Video location at 520 Walnut Street. Judge said the new license fulfills the city’s available allotment…

Judge said Patel also operates liquor stores in Harrisburg and Evansville according to Judge. He said the 2022 liquor licenses are bringing more money into city coffers than this year….

Wabash County's Jobless Rate Falls To 3.3%

As the year draws to a close, Wabash County’s jobless remains one of the lowest in southern Illinois.

According to the November unemployment figures from the state’s department of employment security, the local rate went from 3.5% in October to 3.3% last month, which is also down from the 4.6% mark in November of 2020. In the Mt. Carmel-Olney area, total non-farm employment remained stable with no payroll changes reported compared to November 2020.Employment gains were posted in Government, Leisure and Hospitality, and Educational and Health Services. Employment declined in Manufacturing, and Construction (-25).

No employment changes were reported in Natural Resources and Mining, Professional and Business Services, Financial Activities, Information, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities. Wabash County’s November jobless rate was just two-tenths of a point behind the lowest in southern Illinois which was Hamilton County at 3.1%. The highest rate in southern Illinois was again in Pulaski County at 7%.

Two Women Airlifted Following US 50 Crash

ISP INVESTIGATES TRAFFIC CRASH WITH INJURIES

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 12

WHAT:                      Two Vehicle Traffic Crash with Injuries

WHERE:                   US Route 50, just east of Bannister Road, Marion County

WHEN:                      Dec. 27, 2021 at approximately 6:00 p.m.

VEHICLES:              Unit 1 – Silver 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander

                                    Unit 2 – Silver 2007 GMC Sierra

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1 – Shannon Lewis, a 42-year-old female from Flora, IL – Airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries.

                                    Unit 2 – Jesse Wooden, a 54-year-old male from Alma, IL – Refused medical attention.

PASSENGERS:         Unit 2 – A two-year-old male from Alma, IL - Transported to an area hospital with injuries.

                                    Unit 2 – Tammy Wallace, a 55-year-old female from Kinmundy, IL – Airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries. 

PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling eastbound on US Route 50, just east of Bannister Road in Marion County. Unit 2 was traveling westbound in the same area. For an unknown reason, Unit 1 crossed the center line and struck Unit 2 head-on. The driver of Unit 1 and the adult passenger of Unit 2 were airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries. The juvenile passenger of Unit 2 was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of Unit 2 refused medical attention. No further information will be disseminated at this time. 

CHARGES:               The driver of Unit 1 was cited for Improper Lane Usage, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle and Failure to Wear a Seatbelt.

Deadline Almost Here For Golf Cart/UTV Owners To Get 2022 Sticker

Time is running out for golf cart and UTV owners in Mt. Carmel get their 2022 permits or face a hefty fine. This fall, City Council decided to do away with the staggered due dates for the stickers and instead go to having them expire at the end of each calendar year. Mayor Joe Judge explains the reason for the change…

You have until the end of this week to get your sticker and remain legal. Police Chief Mike McWilliams has said after a brief grace period of the first few days of the year, police will start writing tickets for the expired tags. The 2022 golf cart and side by side permits can be purchased 24/7 at the Mt. Carmel Police Department.

Posey County Shooting Suspect Paul Wiltshire Dies at Deaconess Gateway Hospital

Warrick: Earlier today, Paul Wiltshire, 70, died at Deaconess Gateway Hospital. Wiltshire had been in custody at the Warrick County Jail for allegedly shooting Posey County Sheriff’s Deputy Bryan Hicks on September 18.

On December 17, Wiltshire was ill, and his medical condition required him to be transported by ambulance from the Warrick County Jail to Deaconess Gateway. The Posey County Sheriff’s Office took over custody of Wiltshire while he was being treated at the hospital.

Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham has requested the Indiana State Police to investigate Wiltshire’s death, which is common when an inmate dies in custody.

According to Warrick County Coroner Sarah Seaton, the preliminary cause of Wiltshire’s death is natural causes due to Covid. An autopsy is scheduled for later today.

