The Fairfield High School Board met last night. A Budget Hearing was conducted prior to the regular board meeting. There was no public comment on the FY22 Budget and it was unanimously passed during the regular business session. Fees were approved for the 2022-2023 school year. The Technology Fee is being waived for the year due to the sound financial condition of the district. Bids will be sought to demolish property at 301 West King St. the district recently purchased the property. In the Superintendent Report, Supt. Jill Fulkerson stated that several projects had been completed including: The roof project, Sealing of the parking lot, New carpet in the Study Hall, She further said that summer maintenance was progressing and several Sports Camps were being held at FCHS. Registration for the upcoming school year will be 7/26 & 7/27, with online registration available as well. Trenton Jones, representing the Scholastic Team provided a report on the teams recent trip to New Orleans for a national competition. He reported that they were able to see several of the area sights and attractions as well as compete. The team went 2-4 in their competition.
The City of Fairfield is currently accepting applications for the position of Police Officer. Applications are available at City Hall or by email by contacting (618) 842-2294. Applications must be returned, either in person or electronically by July 1, 2022. A written exam will be conducted on July 8th at 5:00 PM, with successful applicants physical testing on July 9th. The City accepts lateral transfers and there is a sign on bonus offered. More information can be obtained by calling (618) 842-2294, or visiting the City of Fairfield Facebook page.
The Edwards County Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, June 27th at 8 p.m. at the West Salem Grade School, to discuss the West Salem Parking Lot Project with possible action.
The Grayville City Council will hold their Regular Meeting on Monday, June 27th at Grayville City Hall. In Executive Session the council is set to address the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of employees of the Police Department. Also, in Executive Session the council will discuss Collective negotiation matters and the setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body. In Old Business are discussions on the Water Filtration Plant, Approval of TIF #2 and Revolving Loan Agreements, and Demolition of the Police Department Building at 101 S Main. Among items in New Business, the council will discuss the Approval of a Class G Special Event License for the Moose Lodge Hog Roast, Application for an FY 2022 Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant, and an extension request for Ameren Materials Storage Lease at the I-64 Plaza.
Wayne City School Board met for their annual amended budget hearing and regular board meeting this week. They approved the hiring of Chris Robertson as part-time industrial arts teacher. The board also approved a new attendance policy to be in compliance with the state’s mandated five mental health days. Students will now have five mental health days and five excused absences allowed per year. The final exam policy was tabled until next month to change the wording for the number of tardies allowed in the new policy. The new policy will definitely have all students taking all exams in the fall but will have the option to be exempt from spring exams based on attendance and grades. There were also discussions about safety and teacher issues. Jennifer Tolley was hired as the new special education coordinator and speech pathologist. New camera and key fob equipment will be installed at the cafeteria door to allow students to enter from the back to avoid safety issues with walking around the building.
Fairfield FFA recently had very successful Illinois FFA Convention in Springfield last week.
Lainie Clark was named the State FFA winner in Agri-Science Fair Plant Systems and she has qualified for the national agri-science fair.
Fairfield FFA members Maddison Oliver, Sara McGehee and Lucy Britt were awarded the State FFA degree at the Illinois FFA Convention in Springfield. This is the highest degree Illinois can award to a FFA member.
Fairfield FFA member Sara McGehee was sworn in as the new Section 23 FFA President at the Illinois FFA convention in Springfield and will serve Section 23 for 2022-2023.
New Hope General Baptist Church recognized three recipients of their annual scholarship at a recent morning service. Jaden Boyd, from Wayne City, was awarded a $3,000 scholarship. She will be attending Lee University in Tennessee and will major in public relations. Jacob Britt was also awarded a $3,000 scholarship. He is from Fairfield and will be attending the University of Southern Indiana. His major is accounting. Dawson Harris of Cisne was awarded a $500 scholarship. He will be attending Frontier Community College, working toward an Associate in Science degree. The New Hope Church Scholarship Fund was established in 2016 to support post-secondary educational opportunities to qualifying, current members of New Hope Church or a church in the Union Grove Association, graduating high school seniors from Wayne County, or university/college/technical school students.
The Board of Trustees of Illinois Eastern Community College District #529 held its regular monthly meeting at Olney Central College, Olney, on June 21. A public hearing on the community college district budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022 was set for Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 6:15 p.m., at Frontier Community College. The tentative budget will be available for public inspection at the District Business Office, 233 East Chestnut Street, Olney, on and after Friday, June 24, 2022. A resolution was adopted authorizing the permanent transfer of approximately $80,000 in interest earned in the Working Cash Fund to the General Fund on or before June 30, 2022. A resolution was adopted authorizing inter-fund loans during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, with the loans to be repaid to the original fund within one year. A resolution was adopted to authorize certain expenditures from the Operations and Maintenance Fund, such as custodial salaries. The Board approved coverage of the District’s Property, Casualty, and Liability Insurance with Wright Specialty. Approval was given for the district to pay accrued bills for a short period following the end of the fiscal year June 30. By July 30 all accrued bills received during this run-out period will be paid. and a report given to the Board of Trustees the following month. An affiliation agreement was approved between the District and the Deaconess Hospital Henderson, Kentucky location. Lease agreements were renewed between the District and certain locations and entities throughout the District. Special assignments for the coming academic year were approved for all four colleges, including lead instructors, advisors, coordinators, managers, directors, some athletic personnel, and operations and maintenance team leaders. Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Tuesday, July 19, at 6:15 p.m.
Wayne City’s Farmers Market will continue holding their Market in the Park throughout the Fall. This week Grab and Go Grill and JT’s Restaurant will be serving food. Jordan Pride will be performing. Wayne City Matters a non-profit organization, is sponsoring the event. Individuals with questions may call Angela Hedden at 599-4552.
Cisne’s trash will be picked up Tuesday July 5th due to the July 4th holiday.
Agricultural producers in Illinois who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment with their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) service center before the applicable deadline. To file a crop acreage report, producers need to provide: Crop and crop type or variety. Intended use of the crop. Number of acres of the crop. Map with approximate boundaries for the crop. Planting date(s). Planting pattern, when applicable. Producer shares. Irrigation practice(s). Acreage prevented from planting, when applicable. Other information as required. Producers should also report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were unable to because of a natural disaster. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 17.61 feet, above the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.02 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 9.17 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.30 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 10.31 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 6.38 feet.