This is an excerpt from Tazewell County Board member John Ackerman’s latest newsletter regarding the Eastern Bypass Corridors.
Overall, I have been impressed by the work of the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Citizens Committee selected in narrowing the list of possible corridors.
Our January Tazewell County Board meeting began with an IDOT update on the proposed Eastern Bypass which would connect I-74 in Tazewell County with Route 6 north of Peoria.
During the meeting, IDOT officials asked that we, as county board members, study the six proposed Eastern Bypass Corridors that were presented to us.
Letter to editor was not written by WCHS Athletic Booster Club
In the Dec. 28, 2011, edition of the Washington Times-Reporter, a letter to the editor was published and attributed to the WCHS Athletic Booster Club. This letter criticized Five Points for not providing free use by the local grade schools.
As WCHS Athletic Booster Club President, I want to convey that this letter was not written, authorized or supported by the WCHS Athletic Booster Club.
I am disappointed and regret this letter was erroneously attributed to the WCHS Athletic Booster Club without proper confirmation.
The WCHS Athletic Booster Club works closely with Five Points and others within the community. We value our working relationship with Five Points and appreciate their great support of WCHS activities.
Laurie Ryan
President, WCHS Athletic Booster Club
Washington
Turning in a credit card in Walmart parking lot
My mother was in town from Green Bay, Wis., last weekend and dropped her credit card in the Walmart parking lot.
She did not realize it was missing until she was back in Wisconsin. By the time she got home and called
Attention Rocke’s valued customers and WTR readers
TimesNewspapers has taken complete responsibility for the advertisement which was printed in last Wednesday’s paper.
Rocke’s did not approve or grant permission for this advertisement to be printed.
Here at Rocke’s, we understand mistakes will be made — as quoted by Alexander Pope, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”
Rocke’s encourages forgiveness throughout this Christmas season and look forward to serving the community and beyond this Christmas season as well as throughout the New Year!
Management
Rocke’s Meating Haus
County board
elections upcoming
This week marks the official start to the 2012 primary elections as candidates must turn in their petitions for elected office. This is a rare election in which every elected representative office is up because of the once-a-decade redistricting process.
Here in Tazewell County, each citizen is represented by seven county board members. How many of you can name each one?
Revisiting the Bayler
home purchase from the
perspective of District 308
There has been considerable discussion surrounding the school district’s purchase of the home and property at 721 West Jefferson in July 2011. The major portion of the discussion revolved around the future of the home on that property.
Summit Drive extension shows how cities and
representatives can
work together
The Summit Drive opening on Nov. 15 is memorable to me for two reasons.
First, it brought back memories of when I first came to Washington District 50 to begin my teaching career.
As I looked out over the road opening, I was struck by how much the Washington/East Peoria area had changed and grown since 1967.
Secondly, as the ribbon was being cut, I thought of how much better off we would be if our representatives and senators in Washington, D.C., instead of playing “get me reelected gotcha” politics, would have focused on our national problems as well as the Washington and East Peoria City Councils, the Tazewell County Boards and our state senators and representatives have done in working to make our area a better place to live and work.
The Illinois Route 24 bypass, the widening of Route 8, the East Peoria Riverfront Development and the opening of Summit Drive are all examples of what governmental bodies can do to positively affect our lives when they focus on working together on common goals.
Sometimes it seemed as if these projects were nothing more than pipe dreams, but as we can see, when units of government focus on a common goal and cooperatively work toward achieving that goal, sometimes the seemingly impossible happens.
Congratulations to all of the fine individuals past and present who have served on the Washington and East Peoria City Councils and our local state senators and state representatives, for you have served the communities of Tazewell County well.
Mel Stanford
Tazewell County Board, District Three
Thoughtful and hard-working employees
at Hardee’s
My husband and I had just finished our breakfast at Hardee’s in Washington and may I say, I don’t care what time of day you go there, those employees’ spirits are high, they are kind, pleasant and hard-working people, everything it takes to make a successful business and to top it off, when we went to leave our car wouldn’t start.
So one of the employees named Dawn Rogers asked if we needed a jump and went in to get a patron; he had jumper cables.
We didn’t get his name, as our car started up on its own, but it was the thought behind it.
