"One of the main things we are hoping to do at the reception is to let people know we are starting a volunteer staffing program," Schachtsiek told the Lincoln Daily News. "We are seeking staffers and interpreters who will give time and allow us to keep the courthouse open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. We will take names and telephone numbers of interested people at the reception. After the first of the year, we will set up training dates for volunteers. Ideally, volunteers will give only one afternoon a month to the courthouse."

Shirley Bartelmay and Thressia Usherwood of the Lincoln Tourist Bureau are assisting Schachtsiek with the volunteer program. A similar volunteer program keeps the Mount Pulaski Courthouse open.

The renovation project, overseen by the Illinois Capital Development Board, included the replacement of all exterior siding, doors, windows, roofing material and finishes. Interior work included plastering, painting, asbestos removal and remodeling of the site’s two fireplaces. The building also got new mechanical, electrical and security systems, new plumbing, a new brick sidewalk, and a new storage shed. Schachtsiek said this is the first major update the building has had since its construction in 1953.

He noted that, along with bringing wiring, heating and plumbing up to current standards and the repair of a collapsed sewer line, the renovation also corrected some inaccuracies in the design of the building, which is a replica of the original. The original courthouse was purchased by Henry Ford in 1929 and is part of the historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich.

The changes in design include 6-over-6 window panes instead of the former 4-over-4, removal of shutters, replacement of the painted siding with walnut siding and changes in the two fireplaces inside the building to make them historically accurate.

"We are very pleased with the results," Schachtsiek said. "We were happy to have both a contractor and an architect who were sensitive to working with historic structures." The contractor, RJS Construction of Peoria, and the architect, Anne McGuire and Associates of Evanston, both have had experience with restoration work

The exhibits in the building, which explain the operation of the Eighth Judicial circuit and the people who traveled it, including Abraham Lincoln, and the historic courtroom and clerk’s office on the second floor, have not been changed.

Schachtsiek believes Postville is an important site on the Looking for Lincoln project because it shows how Lincoln made a living when he was practicing law. "About one-half his time he spent traveling the Eighth Judicial Circuit. There are only three places where you can learn about his career on the circuit — Postville, Mount Pulaski and Metamora courthouses," he said.

Schachtsiek says he plans to have special events at the Postville Courthouse in the spring and during the Art and Balloon Fest in August.

The major points of disagreement which required the binding arbitration, according to Detective John Bunner, negotiator for the union, were residency requirements and insurance reimbursement. The previous contract permitted police officers to live in the 732 or 735 telephone exchange area. This time the union asked for, and finally got, permission for officers to live within a 10-mile radius of the city, which Bunner said was about equivalent to living in the 732 or 735 phone area.

Bunner noted that in 1986, the city passed an ordinance requiring all employees to live within the city limits. However, several state court cases have ruled this requirement unconstitutional, he said.

The other stumbling block was the city’s request that union employees pay 5 percent of their health insurance premiums. Bunner said the union did not want to pay any of the cost of their insurance because the city does not share the cost of insurance for an employee’s dependents. The city does offer dependent coverage but at full cost to the employee.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since May 1 of 1999 and required a mediator to resolve. Negotiating for the city were City Attorney Jonathan Wright, Mayor Joan C. Ritter and Alderman Stephen Mesner, who was head of the finance committee when negotiations began. The union’s negotiators, along with Bunner, were Sgt. Mike Gerits, Officer Chris Carmichael and FOP representative Ted Street.

The new contract also calls for an increase in base wages for its three-year duration, with an increase of 4.2 percent the first year, 4.0 percent the second year and 3.9 percent the third year, retroactive to May 1, 1999, when the old contract expired. The city’s payroll office will now have to calculate the amount of back pay owed to the union members and reimburse them.

Asked how soon they would receive their back pay, City Clerk Juanita Josserand answered, "As soon as we get it figured out." She said the city will compare figures with the Police Department to come up with the proper totals.

