Two more local people seek House seat

[JUNE 14, 2001]  Two more Lincoln residents have announced they are seeking the appointment to the 90th District House seat vacated by John Turner. They are George E. Davis, retiring administrator of St. Clara’s Manor, and John Guzzardo, former mayor of Lincoln and restaurant owner.

Davis believes his 31 years of running a multimillion-dollar operation and his longtime interest in politics would be assets in serving as a state representative. He was campaign co-chairman for recently retired Judge Gerald Dehner when Dehner ran for state’s attorney and Circuit Court judge. Recently he served as treasurer for Tim Huyett’s successful run for state’s attorney. He is especially interested in the concerns of senior citizens and issues concerning Public Aid.

 

Guzzardo served as mayor of Lincoln for eight years, as a school board member in Elementary District 27 for 10 years and as an alderman from Ward 2 for one year. Currently he serves as president of the YMCA. A lifetime resident of Lincoln, he and his son, Nick, operate Guzzardo’s Italian Villa restaurant.

He said he hopes to be chosen to represent the people of Illinois House District 90 and will serve in the best way he can.

 

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Davis and Guzzardo bring the number of Logan County residents seeking the post, vacated when Turner was appointed an Appellate Court judge, to five. Others are Dave Hawkinson, Lincoln, marketing director at Corn Belt Energy Corp.; Jonathan Wright, Lincoln, who serves as city attorney; and Lois Olson, Elkhart, with the Illinois Department of Financial Institutions. Other candidates are former LeRoy Mayor Jerry Davis, DeWitt County Republican Chairman Jered Hooker and Tim Sickmeyer of Mason City, who is with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Four other potential candidates have dropped out of the race.

The appointee will be chosen this weekend by the six Republican Party county chairmen whose counties are, completely or in part, in the 90th District.

[Joan Crabb]

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White withdraws de-annexation proposal

[JUNE 14, 2001]  Developer Rodney White has withdrawn his request for a binding agreement with the city of Lincoln to improve Sherman Street in front of his proposed 16-home East Park subdivision and said he would settle for a "good-faith effort on the part of the city" instead.

At Tuesday’s work session of the council, White said he would not ask the city to pass a disconnection agreement for his property and then agree to reannexation with the stipulation that the street would be improved by the city. Because he does not want the road work done now and because an agreement of this kind is usually binding for only one year, the disconnection and reannexation would be necessary to ensure the city will do the work.

White, a New Holland resident and a member of the Logan County Board, wants to develop 16 homes on lots fronting Sherman Street. Another developer, Steve Boch, had planned to build 57 homes on the 14.66 acres but dropped plans for the development. White and his wife purchased the property, but White plans to develop only 16 homes at present.

He has asked the city to pay the estimated $230,000 cost of upgrading the street so he can keep the price of the lots down to about $10,000. He envisions homes costing about $80,000 and would try to make lots available to local builders, keeping the money in the local economy.

White said he did not want to have an upgraded road, with curbs and gutters, put in at present, because the work would have to be torn up again to install utilities, sewer and water lines. Instead he would like to get all sewer work done before the road work begins. He said he thought the three- to five-year stipulation in the annexation agreement was "a little ambitious" for his building plans.

 

He also gave the council his estimate of the revenue the city would receive from his new development, based on $90,000 homes.

For a 10-year period, the 16 homes would bring taxes of $60,000, sewage-plant revenue of $28,000, and sales taxes of $7,200, bringing the total to $90,000, he said. He is also asking the council to approve his final plat so that he can begin work.

"I’ve done some research on what he says, and the revenue is about what he says it will be," Alderman Steve Fuhrer told the council. Although he is in favor of the development, Fuhrer said he had some concerns about White’s plans conflicting with the city ordinance covering developers.

The city has an ordinance which says developers will put in streets with curbs and gutters when building a new street in a development. However, Sherman Street is an already-existing street, and Fuhrer said he did not know if that would fall under the ordinance. City Attorney Jonathan Wright said that the city would have the authority to ask a developer to improve an existing street if it wished to do so.