Mt. Carmel Man Held Without Bond Following Aggravated Domestic Battery Arrest

On 12/21/21, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Brandon L. Garrett, age 28, of Mt. Carmel, for Aggravated Domestic Battery following an incident at a residence in the 1000 block of Chestnut Street. Officers were called to the scene regarding a domestic battery that allegedly occurred between Garrett and his girlfriend. Officers found evidence to indicate a domestic battery occurred and by the nature of the battery, it became aggravated. Officers later located Garrett in the 300 block of West 9th Street where he was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail. Garrett, who is on mandatory supervised release through the Illinois Department of Corrections, otherwise known as parole, then had a no bond warrant issued from the Illinois Department of Corrections due to his arrest. Garrett is being held pending return to the Department of Corrections pending the outcome of this case.

*UPDATE* More Cash Recovered In Drug Investigation

***UPDATE***

As an update to the Thomas Gidcumb arrest on 12/21/21, Mt. Carmel Police continued to investigate the incident and consequently recovered an additional $27,800 of U.S. Currency (see picture 1). The total amount recovered from this arrest is $32,000. This investigation is still ongoing.

Original Story:

On 12/21/21, Mt. Carmel Police executed a search warrant at a residence located at 710 West 6th Street regarding an investigation into the illegal sales of methamphetamine. Upon arrival, officers took the resident Thomas D. Gidcumb, age 55, into custody for delivering methamphetamine to an individual earlier in the day. The search warrant, signed by Wabash Circuit Judge William Hudson and prepared by Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman, resulted in the recovery of approximately 18 grams of crystal methamphetamine, plastic baggies, digital scales, security cameras/monitors, and $4200 of U.S. Currency. Gidcumb is being held without bond at the Wabash County Jail and is facing charges for Aggravated Possession with Intent to Deliver over 15 grams of Methamphetamine (Class X), Aggravated Delivery of Methamphetamine (Class 1 Felony), and Criminal Fortification of a Residence (Class 3). Gidcumb is currently out on bond in Wabash County for a Delivery of Methamphetamine arrest on November 18, 2021. New MCPD K-9 Eleven and his handler Ofc. Hopper was instrumental in the recovery of these items. Mt. Carmel Police were also assisted by deputies of the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office.

Mt. Carmel City Council Agenda

AGENDA

CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 5:00 pm

· Call to Order

o Pledge of Allegiance

o Roll Call

· Approve Minutes

o Minutes of meeting held 12/13/2021

· Visitors (topic discussed by visitor(s) is limited to 5 minutes)

· Dave Dallas-MFT Report

· Reports and Communications

o Mayor Judge

o Commissioner Meeks Streets, Cemeteries and Parks

o Commissioner Ikemire Finance and Senior Citizens

o Commissioner Dulgar Water and Sewer

o Commissioner Zimmerman Fire, Health & Safety, City Hall and Garbage

· Staff Reports

o Ryan Turner

o Brady Waldrop

o Michael McWilliams

o Francis Speth

o Mike Gidcumb

· New Business

o Consent Agenda

o Removal of items from the Consent Agenda

o Consideration of Consent Agenda

§ Reading of Resolution 684

§ Reading of Ordinance 2062-Vacates ordinance 553

§ Reading of Ordinance 2063-Change Video Gaming Fees

§ Pay all bills bearing proper signature

o Consideration of items removed from the Consent Agenda

· Executive Session

· Motion to Adjourn

· Liquor Control Meeting

o Application review of new liquor license

o Approval of 2022 liquor license

WCHD Administrator Faces More Criticism Over Pay

Is Wabash County Health Department administrator Judy Wissel vastly overpaid? Or is her pay commiserate of her education, training, duties, and is comparable to other health department administrators? That’s the question the Wabash County Board of Health will face when they meet on January 13th.

The issue was first broached publicly last month when Wabash County Commissioner Rob Dean (who also has a seat on the Board of Health) said Wissel’s pay went from $85,000 in 2019 to just over $140,000 during the pandemic year of 2020. Dean said the increase in Wissel’s pay was due in large part from her being transitioned from a salary to hourly pay in 2018. With the pandemic causing a huge amount of overtime, Wissel’s pay went up $55,000 last year compared to the previous year. In 2017, Wissel’s pay was just under $64,000.