Other clauses in the new contract require overtime to be counted as more than 80 hours in a 14-day period rather than 160 hours in 28 days and that officers may undergo random drug testing once per year.

Although the council agreed unanimously to approve the police union contract, Mayor Ritter had to cast a tie vote to break a deadlock on changes in policy for city employees who are non-union employees, in particular when these employees move from union employees to management.

One change in wording was needed because the old policy referred only to work days, while Fire Department employees work 24-hour shifts, not days. Other changes deal with the transfer of accrued time, limiting the carry-over of sick time to six days and vacation time to one year. Alderman Michael Montcalm said he would vote no on the changes because he did not want to "take away benefit time from those who had expectations of receiving it."

Alderman William Melton said he, too, would vote no. "I can’t vote for something I’m arguing against at my own place of employment," he told the council. No votes also came from Aldermen George Mitchell and Benny Huskins.

The board also approved putting up new stop signs along State Street, as recommended by Police Chief Richard Ludolph. State and Eighth will become a four-way stop, and State will become a through street from Eighth to12th streets. At Ninth Street there will be stop signs both ways. At 10th Street there will be a stop sign for westbound traffic, and at Short Eighth, Short 11th and 12th Streets stop signs for eastbound traffic.

The council also approved parking restrictions on some of the recently renovated city streets, because the newly installed curbs and gutters have made the streets narrower. Parking will be prohibited on the west side of Gavin from West Kickapoo to North Street, on the north side of North Street from Gavin to College, on both sides of Jackson from Fifth to Sixth Street, on both sides of State north of the alley between Sixth and Seventh Street and on State from Fifth to Sixth Street, on both sides of Wichita east of the alley to Kankakee, and on the east side of the 500 block of Walnut Street from Fourth to the alley. These restrictions all go into effect as of Dec. 4.

A public hearing on the new liquor ordinance, to which all liquor license holders have been invited, is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m., and a public hearing on the 2000-2001 tax levy is set for Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m.

Due to hard work and effective leadership, we were able to obtain a $550,000 state grant and a $1.2 million federal grant to start much-needed sewage projects throughout our community. Before we started the project, we created a "Who, What, When, Where and Why" program. The program brings city department heads together with local utility companies and developers to discuss and outline tasks at hand. This ensures that things are done right the first time with minimal expense to the taxpayer.

Cooperation and leadership have also allowed educational and civic expansion and development. We aided in the Lincoln College's recent expansion by helping secure funding at a lower interest rate. Our partnership with Main Street, local veterans and schools has enabled us to celebrate Flag Day in a community-oriented way. We invested time and resources in the District 27 Volunteer Reader and Prairie Partner program by helping students and gardens grow through reading with Lincoln's children.

Working and developing partnerships with our local Congressman LaHood, Senator Madigan, Representative Turner, Logan County Board members, Main Street, the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce and government agencies such as IDOT, DCCA and the IEPA has been essential in helping several new business owners get started in our community. We welcome the Central Illinois Carpenters Health and Welfare Trust Fund Facility, Mustard Moon, Precision Products, Staples, Stage, Walgreen's, Jim Moody's Excavating and Hauling, The Movie Gallery, Sheley's Truck Wash, T N T Trucking, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Joe's Pizzeria, Curves, Sun Loans and Integrity Data.

Building these partnerships has also helped many existing businesses expand and grow. These businesses include Medicap Pharmacy, APAC, Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home, Wal-Mart, Christian Village, Maple Ridge Care Centre, Prairie Years, Willamette Industries, Family Custom Cleaners, Pizza Hut, Lincoln IGA, Midwest Records Storage, Albert Brothers Services, Taco Bell, D&D Sewage, Illico and Treu Body Works.

I am especially proud that we have been able to reduce corporate taxes as infrastructure has expanded.