 

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Fuhrer said he did not want to set a precedent that might have to be followed for other developers. The ordinance and zoning committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. June 18 to discuss whether to approve the final plat.

Talks on sewer line for Campus View Drive

In other business, sewer plant manager Grant Eaton said he has talked to officials at Lincoln Christian College about running a sewer line down Campus View Drive to provide service for 12 homes at the end of the dead-end gravel road. The homes still have septic tanks. Although the homes are in the city, the road belongs to the college. He said the college is willing to dedicate the road to the city, which would allow the line to be run. He agreed to ask the college if they would give the city an easement if the city does not take over the road.

Grant possibility for police officer at schools

The council heard a presentation from Police Chief Richard Montcalm about applying for a grant for a school police officer. This officer would spend 75 percent of his time at Lincoln Community High School and the rest at other schools in town. The grant would pay the officer’s salary for the first three years; then the city would be obligated to pay the $44,820 yearly salary for the fourth year.

The current grant application must be submitted by June 15, but council members said they would like more time to study the proposal before deciding to apply. Chief Montcalm said there would be other such grants in future, and the council agreed to study the matter before another grant opportunity comes up.

"A school resource officer is becoming a very popular thing for schools to have," Chief Montcalm said. He said he would like to see the city have one but it was not necessary to apply for the current grant.

Increased pension contributions for firemen

The council also heard a report from City Clerk Juanita Josserand that the contribution to the Fireman’s Pension Fund must be increased. The city has not been paying enough into the find since August of 1999, she said. Instead of paying $9,000 this year, the city will pay a total of $15,509 to bring the fund up to its current required total.

[Joan Crabb]

Council faces decisions on sewer rates

[JUNE 13, 2001]  The Lincoln City Council has begun what promises to be an ongoing series of debates on sewer charge increases, which will be needed to pay for the $10 million loan for the upgrade of the city’s sewer plant.

The big questions the council must decide are, first, how to allocate the increases between residential and commercial-industrial users, and then how to restructure the fees paid by commercial-industrial users.

The sewer plant, already operating at capacity, must be upgraded to assure that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will allow the city additional sewer hookups. If the IEPA decides the sewer plant cannot handle an increased load, it can turn down requests for new hookups and thus stall any growth in the city.

Grant Eaton, sewer plant manager, said the city is already getting requests for sewer extensions and new hookups.

To secure the $10 million loan from the IEPA, the city must have a "dedicated revenue source," Carl Alsbach, program manager for Environmental Management Corporation, told the sewer and drainage committee Tuesday evening. EMC manages Lincoln’s sewer plant, as well as others throughout the Midwest.

 

Alsbach suggested a $1.86 monthly increase for residential users, who currently pay $11 per month, and a complete reallocation of the fees paid by commercial-industrial users. He said there are 548 commercial-industrial users who are paying only $11 per month, the minimum rate.

This fee may not accurately reflect the real use of the sewage treatment plant, because charges are based on water use, not on the load sent to the treatment plant, he said.

Eaton pointed out that when rates were last increased, probably about 1994, residents bore most of the cost. Alsbach recommended that the council look at the various types of commercial-industrial use and reallocate the fees for these users so that charges will be more in line with the actual load on the sewer plant. He said he would bring examples of charges made by other cities and urged sewer committee members to move quickly. The council doesn’t have a lot of time, he pointed out, as the final design of the plant will be done in 90 days and the IEPA then has 90 days to approve it.

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"I can’t move forward without bigger decisions being made by you," he said.

Council members also questioned the share of the debt service to be paid by the Lincoln and Logan Correctional Facilities, which are hooked up to the city sewer plant.

Under the present plan, the correctional facilities will pay 22.4 percent of the cost, a norm set by the IEPA. However, a year ago they accounted for 40 percent of the load on the treatment plant. Eaton said there has been progress in bringing the prisons’ share of the load down to 22 percent, and they now at about 35 percent of the load.