But, Wissel contends there was never a change from salary to hourly and that she’s always been an hourly employee. As for her big jump in pay last year, Wissel pointed to the minutes of the health board’s meeting on June 26th, of 2020 at which time all board members, including Dean, approved a wage increase proposal Wissel had submitted.

Wabash County Health Department Board of Health 6/26/20 meeting minutes supplied by Judy Wissel.

As we previously reported, Dean’s motion to cut Wissel’s pay was voted down by the health board at their November meeting.

After that meeting, Wissel sent information to the board that compared her salary to other health department administrators in Illinois:

Madison County – salaried, hazard pay bonus

Crawford County – Hourly $39/hr, has not completed her first year yet, was paid overtime

Jackson County – Salary at $89,300 but was also paid overtime for any time over 45 hours a week

Egyptian – PH Administrator (working under the CEO $100,000/yr) works 35 hours a week $73,000/year – was paid for approx. 600 hours of overtime

Randolph County – Union employees working under a contract – she is paid overtime and guaranteed the same annual increase over the next three years

Jasper County– Hourly, approx. $74,000 – paid overtime for well over the 600 hours and also was paid hazard pay.

Bond County – Salary $93,366 – flexes time when able to do so

East Side Health District – Salary $100,000 and received hazard pay

Douglas County – Salary $105,000 and received hazard pay

Wayne County – Salaried – received hazard pay on two occasions – in her first year as administrator

Clay County - $120,000 salary – received hazard pay

Jefferson County – Salaried –  received hazard pay

But, Dean dismissed those figures saying for example the Crawford County number is skewed because the administrator oversees both Lawrence and Crawford Counties and oversees four divisions. Comparatively, he said Wissel is paid $48 an hour for a 40 hour week and $72/hour for overtime.  He also pointed out Jackson County’s health department serves communities with 52,974 in population (2020 Census data) while Wabash County is considerably smaller.

 Dean is also concerned Wissel’s $140,000 a year pay will affect the county’s payments to IMRF putting local taxpayers for Wissel’s retirement for years to come.  In the email to the health board, Wissel attached a document from IMRF that she contends shows the following increases in reported earnings may be considered for an exemption:  Overtime, increase in required hours, promotion, vacation payout and collective bargaining agreements.  “I do know that several counties, Wayne being one of them that did file an exemption for their administrator that retired,” Wissel stated.

 At the Wabash County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, Dean again brought up the subject…

Wissel summarized her side of the issue by telling the health board via email:

1.    “We paid all staff overtime that worked over 40 hours/week.

2.    All overtime was covered by the COVID grants dollars.

3.    I am, and always have been hourly.  To the recollection of everyone here – the HD has not had any salaried positions for over 20 years.

4.    I monitor finances closely for each grant and for the overall agency and would never jeopardize the finances of this agency.

5.    I am serving as Health Department Administrator and Director of Behavior Health.

6.    I hold a Master’s Degree, a national certification and State License which is not required for many other county positions.”

 At the November health board meeting, only Dean and board secretary C. J. Peach voted in favor of amending Wissel’s pay. Despite the defeat of his motion last month, Dean says the issue will be revisited next month at the January 13th health board meeting. 

Mt. Carmel Man Being Held Without Bond Following Drug Bust

On 12/21/21, Mt. Carmel Police executed a search warrant at a residence located at 710 West 6th Street regarding an investigation into the illegal sales of methamphetamine.

Upon arrival, officers took the resident Thomas D. Gidcumb, age 55, into custody for delivering methamphetamine to an individual earlier in the day. The search warrant, signed by Wabash Circuit Judge William Hudson and prepared by Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman, resulted in the recovery of approximately 18 grams of crystal methamphetamine, plastic baggies, digital scales, security cameras/monitors, and $4,200 of U.S. Currency.

Gidcumb is being held without bond at the Wabash County Jail and is facing charges for Aggravated Possession with Intent to Deliver over 15 grams of Methamphetamine (Class X), Aggravated Delivery of Methamphetamine (Class 1 Felony), and Criminal Fortification of a Residence (Class 3). Gidcumb is currently out on bond in Wabash County for a Delivery of Methamphetamine arrest on November 18, 2021.

New MCPD K-9 Eleven and his handler Ofc. Hopper was instrumental in the recovery of these items. Mt. Carmel Police were also assisted by deputies of the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office.