Thank you so much.
Dan and Jan Parlier
Washington
District 308 needed to give local companies chance to bid on demolition of Bayler
Monday night, Nov. 14, I attended the District 308 high school board meeting. I asked “for the record” why the school board did not publicly “seek bids” for the demolition of the house at 721 W. Jefferson St.?
I was told by board president Tim Custis and Superintendent Dr. Jim Dunnan that since the project was less than $25,000, that bids were not required. The bid accepted was $23,410 by a Peoria firm, Iron Hustlers Inc.
I asked a few questions to clarify the awarding of the demolition bid. Should the asbestos abatement cost of $8,800, by M & O Environmental be added to the total cost of the demolition?
I was informed by Custis that asbestos is “always” considered separately. I further asked if there were other costs associated with the demolition such as a general contractor’s fee, demolition permits, utility disconnects (electrical, gas, sanitary sewer, water) should have been part of the total costs?
Custis and Dunnan stated that the school acted as their own general contractor and that no other costs were involved. My next question was why no local contractors from Washington were considered for the project when two highly qualified firms, respectively located one block from the site (Spurgeon Construction Inc.) and four blocks (Scott Weaver Excavating) were not contacted?
The response came not from the general contractor (District 308), but strangely from Brian Faulkner of P.J. Hoerr.
He stated that Spurgeon was previously asked to bid on the tennis courts and maintenance building (neither projects were performed), but they didn’t respond. Furthermore, Weaver is not in P. J. Hoerr’s data base.
I have since spoken with both named parties to verify these statements. Scott Weaver said that was odd since he has performed previous work for PJ Hoerr and the invoice was always addressed to their company.
Olen Spurgeon stated the company may have gotten a fax to bid the two projects (tennis courts & maintenance building), but the company was busy at the time.
Both firms stated that they would have bid the demolition project. The potential of saving the district money was likely, due to their close proximity to the site. Also each company being a local taxpayer deserved that opportunity. Whatever happened to “Shop Washington First?”
The district let the asbestos abatement portion of the project out for public bids. Estimate cost for abatement was $30K; however, the awarded bid was only $8,800. So if saving money is a priority, public bids should have been explored.
Dunnan stated the district’s lawyer was consulted for legal advice pertaining to publicly advertising for bids of the demolition project. He was told that there was not an issue.
So what do you think? Can a demolition of a home be broken down into separate phases to avoid being more than $25,000 or should it be looked at in its entirety?
Should qualified Washington contractors be offered the opportunity to at least bid on projects funded by local taxes?
By the time you read this, the 127-year-old home will most likely have been destroyed at the hand of non-Washington businesses. “Historical Washington” has lost another treasure to a parking lot and a non-responsive board. The historical home is gone, all in the matter of four months from purchase, with board members repeatedly stating “we have no definite plan.”
What is the board’s long-term plan? Should they follow the two public mottos of Washington: “Shop Washington First” and “Historical Washington?”
We have seen it at the federal and state level – now we are seeing it at the local level. When power is granted, fiscal responsibility and accountability are no longer needed.
Bradley A. Ward
B.A. Ward Inc.
Washington
Another successful
WHIP food drive
I am back to thank you again and to update you on your own WHIP food pantry. The Feed Your Need food drive was wonderful.
We received an estimated 3,500 pounds of food and funds as well. This drive was conducted by some great volunteers from a program through the Chamber of Commerce. This was the second year of promoting and running a food drive for WHIP.
If I had gold medals to hand out, I would pass them out to all of our local schools from preschools all the way to the high school for helping WHIP in many different ways. A huge thanks for those teachers, sponsors and staff who sponsor these various programs.
The latest event was set up with Central’s principal and second-grade teachers who worked with three of our regular volunteers, Jodi Knapp and Dave and Elaine Hullinger. The second graders collected food at their school, then two bus loads of second graders, teachers and some parents brought their food to the pantry , where they were taught to sort, shelve and learn how families were taken through the pantry. They were even taught to look for dates on food to make sure they weren’t outdated. What a wonderful experience for all. The Faith Lutheran Child Care collected canned goods for us also.
