Du Quoin Processing May Extend Livestock Operation to Processing
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[It won't be the Du Quoin Packing Co. nor will it market Blue Bell™ meats, but a plan by Du Quoin Processing, Inc. owner David Pearl to reopen the storied packing plant on East Cole Street in the coming months could put Du Quoin's name back in the marketplace.
Pearl owns and operates what years ago was Gypsy Hill Farms on Davisville Road northeast of Du Quoin. Decades ago, that was the farm that raised the livestock for the Du Quoin Packing Co. operation. It has been Pearl's dream for a decade to rebuild and reopen the packing plant.
His representative, Kelly Conover, came to the Du Quoin City Council meeting Monday night to ask the city for its support in creating an infrastructure plan that would restore water and a sanitary sewer line to the plant.
Pearl has retained Blankinship Engineering of Murphysboro to work with the city to see what it will take. There is already an available water source.
Getting a dedicated sewer line that would run from the plant east to the city's wastewater treatment plant may take a little more work. Mayor John Rednour said that because the reopening of the plant will mean jobs the City of Du Quoin certainly supports redevelopment of the packing plant.
The facility has been partially rebuilt. The basement areas were largely intact after a fire in the summer of 1990 that closed the plant, whose presence in the marketplace had declined in recent years. Years ago, Pearl set about the task of cleaning up the property. It has taken years to reconstruct the building itself, and it is still not finished.
Conover told the council Pearl would like to have the infrastructure back in place by early next year and open what he calls Phase I of the plant later in the year. Phase I is taken to mean startup production that would include limited slaughter and processing. New processing plants are much more efficient than those of years ago.
Sanitation engineering may include pre-treatment facilities and possibly a lift station.
In other action, the council:
The council approved Ordinance 2010-O11-01: An ordinance authorizing the levying of taxes for Corporate purposes-Final Approval. The council will levy for $471,890, but is expected to abate more than $70,000 of that amount. The council only levies enough to cover police and fire pension liabilities.
The council approved Ordinance 2010-O11-02: An ordinance authorizing to enter in to a Right of Way Agreement with Clearwave Communication which should enhance internet capabilities in the city.
The council approved Ordinance 2010-O12-01: An ordinance authorizing the levying of taxes for the purposes of operating the City of Du Quoin Library for the fiscal year 2011. That levy amounts to $69,090.
The council approved Ordinance 2010-O12-02: An ordinance amending Section 11-1-28 of the current code of ordinances concerning The change largely incorporates a "use it or lose it" clause with respect to vacation and comp time for employees.
The council approved Ordinance 2010-O12-03: An ordinance authorizing the city to enter in to a contractual agreement with Ashauer Consulting. His compensation was raised by $2,500 to a salary of $30,000. In recent months Ashauer has helped land over $1.5 million in grants for the city.
The council approved Resolution 2010-R12-01: A resolution authorizing the expenditure of $150,000 in Motor Fuel Tax funds for the purpose of General Maintenance in the year 2011
The council approved its 2011 budget of just under $11 million. If all goes well, the city will show a $3,694 surplus at the end of the year.
The council approved an agreement for engineering services with J.T. Blankinship for the widening of the alley between Grantway and Van Buren Streets (Pizza Hut Alley). The council is also working with the firm on a design plan for $800,000 in sidewalk improvements to downtown Du Quoin
The council approved to proceed with the abandonment/vacation of a very short roadway near the Jeff Jacoby property at city lake. Commissioner West will look at the area before making a recommendation to the council.
The council approved the funds necessary to purchase a vehicle for the Water Department through the state's vehicle procurement program. Reminder-the next meeting is Tuesday, December 28.