Rednour memory still guides work of council

A full minute of silence and reflections on what the late John Rednour accomplished for Du Quoin were the underpinning of Monday's city council meeting.

"A great light went off," said a soft-spoken Jeff Ashauer as he reflected on his 25-year relationship with Du Quoin as economic developer and certainly with the late mayor. "I have never lost enthusiasm for our town," he said. "This is family. It's meaningful for me to be part of you."

City attorney Aaron Atkins is the only member of the original Rednour council from 24 years ago and he said that relationship was the most important in his career. One-by-one commissioners expressed their love and respect for the late mayor. Mayor Rex Duncan pointed his finger at the young people in the council chambers as John Rednour once did and promised to keep them involved in the community and in developing public policies that will sustain us.

As Mayor Rednour would have wanted, the council acted quickly on the matters before it.

n The council put on public display next year's corporate levy of $545,230, most of which will pay for police and fire pensions. The council approved for public display the library levy of $71,250.

n City administrator Brad Myers will add into the budget picture a potential $250,000 from the new business district which takes effect January 1 as well upwards of $3,000 per month in video gaming revenue.

n Approved condemnation of the property at 124 East North Street after the owner has failed to accomplish any meaningful repairs.

• The council will table non-union employee pay increases for two weeks only to give the council time to see if an average 2.88 percent increase is a reasonable outcome in their discussions. The council has not yet dealt with a 2014 pay increase for city administrator Brad Myers and engineer Doug Bishop.

• The council approved the 2014 regular meeting schedule.

• The council increased the stipend for economic development director Jeff Ashauer by $100 per month between now and the end of the council's present term in April 2015.