Patrick Madigan, a member of the sewer committee, said he was concerned that city residents would be paying for treating some of the prisons’ load on the sewer.

Eaton said he would continue testing to see what the load from the correctional facilities is, but told the committee the prisons have a big incentive to bring down the load.

 

"They know if it doesn’t go down, they will have to pay for additional technology or disconnect and built their own treatment plant, and they don’t want to do that," Eaton said. The correctional facilities can also be fined if they don’t meet IEPA requirements, Alsbach noted.

Alsbach recommended that city representatives draw up an agreement with the prisons about the payment schedule and that aldermen also talk to the commercial-industrial users who may be seeing a fee increase.

The 20-year loan of $10,066,207 carries an interest rate of 2.905 percent, Alsbach said, and will be repaid at $667,000 per year, paid semiannually. Some of the cost will come from the sewer plant’s current revenue, as well as the share paid by the prisons. Eaton said he is applying for grants which may reduce the cost somewhat, and is currently working on a grant for $500,000.

The completion date for the sewer plant upgrade is projected to be April of 2003.

[Joan Crabb]

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Part 2
Veteran horsewoman offers riding classes

[JUNE 13, 2001]  Ann Liesman, whose stable is located just off old Route 121 north of Lincoln, is offering riding classes through the Lincoln Park District the week of June 18 to 22.

[click here for Part 1]

At Lebanon, Ill., she recently judged an open horse show, meaning that the horses were of varied breeds. She saw many nice horses and enjoyed herself. Still she described it as a grueling experience, judging 22 classes of seven to 18 horses each in five hours, moving all the time, with only one soda and no break. The ring had not been wet down, so she worked in clouds of dust.

 

Donna Laroux, who worked as ringmaster, reporting the results to the announcer, asked Liesman how she picked the five winners in each class so quickly. Liesman said she knows what she’s looking for and therefore can eliminate some of the horses easily. Her biggest problem, she said, occurred when a horse she had picked for a winner made a major mistake, like misbehaving or taking the wrong canter lead, and she had to look again at other horses that she had passed over.

 

The number of private lessons Liesman gives varies per week. For the hour-long lessons she prefers students who are at least 7 years old. Some students ride their own horses; for others Liesman provides the mount. What she teaches depends on what the individual wants to learn. For example, she must be more exacting with a student who wants to show compared to one who wants to trail ride or pleasure ride. Although the Park District course will be Western, she also works with English style. Western riders sit a trot, for example, while English riders post a trot, sitting for one beat of the two-beat diagonal gait and holding themselves above the saddle for the next beat.

 

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Nancy Sprague has been taking lessons from Liesman for about six months, trying to unlearn some bad habits. Early in the training Liesman took away the bridle, forcing Sprague to ride with just a halter and lead rope until she gained a lighter hand. Now she works on turning the horse while maintaining speed. Liesman instructs her to use her arms like levers, one pulling back to turn and the other moving forward to give the horse some room.

 

The majority of the lesson is devoted to cuing the horse to change gaits. To cue a walk, Liesman explains, the rider moves his or her hand forward and squeezes with both legs. Squeezing a little harder and firmer with both legs signals a trot. The canter in English style or lope in Western, each a controlled gallop, is more difficult to cue. The rider must shift weight, cock the horse’s head slightly, squeeze with the outside leg and raise both knees. Temporarily Sprague uses a riding crop to tap the horse’s shoulder to start the canter.

Sprague sees positive results from Liesman’s instruction. "She saved my bacon more than once, because I could hear her voice in the back of my head when I was about to get in trouble," she said. That voice no doubt said something like what it is saying now:

"Shift your weight to cue him. You do not lean forward, ever."

"Keep your hands quiet and still."

"Beautiful! By George, I think she’s got it!"

[Lynn Spellman]

Part 1
Veteran horsewoman offers riding classes

[JUNE 12, 2001]  "Squeeze with your knees."

