Photo by Mike Brothers
CIMBA members Todd Harris (front) and Doug Lee of Sullivan ride a new section of the Camp Camfield trail in preparation for the Aug. 14 Clash at the Camp.

CIMBA Hosts Sanctioned Event Open to Public

•August 10, 2016•

By Mike Brothers
For the News Progress

Camp Camfield, located five minutes southwest of Sullivan, hosts mountain bicycling enthusiasts from all over the state at Clash at the Camp this Sunday, August 14.

Central Illinois Mountain Bicycling Association not only allows riders to compete for points in a sanctioned event this weekend, but club organizers are planning a family friendly event including a free ride. Kids 12 and under may bring their bikes for a scenic cruise.

“We offer different level trails for every kind of rider,” Eric Harris said of the trail system that grew from a 2.5 mile walking trail in the 1970s to the well-manicured 7.5 miles that wind the hills around Lake Shelbyville today.

He emphasized the trail is for multi-use. Bicyclists, walkers and runners are accommodated with choices of three different difficulty level trails, all with scenic lake views at every turn.

Harris explained the kids race includes a special half mile course that is just for fun.

“This is a whole lot of fun for all the kids and parents,” Harris said, explaining his nine year old daughter is excited about the possibility of winning a race in which she ran third her first time out.  Read More

•August 10, 2016•

Sullivan Community Unit #300 board appointed Ann Wheeler to serve as new member of the board during the August 8 meeting.

Wheeler will serve until the spring 2017 school board elections. She replaces board member Scott Atchison, who resigned earlier this year.

The retired Arthur school district English teacher applied for the opening after 11 years of retirement. “I would like to give something back to the community,” she explained of her application.

Sullivan veterinarian Justin Florey also applied for the opening.

Both candidates were interviewed by the school board in executive session following the regular business session. Read More

•August 3, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

The city of Sullivan signed a four-year contract with the Illinois Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 51 at their most recent meeting.

The contract begins August 1, 2016 and will end July 31, 2020 and includes a 2½ percent raise, sick time which may roll over and accumulate up to 21 days and giving workers Christmas Eve and Christmas day off.

The council also voted to move forward with a bid from Johnco Construction to build a garage for the gas department for the amount of $33,000. The bid covers the construction of a basic garage with three windows, no insulation and one light bulb with a light switch. It will be for the use of storing small vehicles.

Other news that was discussed or acted upon: Read More

•July 27, 2016•

By Derek Pope
For the News Progress

Bethany’s village board gave a nod to nature enthusiasts this month by approving TIF funds to expand and improve Crowder Park’s walking trail. According to the Township Investment Fund chairman Greg McLain, the park district had envisioned alterations to the existing trail that would expand its “most visible, top portion” westward “down by the batting cages or skate park”.

While modest in scope, the cost of the project was the motivating factor for Marrowbone Park District to seek outside funding for the renovations.

The park district is itself a taxing body, levying a portion of village residents’ yearly property taxes for funding, but McLain said that the park board reported only around $16,000 in on hand money when they submitted their proposal to the TIF committee.

Although the TIF committee has been somewhat deterred from funding major projects for other taxing bodies in the past, McLain said that the relatively small cost of the proposal influenced the TIF’s final decision.

“We have helped private businesses with a lot more money than what they were asking for so the committee recommended to grant them the entire $6,840.” McLain also mentioned the village’s 2013 decision to provide a much more sizable TIF grant to Marrowbone Public Library, another taxing body in the village, as precedent for the committee’s recommendation.  Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Passports are available at the Sullivan Post Office. Postmaster Cindy Temple explained the forms may be completed in advance to save time in processing.

•July 27, 2016•

With national political conventions stirring things up, some folks may be looking to leave the country for a while.

Moultrie County residents have new hope in that direction, with the addition of passport services at the Sullivan Post office.

“We are glad to provide this additional service to our patrons,” Sullivan postmaster Cindy Temple said.

A year ago the Moultrie County Circuit Clerk’s office discontinued passport service, and by April 2016 Sullivan Post Office was approved by the U.S. State Department to process passport applications.

“First we went through the State Dept. approval process, then all our clerks were trained, tested and certified on the specific requirements for passport applications,” Temple explained, noting Sullivan Post Office has averaged four passport applications per week since April. Read More