Holder & Fulk Lone "Yes" Votes on EMC
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ R-2009-13, a resolution authorizing the City of Pinckneyville to enter into agreements with Environmental Management Corporation to manage the town's public works and streets, failed to win a majority Monday night and was rejected.
Mayor Joe Holder and newly seated Commissioner Samuel Fulk, who had just been sworn in earlier that day, were the only two to vote for the EMC agreement, a Holder-authored plan to cut expenses.
The Du Quoin Evening Call this morning received a prepared statement from Commissioner Martin Beltz regarding the vote on EMC:
"After nearly a year of sometimes contentious debate, the question of whether the city of Pinckneyville should enter into contracts with EMC of O'Fallon, Missouri, was brought to a vote of the city council this evening and was defeated by a majority vote. I cast my vote against entering these proposed agreements for several reasons.
"1. At the January 26, 2009 meeting of the Pinckneyville City Council, a motion by Commissioner Stone which called for a period of 90 days for the City to explore ways to increase efficiency and attempt to duplicate the savings offered by EMC was passed unanimously. That plan was never undertaken due to the issue of contracting with EMC being brought back for consideration. I cannot support contracting with an outside management firm unless and until I am convinced that we have made every possible effort to correct the underlying issues ourselves. With the cooperation of all parties involved, I firmly believe that these goals are attainable.
"2. Over the past week I have actively sought, and received, input from our city's residents, taxpayers and utility customers. I have spoken to in excess of 40 people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. The message that they have given me has been virtually unanimous, "We don't want an outside management company coming in here to run our city utilities." In fact, of all the people I spoke to, only one that is not a member of this council was supportive of entering into the proposed agreements.
"3. I remain concerned that if the city enters into a three year contract with EMC that we will become so dependent on them by the end of the initial contract period we will not be in any position to take back over the in-house day to day operation of our utilities.
"4. Given the current state of the economy nationally, I find it very difficult to justify sending nearly $1 million per year in Pinckneyville taxpayer money across the river to St. Charles, Missouri or to New Jersey or other states where parent companies of EMC are located. Additionally, the wider effect on the local economy must be taken into consideration. Currently an effort is made to purchase locally whenever possible. This benefits such Pinckneyville businesses as Thomas Home Improvement, True Value Hardware and Western Auto, among others. There is no assurance or reason to believe that EMC would continue this practice, and if they did not, our local economy would suffer further.
"5. Our utility and street departments have loyal, hard working employees that have given many years of service to the people of Pinckneyville. One of the most valuable benefits that those employees have is their IMRF retirement program. If these employees cease to be employed by the municipality and instead become employees of EMC, a private corporation, they will no longer be eligible to participate in IMRF. Such a result would impact each employee differently depending on his or her age and years of service, but the impact would be universally negative of each and every one.
"[Last night's] vote is by no means the end of this issue; rather it is only the beginning of what happens next. It is time for all parties to come together and take advantage of the opportunity to prove that our Public Works can be managed and operated effectively and efficiently with our own people and under our own control. If we are successful then all concerned, including the citizens of Pinckneyville, will win. If we are unsuccessful, then there is no doubt that the proponents of contracting with EMC or some other outside management firm will bring the matter up for consideration again. And if they can show that attempts to correct the problems internally have failed, they are more likely to be successful next time."
Other items covered on the agenda:
Approved a request for the firemen's annual fish fry to be held April 10, 2009, and to block off the parking lot and to hold the fish fry there.
Approved R-2009-10, for FAU resurfacing FAU 9943 and FAU 9956, West St. Louis, South Walnut, North Walnut and North Street as placed on file at the previous meeting.
Approved R-2009-12, a resolution for maintenance of streets and highways by municipality under the Ill. Highway Code and appropriating $172,000 of Motor Fuel Tax Funds for 2009.
Approved Commissioner David Stone as contact for the city between the Pinckneyville Community Hospital and city and the city park as a Disaster Alternative Care Site.
Approved an intergovernmental cooperation agreement resolution for purchase of TUMS equipment by the Perry County board.