"Sit down, sit back, give him a cue."

"Talk to your horse."

These are some of the directions that Ann Liesman calls out from the center of the indoor ring as she guides a student rider through her private lesson. Liesman, whose stable is located just off old Route 121 north of Lincoln, is offering riding classes through the Lincoln Park District the week of June 18 to 22.

 


[Annette Bates holds Hambone to clear the way for another rider.]

Of the 16 slots in the program, at least 15 are taken. Anyone who has completed first grade on up can take the series of five one-hour classes, offered at 9 and 10:30 a.m. and 1 and 2:30 p.m. to four students at a time. Cost of the classes is $75 for Lincoln residents and $80 for others. Students must wear a helmet and shoes with heels.

New students will learn to walk and trot. More advanced work is possible depending on the individual, Liesman said. She plans to use games such as Simon Says, obstacle courses and timed events to practice skills such as turning and guiding. She stresses that students absolutely must pay attention and follow directions. Otherwise, the young riders will endanger themselves.

 

Danny and Hawk, two of the horses to be used for the classes, belong to Liesman, while Beau and Mirage are owned by Laurie Muck and by Greg and Donna Laroux, respectively. Hawk, a recent purchase, is 12 years old; all the others are over 20. Liesman said that although it is not unusual for a horse to live past 30, most horses are no longer ridden regularly after they reach 25 to 28. However, if they are not arthritic or crippled, they can be used occasionally, especially with light riders.

 

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[Ann Liesman calls out lessons and encouragement from the center of the indoor ring.]

Although private students learn to clean and tack up their horse before riding and untack and brush afterwards, time does not permit these activities at the group classes. Annette Bates, who boards her Morgan, Hamlet (called Hambone), at the stable, stressed the importance of saddling one’s own horse. "It’s a time for the rider to get comfortable with the horse, to sense if something is wrong," she said.

 

Bates and Katie Muck will help Liesman get the four horses cleaned and saddled by 9 a.m. for the classes. They may also help spot the horses in the ring, but Liesman will do all the instruction.

She was trained by Charlotte Stubblefield of Atlanta, one of the premier horsewomen in the country at the time. Liesman also worked for Stubblefield for a year and has 50 years of experience as a rider. At age 3 she rode a draft-type horse by herself at Holzwarth’s Neversummer Ranch in Colorado. She said that when the horse would bend its head for a bite to eat, she would often slide down its neck and land on the ground. Then someone would put her back on, and she was ready for another trail.

(To be continued)

[Lynn Spellman]

[click here for Part 2]

Elkhart woman, five others
in running for 90th District seat

[JUNE 11, 2001]  Another Logan County candidate is seeking the appointment as 90th District state representative to succeed John Turner, who resigned after being appointed a 4th District Appellate Court judge. Lois Olson, a lifelong Elkhart resident who has worked for the Illinois Department of Financial Institutions for the last 15 years, has announced that she, too, would like the appointment.

Olson’s candidacy brings to six the current number candidates for the legislative seat. In the running are Jonathan Wright, Lincoln, attorney for the city; Dave Hawkinson, Lincoln, marketing director of Corn Belt Energy Corp. and a former Lincoln/Logan Chamber of Commerce director; Jerry Davis, former mayor of LeRoy; Jered Hooker, DeWitt County GOP chairman; and Tim Sickmeyer, Mason County, who works for the Department of Natural Resources.

Olson is presently assistant to the director of the Department for Financial Institutions and prior to that was assistant to the director of the Credit Union Division of the Department of Financial Institutions.

In those two positions, she said, she has been responsible for working with all divisions of the department and as a liaison between divisions. She has also served as a liaison with the legislature and with legal counsel, meeting with representatives from trade associations and financial institutions, and has researched and developed legislation and policy for the department.

