Du Quoin to hold informational meetings Wednesday about downtown sidewalks
Du Quoin public administrator Brad Myers will host informational meetings Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the planned construction of new sidewalks in downtown Du Quoin.
The meetings will be held at Du Quoin City Hall. Merchants and others interested can look at plans for the new sidewalks, ask questions and make relevant suggestions. The plans will be available to look at and questions will be answered.
Myers told the council Monday he hopes the project will be minimally invasive for merchants and if construction is required through the end of the year will be temporarily suspended for the holiday shopping season.
He added water line construction has begun on East Main Street and will now extend to one block west of North Hickory. Washington Street water line work will begin soon, as well.
The council meeting included approval of an ordinance empowering nearly named public works director Doug Bishop, who will report to Myers. The council gave final approval to Bishop's one-year contract. The council welcomed Bishop and Mayor Rednour challenged Bishop and development director Jeff Ashauer "to find us as many grants as you can. You will make a good team."
The council also approved pay raises averaging between 2.6 and 2.9 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, which mirrors increases in union employee agreements.
The council approved the first of the six allowed downtown fundraising roadblocks for the coming year. The first application which contained the required not-for-profit recognition certificate from the Illinois Secretary of State's office comes from VFW Post 513 for May 18, 2013. The Du Quoin Lions are completing paperwork for a downtown collection, as well.
The council approved the addition of Mary White to the Du Quoin Tourism Commission.
Mayor John Rednour received a certificate of appreciation from the Illinois Workforce Project, of which he served as a member while mayor along with a donation of $75 to the library in the mayor's honor.
Paul Melzer, Jr, director of the Area 15 Special Olympics and Special Olympics girls tournament founder Bill Asbury invited council members to attend opening ceremonies at noon on Saturday. Asbury conveyed plans for what will be an inspiring opening ceremony, which will be detailed in Thursday's edition. One announcement about the ceremony appears below.
Bill Flowers of New Wave Communications gave a presentation about promised upgrades to the system during the past year, which reminded council members to switch their council broadcast to the new community Channel 16 instead of Channel 18.
Flowers said the system has doubled the amount of fiber optic cable, adds whole house DVD recording capabilities and home security and fire protection capabilities.