Tax Bills Hitting Mailboxes This week

Wabash County Treasurer Angela Broster would like to inform taxpayers that the 2021 payable 2022 real estate tax bills have been mailed. The first installment is due January 13, 2023 and the second installment is due February 17, 2023.

Payments may be made at the Treasurer’s Office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may also pay by mail, use the convenient drop box located in front of the courthouse, or at most banks in the county. Internet payment is available using the web address on the back of your tax bill.

For questions or if you do not receive your tax bill by December 20th, please contact the Treasurer’s office at 618-262-5262.

Mayor Says City's Tax Levy Could Be Good News For Taxpayers

Even though Wabash County taxpayers haven’t even received this year’s tax bills, local taxing bodies are finalizing tax levies for next year. The Mt. Carmel City Council Monday heard the first reading of the proposed levy that Mayor Joe Judge says looks favorable for city taxpayers…

The city council will hold a special meeting Tuesday at 2pm to finalize the levy.

County clerk Janet Will said the deadline to file the 2022 property tax levy with the county clerk is Tuesday, December 27th.

Judge Concerned About Costs Of Unfunded Mandates

Unfunded mandates from the state could impact the city of Mt. Carmel’s budget. Mayor Joe Judge reported at Monday’s city council meeting that he had recently attended Illinois Municipal League meetings in Chicago in which the impacts were outlined. One of the potentially most costly mandate deals with the storage of body camera footage from police officers….

Judge said the IML is also hopeful next month’s lame duck General Assembly will restore the local government distribution fund…

If the lame duck session of the General Assembly doesn’t address the issue, Judge said the IML is hopeful the issue is raised again in the Spring legislative session.

Shop With Cop/Fireman Set For This Saturday

Dozens of Wabash County first responders  will descend on the Princeton Walmart this Saturday for the annual Shop With A Cop/Fireman program. Fire department captain Mark Seaton organizes the effort and has collected thousands of dollars from local sources to provide a Merry Christmas for local youngsters. At yesterday’s city council meeting, fire chief Francis Speth said it’s a true community effort…

Police Chief Mike McWilliams highlighted Seaton’s work to make Christmas brighter for those that might otherwise do without…

WSJD File Photo-12/21/19-MCFD Fire Captain Mark Seaton

Mt. Carmel Man Sentenced To 4 Years In Prison On Domestic Battery Charge

Kelli Storckman, Wabash County State’s Attorney, reports that Marshall R. Keneipp, a 44-year old Mt. Carmel, Illinois man, was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections by the Honorable Circuit Judge William C. Hudson in Wabash County Circuit Court. State’s Attorney Storckman advises that the Defendant was charged February 22, 2022 with Domestic Battery, a Class 4 Felony. On December 5, 2022, Mr. Keneipp was sentenced to 4 years in the Department of Corrections, to be followed by 4 years parole.

FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENSE: That on the 20th day of February, 2022, in Wabash County, Illinois, the Defendant, MARSHALL R. KENEIPP, committed the offense of DOMESTIC BATTERY, in that said Defendant, without legal justification, knowingly made physical contact of an insulting nature to (NAME REDACTED), with whom the Defendant has a dating relationship, in that said Defendant grabbed (NAME REDACTED) and dragged her; and, at the time of this offense, Defendant had previously been convicted of a violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2 in Wabash County, Illinois 2020-CM-52 on March 11, 2021, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(2). A CLASS 4 FELONY

Mt. Carmel City Council Agenda

AGENDA

CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Monday, December 12, 2022 at 5:00 pm

 

·         Call to Order

o   Pledge of Allegiance

o   Roll Call

·         Approve Minutes

o   Minutes of meeting held 11/28/2022

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

·         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                            Brady Waldrop            Paris Pennington

o   Michael McWilliams               Francis Speth               Mike Gidcumb

New Business

o   Consent Agenda

§  Pay all bills providing proper signature

o   Removal of items from the Consent Agenda

o   Approve/Deny sealed bid for 318 W. 2nd Street

o   First Reading 2023 Tax Levy

o   First Reading Ordinance 2081-No Parking, Second reading waived

o   First Reading Ordinance 2082-All Stop Signs by resolution, changed to ordinance, Second reading waived.

·         Executive Session  

·         Motion to Adjourn

·         Liquor Control Meeting-N/A

Book Giveaway Set For This Saturday

This Saturday, Mayor Joe Judge and his family is again participating in a free book giveaway at the city pool. It’s the third year for the giveaway in which new Disney books that otherwise would be destroyed are instead handed out through a non-profit effort. Judge said a variety of books will be available…

 The book giveaway will be from 9am to noon during the drive-thru event open to anyone in the area.

Photo from 2020 book giveaway courtesy Joe Judge

Petition Filing For April Election Starts Today

The filing period starts today for next April’s Consolidated Election and we already know there will be at least one new member on the Mt. Carmel City Council. During the April 4th election, all four seats on the city council and the mayor’s seat will be up for grabs. Commissioner Justin Dulgar has taken a job in Florida and will be moving there next year. That means his seat will need to be filled by voters. Taking out petitions so far for the city council are current commissioner Tom Meeks, Eric Ikemire, and Susan Zimmerman. Also taking out petitions are Noah Bell and Darrell Thompson. Joe Judge is the only person so far to pick up a petition for mayor. Petitions for the city council spots can be picked up at city hall and filed through next Monday, December 19th. The order in which petitions are filed will determine ballot placement.

Also next April, voters will elect members to the District #348 and Allendale school boards. Petitions for the school board posts can be filed in the county clerk’s office.

Wabash CUSD #348/Mt. Carmel Jr. & Sr. High received new water bottle-filling stations

Mt. Carmel Jr. & Sr. High received two of the H2O On the Go grants from the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation. This grant provides new water bottle-filling stations to encourage students to drink more water.

This year, 62% of Illinois parents reported that their child currently has or has experienced a dental issue, the most common being cavities. Water consumption can help reduce the number of cavities, as well as increase energy levels and improve students’ attention span and ability to learn.

Mt. Carmel Jr. & Sr. High is one of 67 Illinois elementary, middle and high schools statewide selected for the 2022 program that will have existing water fountains replaced with new water bottle-filling stations. The students at Mt. Carmel Jr. & Sr. High will also receive toothbrushes and reusable water bottles as part of the program.

“We are so excited to have been selected as one of the Illinois schools for the 2022 H2O On the Go program,” said Steve Holt, Chief Operations Officer at Mt. Carmel Jr. & Sr. High. “Having access to water throughout the day will be so beneficial for both our students and our educators. It will help students improve their oral health.”

H2O On the Go provides greater access to drinking water for Illinois students and encourages them to choose water instead of sugary beverages like soda, juice and sports drinks. This will help Illinois parents, too, as they can trust their child will be well hydrated throughout the day when sent with a reusable water bottle.

 “Through the H20 On the Go program, we make it easier for Illinois students to drink water in an effort to improve their oral and overall health through the H2O On the Go program,” said Lora Vitek, executive director of Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation. “The new filling stations will not only help students stay hydrated, but they’ll lessen their chance of tooth decay.”

 See a full list of Illinois schools selected for the H20 On the Go program here: www.deltadentalil.com/h2o-on-the-go-recipients.