She served on the Elkhart High School and Mount Pulaski Unit District boards of education from 1973 to 1981 and has been involved in many community organizations. In addition, she has been actively involved in the operation of the 2,500-acre family grain-and-livestock farm in Logan County. She and her husband, David, have six grown children.

She is also a sister-in-law of Robert Olson, who served as state representative for the 90th District for nearly eight years.

 

 

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"I would be a full-time representative if I am selected," she said. "I know how important it is to get around the district and know the constituency, and I believe my energy, commitment and knowledge will serve the 90th District well."

"I have a longtime interest in politics and the work of the general assembly, knowledge of agriculture and education, and have been in the 90th District all my life. I feel that I know the people of this district and their needs."

She would leave her present position if appointed and is "pretty certain" she would run again, she said. Turner’s term in up in January of 2003.

Turner’s replacement will be decided next Saturday by the GOP chairmen of the six counties within the 60th District. The district includes all of Logan, Mason and DeWitt counties and small parts of Tazewell, McLean and Piatt counties.

Two other candidates have dropped out of the race: Carla Bender of Lincoln, Logan County Circuit Court clerk and former campaign manager for Turner, and Joe Alexander of Clinton, former aide to retired U.S. Rep. Tom Ewing of Pontiac.

[Joan Crabb]

Amtrak drops 9:20 a.m. Lincoln-
Chicago run for the summer

[JUNE 9, 2001]  Thinking about a train trip this summer? If you want to leave from Lincoln, don’t plan to ride Amtrak’s 9:20 a.m. Texas Eagle to Chicago.

To accommodate work on the track, the northbound Texas Eagle from Springfield to Chicago has been rerouted on weekdays, beginning on May 30 and continuing until at least Labor Day, according to media relations representative Kevin Johnson.

The Texas Eagle, which operates between San Antonio and Chicago, connects Lincoln to both Chicago and St. Louis. The southbound train, which leaves Lincoln at 6:25 a.m., will not be affected by the schedule change. The train will also operate on its normal schedule on weekends.

Lincoln riders who want to get to the Windy City or other points north have several options. They can catch the State House, which heads north at 6:40 a.m., or, if they want to arrive at stations north of Lincoln late in the day, they can board the Ann Rutledge, which departs from Lincoln at 4:27 p.m.

Those who want to leave later in the morning can go to the Normal Amtrak station, where they can get express bus service to Chicago.

They may also go to Springfield, where the northbound Texas Eagle will be rerouted northeast toward Clinton and Gilman and will continue to Chicago on tracks owned by the Canadian National/Illinois Central Railroad. The rerouted train will take about 1½ to 2 hours longer to reach Chicago.

 

 

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Travelers arriving in Springfield on weekdays from destinations to the south will be bused to stops in Lincoln, Bloomington-Normal, Pontiac and Joliet.

The work on the railroad track is necessary to permit faster train speeds, according to an Amtrak press release. Amtrak is working toward bringing high-speed passenger rail service to the Midwest, with speeds of up to 110 miles per hour, and construction work to improve the line will require some service disruptions. Summer schedule changes are likely for the next three years, Johnson said. Delays of 15 to 30 minutes can also be expected in the Chicago-St. Louis corridor.

For more information about schedules, fares and reservations, visit Amtrak’s website at www.amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

[Joan Crabb]

Madigan to head panel studying insurance program for retired teachers

[JUNE 9, 2001]  Sen. Bob Madigan has been named to a special, temporary Senate committee which is being asked to find solutions to the financial crisis facing the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program.

Madigan, who chairs the Senate Insurance and Pensions Committee, was named chairman of the special panel by Senate President James "Pate" Philip on Wednesday. Retired teachers covered by the program are facing the prospect of significant premium increases because of the plan’s financial problems.

"It will be our task to assess the financial health of the program," said Madigan, R-Lincoln. "Once we get an accurate picture of TRIP’s status, we can begin offering proposals to address the problem. Our goal should be to keep TRIP a viable, stable plan that offers affordable health-care coverage. Hopefully, we will be ready to take specific action during the fall veto session."

