Egyptian Electric keeping Steeleville site

<p class="p1">In some form at least, the Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association is sticking around in Steeleville.

<p class="p2">In a Tuesday news release, the EECA announced that it is entering into an agreement with Samron Midwest Contracting of Murphysboro to build a new corporate headquarters south of the intersection of State Route 4 and State Route 127 north of Murphysboro.

<p class="p2">According to EECA General Manager Jim Riddle the new headquarters will replace the current Murphysboro facility, as well as a "portion" of the Steeleville facility.

<p class="p2">"It has been decided to retain the Steeleville site as an operations center," Riddle said in the release. "As it has always been, electric service for all of our members and the cost to our members throughout the entire service area will continue to be our highest priority."

<p class="p2">EECA Communications Coordinator Brooke Guthman was asked to clarify which portion of the Steeleville site would be retained.

<p class="p2">"It's undefined at this moment because we haven't gotten that far yet," she said.

<p class="p2">Guthman said no jobs will be lost due to the project, which EECA hopes to begin construction on this fall. The new headquarters will contain an office building, warehouse and covered garage.

<p class="p2">"We haven't disclosed that, but we will," Guthman said on the cost of the project. "We're still working on it."

<p class="p2">Guthman noted that EECA's main objective at this point is to "get the ball rolling" on the new headquarters.

<p class="p2">"Some logistics still have yet to be worked out," she said.

<p class="p2">Guthman said EECA will release the full timeline of construction and what the co-op is doing in the October issue of Country Living, which will be mailed out at the end of September. The co-op is also planning on releasing information on its website around that same time.

<p class="p2">"(Customers) should receive it by the last week of September," Guthman said. "At the same time, we'll release it on our website."

<p class="p2">EECA serves more than 14,880 members across portions of Jackson, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington and Williamson counties.

<p class="p1">Guthman previously said half of EEAC's workforce, around 20 people, is based in Steeleville. The co-op was officially formed on August 25, 1938 - three years after the Rural Electrification Administration was established - and its current 16-room office and warehouse headquarters was completed in 1949 at a cost of $135,000.

<p class="p1">Steeleville Mayor Bob Sutton told the newspaper on Wednesday that city officials had seen the announcement.

<p class="p1">"We saw the announcement this morning and not knowing what they're going to retain here is always a question," he said. "One of the concerns is people from Steeleville who work here are faced with additional drive time going to work."

<p class="p1">Sutton also said he was curious to know the cost estimates on the building and how that would effect electric rates.

<p class="p1">"Somebody has to pay for a new building," he said. "I haven't seen any estimates and I'm sure their customers will be curious about that as well."