The due day for Wayne County Mobile Home Tax Bills is July 1st. Payment may be made in person, by mail, or put in the drop box located on the West Side of the Courthouse. Only 55% of mobile home taxes had been collected as of June 16th. A late fee of $25 will be applied if mobile home taxes are not paid on July 2nd. Individuals with questions may contact Wayne County Treasurer Donna Masterson at 842-5087 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The Fairfield Public School District #112 will hold its Regular Board of Education Meeting at Center Street School in the Boardroom tonight. There will be an open public hearing on the FY22 Amended Budget with the board expected to act on the FY Amended Budget. Among items listed on the Superintendent’s Report are the final reading of the FY23 Student Handbook changes, first reading of Quarterly Policy Updates, and discussion on the FY23 Board Meeting Dates. Action Items include action on the FY23 School Fees, the Revised Food Service Contract, and bids for the North Side Parking Lot. Action is also expected on a One Month Contract Extension for the Interim Superintendent. Other agenda items range from resignation of a Certified Teacher, Transfer of Paraprofessional to Bus Driver, and Employment of a Bookkeeper.
The Edwards County Board of Education will hold their Regular Board meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the K-12 Band Room. In unfinished business the board is set to approve the amended FY22 School Budget, the Edwards County CUSD #1 Employee Handbook, and the 2022-2023 Coach’s & Student’s Handbooks. In new business there is a motion on the agenda to approve a resolution allowing for the permanent transfer of funds to Operations, Building, and Maintenance Fund, and a motion to approve athletic fundraisers for Edwards County Youth Basketball League and WSGS Volleyball Camp. The board will hold a public hearing for Budget Review at 6:45 p.m., prior to the regular meeting, in the K-12 Band Room, for the purpose of reviewing the amended FY22 budget.
The Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Board will meet on Tuesday, June 21st at 6:15 p.m. at the Olney Central College Banquet Room. After Call to order and various reports the board will discuss Renewal of Property, Casualty & Liability Insurance Coverage, the FY2023 Budget Resolution and Tentative Budget Approval for FY23. The board will also discuss affiliation agreements with Deaconess Hospital, Inc. Henderson, KY location and repair to the Main Hall roof at WVC. The Meeting will also be held on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/98425725617 Meeting ID: 984 2572 5617 Dial in number: 312 626 6799 (Chicago).
As a reminder to all 4-H members, leaders and volunteers, the 4-H Fairgrounds clean-up day is scheduled for this Saturday, June 25th starting at 9 a.m. Please bring rakes, shovels, weed eaters and anything else you can think of to help clean up the grounds before the fair. All help is greatly appreciated.
The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has announced the recipients for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Public Infrastructure and Housing Rehabilitation. A total of $23.5 million will be awarded for 45 projects, which will support housing rehabilitation projects and enable communities in non-metropolitan areas to make critical repairs to water, sewer, and drainage infrastructure to enhance safety and quality of life for residents. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Public Infrastructure: Public infrastructure grants are designed to provide communities with funding to improve public infrastructure and eliminate conditions detrimental to public health, safety, and public welfare. As part of the annual CDBG program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, DCEO is awarding $15.5 million for 30 water infrastructure projects. These projects include construction of storm sewer pipes, waterline replacements, hydrant and water storage tank construction, and other critical projects that help mitigate flooding and support sewage management, water delivery and other public water necessities. State-administered CDBG funds must be utilized in areas that do not receive their own funds directly from HUD, with the majority of funds benefitting smaller communities and rural areas. Local governments were able to request a maximum award of $550,000, with an average grant size for the 2021 program at $517,000. Preference was given to projects located in underserved areas, opportunity zones and those which proposed a non-state matching component to drive the maximum investment to the area. Recipients from our area include Effingham, $550,000; Grayville, $550,000; Mt. Vernon, $550,000; and Olney, $550,000.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting nominations for county committee members. Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for members. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. This may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area. All nomination forms for the 2022 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by August 1, 2022. Producers should contact their local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in their county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, a producer must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. Urban farmers should use an FSA-669-A-3 for urban county committees. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has announced that all offices and driver services facilities operating on a Monday through Friday schedule will be closed today in observance of Juneteenth and will reopen for business tomorrow. As a reminder, Secretary White has extended all driver’s license, ID card and learner’s permit expiration dates to July 31st. This extension does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL learner’s permits. In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 4, 2023. Individuals can visit the Secretary of State’s website at ilsos.gov for online services including checking eligibility to renew their driver’s license online, applying for a duplicate driver’s license, renewing license plate stickers, or locating the nearest Driver Services facility.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 12.66 feet, below the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.13 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 17.32 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.47 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 4.27 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 8.15 feet.
Today’s crude oil price is $102.56, down $8.03 from Friday. The July crude oil price is $109.90, down $7.49 from Friday morning.