 

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In addition to Madigan as chairman of the Special Senate Committee on the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program, President Philip appointed Sens. Stan Weaver, R-Urbana; Tom Walsh, R-LaGrange Park; and Dave Syverson, R-Rockford to the panel. Four additional senators are to be named to the committee by the Senate minority leader. Other committee members will include representatives of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Association of School Administrators and the director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services.

The committee is directed to discuss options
for the financial future of TRIP and report its recommendations to the Senate no later than
Nov. 1.

[News release]

History is where the action is
in Logan County

[JUNE 8, 2001]  Paul Beaver, chairman of the Video Committee for the Looking for Lincoln project, announced at the meeting on Wednesday, June 6, that he has interviewed three good video companies that have the potential to complete a video by September. Another company from Springfield has also applied for an interview.

Plans are under way to solicit local residents to participate in the video, decide on local sites and also locate pictures that depict Lincoln’s involvement in Logan County. The video is expected to last 15 to 20 minutes. Scenes which will be in the video include Postville Courthouse where Lincoln practiced law, the Stage Coach Inn in Middletown, Edwards Trace on Elkhart Hill, Mount Pulaski Courthouse, the Lincoln Depot and many other locations.

 


[Pictured with Richard Schachtsiek, Postville Courthouse site manager (center), are Cathy Hawkinson, wife of Dave Hawkinson of Corn Belt Energy Corporation, and Stu Churchill of Menard Electric Cooperative. Hawkinson and Churchill are involved in the volunteer program at the Postville Courthouse in Lincoln.  Photo and caption courtesy of Illinois Country Living magazine.]

Shirley Bartelmay, chairman of the Postville Cluster Committee, reported that Postville Courthouse Site Manager Richard Schachtsiek, Cathy Hawkinson and Stu Churchill are involved in the volunteer program at the Postville Courthouse and were recently featured in the Illinois Country Living Magazine. Schachtsiek, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s site manager for both the Postville Courthouse and Mount Pulaski Courthouse, states as following in the article: "Mount Pulaski was the first county seat and was used in the circuit for approximately seven or eight years in the 1840s. In 1853, the county seat was moved to Lincoln because it was the largest and busiest town in Logan County."

 

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Lincoln College has received a grant of $1 million to use for expansion of the Lincoln College Museum. Ron Keller, museum director, advised the group the new museum will be 6,000 square feet in size. He has already received two new Lincoln items to place in the museum. It is expected that many additional visitors will stop at the museum, which is currently located in the Lincoln College McKinstry Library building about a mile south of Old Route 66 at the Nicholson Road exit.

Larry Steffens, chairman of the Lincoln Statue Committee, reported that he has contacted many representatives in the county, covering different areas, such as tourism, city and county government, Chamber of Commerce, motel owners, service stations, retailing, and engineering and structural firms. The committee has estimated that 150 to 250 acres will be needed for an appropriate site for the theme park.

The next Looking for Lincoln meeting will be Wednesday, June 20, at 7 p.m.

[Kathleen McCullough]

A crowning achievement -- Part 2

The late Larry Shroyer
remembered at ESDA dedication

[JUNE 8, 2001]  The Logan County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency celebrated the completion of its facility at an evening dedication Wednesday, May 30. The Crisis Management Center was dedicated in the memory of Larry Shroyer. A number of people came forward at the dedication to offer words of reflection and praise about the development of the new ESDA program and facility.

[Click here for more photos from the ESDA dedication]

[click here for Part 1]

Larry Shroyer was posthumously honored for the night

Fulscher struggled, obviously overwhelmed by the memory of this uncommon man, Larry Shroyer. Shroyer had much to do with the development of our disaster agency as it is today and, on a personal note, was a longtime family friend and personal model of community service to Fulscher. The plans, the acquisition of equipment and the building space all had Shroyer’s visionary hand on them. "If not for Larry Shroyer, this entire lower-level floor of the Safety Complex which is used for the disaster agency, including this Crisis Management Center meeting room, would not exist," proclaimed Fulscher.

