Du Quoin Council Taps Taxpayers for Pension Costs
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin City Council in January will tap local property owners for $138,000 to cover the city's 2009 pension costs by reinstating a small portion of the real estate tax levy it had hoped it would never have to bring back.
The action will break about 25 percent of the promise Mayor John Rednour and the council made three years ago in replacing the city's real estate tax levy for a half-cent sales tax. For the past three years, the council has abated Du Quoin's entire $430,000 real estate tax bill on local property owners.
It's not broken promises, by design, said Rednour following Monday night's meeting of the city council. It's the mayor's insistence that Du Quoin will not end 2009 with a deficit.
The levy would pay for $20,000 in IMRF pension costs, $40,000 for police pensions and $68,000 for fire department pensions. The $138,000 is part of the $428,423 the council could levy.
In doing that, the 2009 spending plan will go from a $130,000 deficit to a $25,000 surplus with only one repair project included in the budget--$60,500 for short term repairs at the Du Quoin Municipal
Swimming Pool. There is no money budgeted for capital construction, grant matching, equipment, lift station work or other major spending items.
The city hopes to finally capture $32,000 Wal-Mart owes the city for construction of Richard Fronek Way that connects Wal-Mart with the Southtown Shopping Center. It also hopes to recover $26,000 for an upgrade to sewer lines on Monroe Street.
In other action, the council gave final approval to an ordinance amending the current regulations for skateboarding within the city limits of Du Quoin. That ordinance bans skateboarding, scooter and bicycle riding in downtown Du Quoin proper, an area defined as Washington Street west to Hickory Street and Park Street south to Poplar Street.
The council approved the appointment of Anna Louise Eichhorn to the Main Street board.
The council approved the purchase of $15,000 for new computers for Du Quoin Emergency Services. All of the funds will be reimbursed to the city quickly. The council extended its deep appreciation to ESDA for its valuable work.
Approved the condemnation of property located at 601 South Madison Street, heavily damaged in summer storms.
Approved a $25,000 consulting contract with Jeff Ashauer Consulting with no changes from the previous contract. The $25,000 will be broken down into 12 monthly stipends of $2,083. Ashauer has a similar contract with the county, but ends his contract with the City of Pinckneyville. In a related note, Du Quoin economic development director Dr. Jack Struck Monday night retired from his 12 years of service to the city to focus on personal projects and commitments. Dr. Struck leaves with the deep appreciation of the council and the mayor. The two items are not related.
The mayor offered his sympathy at word of the death of former police chief, county board member and businessman Vallie D. West and asked for prayers for the wife of Gospel Assembly church pastor Fitzsimmons, who is ill.