Board also considers Tedrick as new trustee

by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter

Elevator traffic on State Street has been increasing, causing damage to the road as well as increasing noise pollution. A sign on the elevator indicates drivers should use Al Best Drive for their routes and the current ordinance confirms. Drivers of six and 10 wheel semis, weighted with full loads, often disregard the sign and the ordinance. The board has decided to place signs, directing drivers to the appropriate route. Doug Smith will be looking into posting the signs, and Barry Morgan will review ordinances pertaining to the routes.  Read More

Both immediate and perhaps imminent effects in Moultrie

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

With the hand striking midnight Tuesday, the Federal Government officially shut down after House Republicans put several provisions in the appropriations bill, including one that delayed the individual mandate for the ACA by a year. The Senate, which has a democratic majority, rejected the bill, prompting the shutdown.

The shuddering of the government will affect thousands of federal workers with furloughs as well as citizens to varying degrees including those here in Moultrie County and central Illinois. Read More

Barry Featheringill
Sullivan Reporter

In a brief city council meeting Monday, Sullivan officials approved the rezoning of property along the railroad tracks near S. Worth and Wagoner streets.

Commissioner Mike Kirk abstained from voting, as the property is located right across from his personal property. Kirk did express concern about drainage, and Jan Haegen of the zoning board pointed out that “before any building could be done, plans will have to be submitted and issues such as the water run off would be addressed at the time.” 

The property owner, Bryan Vahling, requesting the change from R-3 to B-1 stated the “project would not be completed until sometime in the spring at the earliest,” and that he would have an engineer do a site plan before any work was done. It was also noted that much of the property along the railroad track is zoned for commercial usage. The council approved the rezoning with two commissioners and the mayor voting yes, one council member absent and one abstaining from voting. Read More

Despite reorganization incentive funds being cut, budget in the black

by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

The Arthur-Lovington School Board adopted a new tentative budget for the 2013-2014 school year last Wednesday, with a beginning cash balance on hand of $2,125,989 as of July 1, 2013. The district estimates their ending cash balance at $1,598,966 for June 30, 2014. 

“It’s a little better than I thought it would be a few years ago,” commented Superintendent Travis Wilson. “All funds are in the black.

“We received a few more thousand dollars from the state incentive money that we were promised,” Wilson noted. Arthur-Lovington’s second year reorganization incentive funding was cut by $121,000. Wilson stated that he was currently working to secure the rest of the funds by contacting state representatives. Read More

Still, overall, budget in the black for 13-14

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Sullivan School board approved a budget for the 2013-2014 year Monday, September 9 with an estimated deficit of $1,494,373.

However, the budget overall is estimated in the black after considering the beginning fund balances as of July 1, 2013, as well as the $1.4 million in working cash bonds, leaving the district with an estimated $3,688,945 balance across its nine funds come next June. Read More