Shroyer was credited for using his many talents, his foresight and ambition toward helping many community projects, and, above all, he was noted for "getting things done." He solicited federal funds and volunteer help. Some of his accomplishments include gaining $200,000 for the airport, funding and organization for the local blood bank, and he is known honorably for reporting a murder as a witness. The accused was found guilty.

Schroyer developed the first
emergency operations plan

His model decision-making thought, "What’s best for citizens?" has led to practices that are still followed today. Fulscher marveled, "It amazes me that to this day much of the planning that Larry Shroyer did in the ’50s through the ’70s are still what we use today. He knew people, and he put that much thought into his plans that they only need to be changed into modern-day application."

Logan County Board member Doug Dutz, in charge of the Logan County ESDA/Law Enforcement Committee, spoke a few words. He recounted what was once said here, "Things happen, but we don’t have a way to deal with them."

"At one time we had no dive equipment," said Dutz. "Larry Shroyer saw that need and was instrumental in getting equipment."

Those plans continue to be
amplified today

Today Dutz heartily credits Fulscher for his leadership, saying, "Working with Dan, we’ve really gotten a lot done!"

Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis praised Fulscher, saying, "We are really fortunate to have such an honorable and public servant."

Macon County ESDA Coordinator Phil Anello complimented Fulscher for all his assistance, saying, "I have gained about 90 percent of my training working with Logan County ESDA during my four years as Macon County coordinator." Anello first came over to meet with Fulscher and gain some information and training due to the numerous disaster incidents in Logan County.

In the last four years Fulscher has also called on Anello to come help us. Fulscher said, "He has been a great help coming over assisting with a number of Logan County disasters." Anello and Fulscher have it worked out that should either county be affected by a disaster, the other county would have somewhere to go for assistance.

"I’m sure this room is going to be useful. Of course, we all hope this room will never be used, but we all know this is not so," Anello stated. "We can’t keep tornadoes or anything else from striking."

Fulscher said that he relied heavily on the leading of Pat Keane, regional coordinator of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Keane was invaluable in getting Fulscher going in the right direction when he first stepped into the job. Keane assisted Fulscher with developing training for departments and laying out a five-year plan for ESDA. "Pat led me to where grant money could be found and told me how to get it," Fulscher acknowledged. He added, "We were just the soldiers."

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Anello stated that he has been impressed with the project support by local government in Lincoln and Logan County and praised them saying, "They really deserve the credit for their commitment."

Shroyer’s nephew, Darwin Shroyer, was present to receive the honorable acknowledgments of Shroyer’s efforts that continue to benefit all of us in Logan County to this day.

Fulscher took a moment to appreciate the wonderful talents of the people who are manning the office on a day-to-day basis. Diane Ruff was recognized for her diverse abilities, willingness to take care of a multitude of tasks and keeping the office running smoothly. Terry Storer, who started in December, provides a great counterbalance with his "patient, calm, reassuring, dedicated manner."

In closing, Dan Fulscher said, "I’d like, as my goal, to be remembered as Larry Schroyer is remembered. I’d like to share with you 13 characteristics that were attributed to him."

  1. Hard worker
  2. Professional
  3. Kind
  4. Nice
  5. Strong
  6. Determined
  7. Sinner
  8. Powerful
  9. Leader
  10. Fun
  11. Never forgotten

  12. Friend

But the 13th is Larry in a nutshell, the way he would like to be remembered:

  13. A GOOD MAN

 

Additional Shroyer tributes

Paul Beaver recalled with humor the intensity that Shroyer had when he saw a thing that needed to be done. The time was the ’70s, and Beaver was sitting on the Logan County Board with Shroyer. Shroyer recognized that coordinating an ambulance service between city and county would have benefits to all. He arranged to meet with representatives from both sides, knowing that such a concept was likely to meet with great differences of opinion, and he prepared for it.