In working together we have been able to do a number of great things for our community. We have been able to obtain grants to pay for much-needed mobile data units and bulletproof jackets for our law enforcement officers, and we received a $32,000 grant for our Fire Department to use for hazardous waste equipment. We have assisted the Healthy Communities Partnership by representation and providing funding for the Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug, and Violence Prevention programs.

Progressive leadership and teamwork can make anything possible. In any business, organization or government entity, building partnerships and working with people is essential for achieving our goals and aspirations as we strive to make our community better. There are many more accomplishments that we can list here; our progress keeps growing each and every day.

[Mayor Joan C. Ritter]

More than 190 tickets at $50 each were sold to attendees who feasted on beef tenderloin and holiday red velvet cake prepared by Guzzardo's Catering.

[Melody Shew of MKS Jewelers presents a DeBeer's bracelet to winner Barb Moore.]

Early in the evening, ladies were tempted by a DeBeer's "Past-Present-Future" diamond bangle bracelet donated by MKS Jewelers, Ltd.  For $5, a key could be purchased that may or may not open a magical box containing seven more keys for the bracelet box.  Finalists tried their luck again at the end of the evening.  Barbara Moore of Springfield was the lucky winner. Master of ceremonies Terry Bell kept the evening rolling and kidded
attendees about letting loose of their wallets before the bidding began.

And when the bidding began under the guidance of Mount Pulaski auctioneer Mike Maske, it began in earnest, with winning bids totaling more than $5,000.

Winners of live auction items included:

• 7½-foot tree "Santa Claus is Coming to Town!" sponsored by Roger Webster
  Construction, was purchased by Ed Curtis for $500.
• 7½-foot tree "All that Glitters is Gold," sponsored by Abraham Lincoln
  Memorial Hospital, was purchased by Dr. Dennis Carroll for $475.
• 4½-foot tree "Victorian Jewel," sponsored by Graue Pharmacy, was purchased by
  Valecia Crisafulli for $400.
• 4½-foot tree "Let the Good Times Roll," sponsored by Graue Inc., was purchased
  by Terry Brown of State Bank of Lincoln for $350.
• 4½-foot tree "Santa's Workshop," sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Woody Hester, was purchased by Chris Graue for $300.

• A "Berry Merry Christmas" wreath, sponsored by the Logan County Farm Bureau Women's Committee, was purchased for $300 by Dr. Dennis Carroll.
• The "Last Rose of Summer" wreath, sponsored by the Ulrich family in memory of Dr. Edward Ulrich, was purchased for $350 by Nancy Gehlbach.
• The State Bank of Lincoln purchased the swag "Mystique" for $250. The swag was also sponsored by the State Bank of Lincoln.
• Larry Crisafulli purchased the swag "Southern Christmas," sponsored by Evelyn Madigan, for $425.

• David Sniff paid $375 for a holiday needlepoint work of art entitled "Victorian Christmas" that was created by his wife, Claire Sniff, owner of Claire's Needleworks & Framing.

Three special gift packages, courtesy of several local businesses, also prompted some competitive bidding. Dale Bassi was outbid by Nancy Schaub at $825 for a holiday getaway package to the Chicago Hyatt Hotel.  Pam Johnson paid $300 for the Holiday Home Extravaganza, that included four hours of housecleaning and unlimited carpet cleaning. Mark Graue purchased a holiday makeover package, courtesy of Blades Hair Salon and The Tannery, for $200.

[There were a number of items that could be bid on in a silent auction.]

Additional trees, wreaths and swags were sold at a silent auction that continued throughout the evening. A public raffle tree, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," featured an electric train traveling around the middle of the tree.

Wendy Bell, director of Main Street Lincoln, said she was very happy with this year's Festival of Trees. "We are pleased because the event is only 6 years old and is still in its infancy and always growing. Plus, it really is a gift to the community because everyone can come enjoy the beauty of the trees, wreaths and swags for free."

Proceeds will be split between Main Street Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation.