Hill Sitting This One Out

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin finance commissioner Cha Hill says his six years on the Du Quoin City Council was one of the most rewarding times in his life.

Hill successfully navigated through a two-term role as Perry County Treasurer from 1994 to 2001, then was afforded the opportunity to become site superintendent of Pyramid State Park, what he continues to call "the best job of my life."

Yet, public service continued to be his calling. He was first elected to the Du Quoin City Council six years ago. Most felt Hill would become heir-apparent as mayor of the City of Du Quoin, but the weight of pension considerations and that impact on his family precluded that opportunity.

"I just want to say I was very proud to have been part of the council in the past six years and supported everyone who supported me in that position. I think we have made a positive change. The Du Quoin City Council has worked together to do what is best for the city. Even in tough economic times we have been able to build projects like Richard Fronek Way, replace worn out equipment, purchase a new fire truck, asphalt roads and secure millions of dollar in grants for water lines and other projects," he said.

Hill said he values the relationships he has with Mayor John Rednour and city administrator Blaine Bastien, and those friendships will continue. "Mayor Rednour has been great to work with to secure millions in grants. He has the "want-to" and the willingness to take advantage of the power he has to pick up the phone or drive to Springfield to push the process through to secure the money we need for the betterment of Du Quoin. I don't know of anyone else who could do that."

"There has been a lot of talk about not being able to abate property taxes this year. The half-cent sales tax is now going to the new Du Quoin High School and we had no other alternative. I know that I didn't want to have to levy property taxes. No one on the council did. It will cost me the same as other property owners."

The only bright side with this is that we have been able to abate property taxes the last four years and saved the average homeowner about $400 over that time. I don't think anyone wanted to see layoffs and reductions in service if we hadn't levied these property taxes."

"I was very grateful to be able to work with Blaine Bastien. He is a fiscal watchdog for the city. Any decision Blaine makes is for the betterment of the City of Du Quoin. He is a class act."

The Hill vacancy leaves three incumbents and two newcomers in the race for four seats on the city council. They include incumbents Rex Duncan, Kathy West and Linda Fronek and candidates Yvonne Spencer and Josh Downs.

Voting begins at 6 a.m. on Tuesday and continues until 7 p.m.