Present for the meeting were Everett Cherry, Logan County Board member in charge of Civil Defense, and board member Bud Behrends. Joining them from the city were Harold Fulscher and Rene Hoagland. Shroyer presented his plan, it was discussed and voted on in 10 minutes, and it was over! Having prepared to battle for it, it was very strange. "He really didn’t know what else to do when it was done!" Beaver chuckles.

While many may not know whom to credit, one of Shroyer’s most notorious contributions to Lincoln’s legends is the fabled telephone booth that sits atop Lincoln City Hall. Also known as one of Lincoln’s "Seven Wonders," it was Shroyer's practical idea of tornado protection. Joanne Marlin laughs as she recalls when Shroyer recruited her as a volunteer for ESDA. He said to me, "The first thing to learn is to go up on the roof, and if you see bad weather, you get in that phone booth and call me. I’ll sound the siren!"

City Hall has been remodeled around that telephone booth, and the roof, the telephone and his method of person-to-phone booth-to-person communication is still used to this day.

Some things never change, and some things shouldn’t. Mr. Shroyer saw to that.

Thank you, Larry!

[News release]

A crowning achievement -- Part 1

Larry Shroyer Crisis Management Center dedication completes ESDA plan

[JUNE 7, 2001]  The foresight and steady efforts of many Logan County public servants have brought forth a facility and agency that we can take great pride and assurance in. With the completion of the Crisis Management Center in the lower level of the Logan County Safety Complex, our county has become one of the most disaster-prepared counties in the state. The room has been dedicated in memory of the late Larry Schroyer. It brings to completion a long-worked-at, multi-stage project.

Logan County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency Director Dan Fulscher spoke with obvious enthusiasm and appreciation for all those who have had a hand in the development of the agency, equipment and its facility. He spoke of many wonderful people who had vision for the future, assisted in disaster planning, aided in acquiring federal funding, and lots of interagency cooperation between city, county and state.


[New Crisis Management Center room]

Some history

Emergency Services and Disaster Agency, once called the Civil Defense, provides training and coordination between city, county and state emergency agencies. They serve as incident coordinators for police, fire and ambulance/paramedic services in disaster situations. The present-day institution serves to protect and aid Logan County citizens in the event of a manmade or natural disaster.

When Fulscher first took over the work at ESDA as director, Logan County had its share of disasters, but since that time we have become the highest disaster-struck county in the state south of I-80. Since 1993 we have had 13 disaster declarations: five gubernatorial, seven local and one presidential (the snowstorm of Christmas ’97).

Recent ESDA goals and developments

The latest protocol began when Fulscher stepped into the position of director. He first sought the guidance of several experienced authorities and developed a working plan.

Step 1

Train all local government leaders to work together in case of an emergency. The new Lincoln mayor, Beth Davis, will soon undergo her training for city leadership in the event of a disaster.

Step 2

Hazardous material management has become included in all today’s training.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Step 3

Emergency management training for all individual agencies as well as combined departments is accomplished through regularly scheduled mock disaster exercise days with all the agencies and departments working together.

Step 4

Remodel the lower level of the Safety Complex (CMC) to be ready after the training and planning is completed.


[Dan Fulscher]

Fulscher explains that before beginning his task of meeting the ESDA goals, he chose a model structure: "I learned something; if you look at this as an arrow, the government — state, county and city — officials are the straight body of the shaft; all the crisis-activated supporting agencies such as the police department, fire department, sheriff’s department and so on are the feathers on the arrow; ESDA is the arrowhead. It becomes a workable model."

The entire lower level of the facility now fully supports emergency disaster efforts for Logan County, and in particular it is the newly dedicated room that is of specific value as a central command center, a location for leadership to meet and communicate effectively in an emergency disaster situation.

Fulscher says, "Larry Shroyer brought this diamond to our county, and now we are just shining it up!"

(To be continued)

[News release]

[click here for Part 2]

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