A big thank-you to all you great people who donated to the Washington Township United Fund. All that money donated to them stays in the township; because you were so generous, the WHIP food pantry received $8,500. That enabled us to give $15 gift cards from Kroger to around 150 families on Nov. 16 for Thanksgiving.
Higher and higher food prices are encroaching on many who barely have enough for day-to-day expenses, every little bit helps.
Thanks and blessings go to all our friends, churches clubs and those who regularly donate to WHIP.
Please remember us over the holidays this year, as our numbers have gone up, at times more than 30 percent.
All of us at WHIP wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. Donations will be gratefully accepted at W.H.I.P. c/o Ken Koch, 934 Birchwood Drive Washington, IL 61571.
Jackie Clary
Washington
Honor Flight
participant
appreciative
of opportunity
Early in October of this year, I was privileged to go on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., which was arranged for World War II veterans — a trip that I will remember forever.
Many of our national monuments were visited and we all appreciated it very much, especially seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — a very sobering moment.
So, thanks Honor Flight managers, you are the greatest.
Bob Howell
Washington
Veterans program
at Deiters a success,
thanks to all involved
Deiters Funeral Home & Crematory would like to thank everyone involved in making the 11th annual Veterans Day program a great success.
First and foremost, thank you to our military and our military families who have sacrificed for our great nation.
Thank you to everyone who attended and also to those who participated in the program including 1-106th Aviation Detachment 1 of the Army National Guard in Peoria, Northern Tazewell Fire Department, Washington Fire Department, Washington Police Department, Cub Scouts Pack 73 Den 6, Mayor Gary Manier, Monsignor John Prendergast, Ron Allgaier, Col. Steven Konie of the Illinois Air National Guard, the American Legion Riders, Washington Chamber of Commerce, and the many volunteers, including members of the Citizen’s Police Academy, who helped with the flag display along Washington Road.
Gary and Stephanie Deiters
and the staff of Deiters
Funeral Home & Crematory
Needing people to step up to save the Bayler home
Every time I drive by this home and think that it is headed for destruction, I feel bad.
Why is it that in other countries we trek around looking at old houses, buildings, etc., but in the United States and particularly in our town at the present, we are willing to sacrifice this distinctive home to the wrecking ball?
In disbelief over Halloween pumpkin mischief
This is to the person or persons responsible for destroying our mailbox with a large pumpkin, on the Saturday night prior to Halloween.
My wife and I are retired senior citizens and live on fixed incomes.
We will survive the nearly $600 specialty mailbox replacement cost, but we are somewhat disillusioned that it could happen in our neighborhood — Cypress Ridge.
I wonder if those responsible would find it humorous, if it happened to their parents or grandparents.
Mr. and Mrs. William Riebel
Washington
Earlier this month, I released information concerning a proposal I presented to the Tazewell County Board concerning the cost and savings possible if the county board discontinued the monthly printed county board packets for every member and embraced an electronic media option.
Several of the newspapers in the county covered the issue and I received a large amount of feedback, interestingly enough equally divided between negative responses, positive support and questions and suggestions.
Thank you to the Washington Fire Department for coming to St. Patrick School and teaching our preschoolers through second graders about fire safety!
Brent Goken’s Oct. 19 Letter to the Editor merits a number of corrections. The title was “Demanding Accountability from District 308 Board Members.”
In it he suggested that the recent 6-1 vote for demolition of the Bayler home was due to the superintendent’s influence on board members’ votes as three board members have relatives employed by the district. Let’s do a little simple math.
On Oct. 11, District 308 voted 6-1 to demolish a 127-year-old piece of Washington history. Just eight people had the power to make a decision that affected more than 14,000. In the four months that have passed since the school district purchased the property at 721 W. Jefferson St., my eyes have been opened to many serious concerns within our city.
Conflict of interest is on the top of my list. Three of the District 308 board members have a direct attachment, through family members or spouses, to non-tenured employees currently working at the school — be it athletics or the cafeteria.
Drivers need to be
more careful
around school buses
I drive a school bus. Most mornings, at approximately 7:30 a.m., I pick up a wheelchair student at the intersection of Gilman and Grandyle Drive.
I always extend the STOP arm with flashing red lights. On the morning of Sept. 9, a white vehicle ran the STOP arm. I got your license.
