Chester City Council discusses nothing
<span>During a literally five-minute meeting of the Chester City Council on Tuesday, Chester Mayor Tom Page announced that the city is "putting the brakes on" any new spending.</span>
<span>With no old business or new business to discuss, the aldermen and woman breezed through the one-page agenda.</span>
<span>"This is a first for me in the past three years," Page said, addressing the lack of any discussion items in his Mayor's Report.</span>
<span>Page noted that the light agenda was the result of "taking care of business through the course of the week" and the state's ongoing budget impasse.</span>
<span>"We're putting the brakes on all new spending until the General Assembly can pass a budget," Page said. "We're fixing things that break, but no new programs."</span>
<span>During media availability after the meeting, Page said the state owed the city $965,229.45 in unpaid utility bills as of Tuesday.</span>
<span>"We need a bill passed to pay state utility bills," Page said, later adding that he has had discussions with State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) and State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) about the ongoing issue.</span>
<span>Page was asked if there would be a point where the city would go on the offensive regarding payment for the utility bills.</span>
<span>"We have an option of shutting everybody off, but at this time of year, it would affect their heat," Page said.</span>
<span>Page stated city officials have had two face-to-face meetings with facility administrators from Menard Correctional Center and Chester Mental Health Center regarding the hotly debated shutoff issue.</span>
Page said those administrators would be given a 30-day notice before shutoff.
<span>Sources have told the Herald Tribune that due to the aging plumbing systems inside Menard, restoring water service to the facility after a shutoff would be a very long and costly process.</span>
<span>"That would be the very, very last option," Page said, noting that such a decision could lead to civil rights lawsuits against the city.</span>
<span>The Herald Tribune has previously reported that the reason why utility service has continued has been Page's desire to maintain a good relationship with the Illinois Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services.</span>
<span>In its lone action item, the council approved a recommendation from the Cemetery and Finance Committee for the payment of bills in the amount of $66,971.23.</span>