December 28, 2007 10:40 am
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Listen To The Story
By TESA CULLI
tesa.culli@register-news.com
MT. VERNON — The year 2007 has been one in which dreams have been realized, tears shed over losses and the future growth planned for Jefferson County.
After discussions of which stories touched the lives and interests of our readers, employees in the many departments of the Register-News voted to rank the top 10 local stories of the year.
Some of the state stories which impacted the area were the electric rate increase with a subsequent refund of some of the increase, a law banning smoking in all workplaces and the shenanigans of lawmakers in Springfield over the budget and capital budget, an on-going saga.
As early in the year as January, residents got a small taste of what would be in store during budget talks as the state legislators argued over the best way to handle electric rate spikes by Ameren after a 10 year rate freeze expired. Some legislators were in favor of reenacting the freeze, others were in favor of a temporary freeze, while others sought to phase in the rate increases.
Meanwhile, residents, municipalities, businesses and schools struggled to find ways to pay for the energy on already fixed budgets.
Relief finally came in August, when Governor Rod Blagojevich signed a bill that rolled back about half the rate increases through rebate checks and bill credits to Ameren customers.
While the electric rate debate soared in Springfield, many thoughts turned to banning smoking in all public places. Illinois became the 19th state to ban smoking inside public places and within 15 feet of an entrance to a business in May, with the law to take affect on Jan. 1.
As the year turns, the arguments are still flying in Springfield over the capital spending budget, which is also costing school districts millions of dollars. The fight over budgets started in March when Blagojevich presented his $45.4 billion operating budget plan.
While legislators butted heads with the governor, state employees and others who receive state funds began biting their nails wondering if they would receive checks.
The state began operating without spending authority on July 31, when a temporary budget expired. State Comptroller Dan Hynes refused to issue the checks against the state constitution, and a court order was obtained so he could pay state employees. Nearly 1,000 school districts didn’t receive two expected payments.
The budget was finalized on Aug. 13, by the legislature, but Blagojevich didn’t sign the bill until late August.
Locally, residents in Mt. Vernon Township High School District 201 were faced with a referendum on whether or not to build a new campus and city residents also went to the polls to fill three vacant spots on the city council and elect a new mayor.
After months of debate between the MVTHS on the Move committee which stumped for building a new school and Uncle Silas committee members, who argued against the referendum, voters on April 17, defeated the referendum. While at the polls, a new mayor, Mary Jane Chesley was elected, making her the first woman mayor for the city. Mary Burgan, David Wood and Shirilyn Holt were elected to the city council, edging out incumbent Rick Heck and Kent Renshaw, who then asked for a five precinct discovery recount due to losing by eight votes to Wood. After the counting was finished, Wood retained the top votes.
The year saw several changes in faces not just at the council table, but in departments throughout the city. Ron Neibert served his first day as city manager, Mt. Vernon Fire Department Chief Brent Hahn retired, and Assistant Chief Jim Brown was promoted into the top spot, with Kevin Sargent becoming the new assistant chief. George Bryant became the new Parks and Recreation Director in August.
On the sports front, the King City and all of Illinois put their hopes on young Antonio Moore, who was the only Illinois athlete to compete for Team USA in track and field events at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. Moore participated in three events in China and received medals in each event. He received a second in the shot put, a second in the 4x400 relay with other members of Team USA and fifth in the 400 meter run.
Closer to home, the Brennan Klein Field opened at Lincoln Park on June 23. The field features a pavilion with bleachers, dugouts. The field, named after the late 16-year-old son of Dr. Chris and Diane Klein, was built with a combination of donations and city money.
The year saw many dreams realized and goals made on the economic development front, with the announcement that St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital had submitted a plan to the state to build a new facility on Veterans Memorial Drive. In February, Ethanex announced it would be building an ethanol plant in Waltonville, and in March, work began on a Pilot Truckstop which was completed in December.
Continental Tire North America pledged $78 million in new investments in the Mt. Vernon facility to expand commercial operations. The $78 million was in addition to the previously announced $70 to $100 million investment in both the passenger and commercial divisions slated to be completed between 2006 and 2009.
The Mt. Vernon Outland Airport was named 2007 General Aviation Airport of the Year by the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics.
The airport was the setting for a long-awaited announcement about the status of the Interstate 57/64 overpass/interchange project. Milt Sees, Illinois Department of Transportation Director and former mayor of Mt. Vernon announced in October that the contract for the $15 million project had been awarded to E.T. Simonds. The official ground-breaking ceremony for the project, which was 10 years in the making, was held on Oct. 31.
While waiting for word on the status of the overpass/interchange project, the city approved its first tax increment finance district, a development, site-specific TIF for Doe Valley Estates retirement community. Under terms of the TIF agreement, which was passed in September, the $40 million project must begin within six months of the approval of the agreement and must be completed within five years.
The Doe Valley TIF was only the first one considered by the council, which is now working to implement a TIF in the downtown area of the city.
The city wasn’t the only place seeing growth during the year, with Ina getting its first police department, the Jefferson County Board passing a balanced budget and ending the fiscal year in the black; and District 80 passed its first balanced budget in five years.
Crime was also in the headlines during 2007, with the “Bicycle Bandit,” wanted in seven states, for robbing 28 banks, including Integra Bank in Mt. Vernon. Later identified as David Bruce Voss, he committed suicide after his arrest in Florida.
Mike Walker, who was a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy at the time of his arrest, was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and four counts of official misconduct/forbidden acts for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old girl while in uniform.
The first of three defendants in the July 2006 murder of local businessman Randy Farrar went to trial. Krysta Donoho was convicted by a jury of first degree murder and robbery. Two other defendants, Demetrius Cole and Christopher Watkins, are still waiting for their day in court.
The most recent crime revelation was that serial killer Timothy Krajcir admitted to committing sexual assaults in the King City in the mid 1970s.
Krajcir, who has been an inmate at Big Muddy River Correctional Center for 19 years, has admitted to at least nine murders and numerous sexual assaults in Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri.
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