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City
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City
may be trimming blades at Lincoln's Postville Courthouse
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for electricity; quit-smoking signs; Christmas parade route
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[November 12, 2008]
Tim Guinan, site manager for the
Lincoln New Salem State Historic Site, came before the Lincoln City
Council this week with a request.
Guinan said that state financial troubles have caused some
problems for the historic sites. In addition to running the New
Salem site, he is also in charge of the overseeing Postville
Courthouse in Lincoln and Mount Pulaski Courthouse. Guinan said that
he would be losing several staff members, which was going to affect
his open hours.
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He said that the one guy in charge of maintenance is being pulled
off. That person traveled to Postville Courthouse, Mount Pulaski
Courthouse and other state historic sites. It would be a great
benefit if the city were to take over mowing at Postville. Guinan
proposed a temporary cooperative agreement to do this.
Guinan said that Lincoln is fortunate to have Shirley Bartelmay
running the Postville Courthouse on behalf of the Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency. She does a wonderful job and keeps it open with
all volunteers, he said.
Postville brought 6,000 visitors, which included a number of
international guests, into the community last year. Guinan pointed
out that the historic site has an economic impact on the community
as people stop, eat out, maybe shop or stay overnight. It would be
in the city's best interests to help keep it open.
Tracy Jackson, Lincoln street superintendent, said that it would
take an hour and a half and very little gas to mow the site.
In the proposed agreement the Illinois Historic Preservation
Agency would still maintain anything to do with the interior,
including heating and cooling systems, and the exterior structure.
They would also still take care of any storm damage, such as large
sticks and branches. This would just be for mowing at the city's own
determination of when it is needed. It would begin next season.
Guinan said that snow removal is already taken care of by
contract. He also said that he would be going to Mount Pulaski to
offer the same agreement for their courthouse.
The council put the matter on next week's agenda.
After the meeting Bartelmay said that she is always in need of
more volunteers to help welcome guests to the courthouse.
Electric supplier
Wastewater treatment plant manager Dave Kitzmiller updated the
council on a matter brought to their attention a while back. He had
received a letter from Ameren stating that they would no longer
supply electricity to a specific rate user. The city had until June
2010 to find a new provider.
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Alderman Busby said he had attended a seminar where there were
brokers to contact. He contacted six of those companies, and only
one has been cooperative and willing to work with the city.
Kitzmiller provided aldermen with "a lot of information to look
over" and copies of the contract, which could be for two, three or
five years. The city has the option to make its switch either as a
portion, all at once or in phases over a few years.
When Ameren first announced this change, Kitzmiller said that he
thought they were being unreasonable. But since then he has changed
his mind. "It really looks like it's going to be a good thing for
the city," he said. "We can purchase electricity for the city from
someone else much cheaper."
Smoking message
Lincoln Reality teens will soon be reminding our community that
smoking is bad. The group has petitioned to place Great American
Smokeout signs along Wyatt Avenue next week. The 32nd annual event
is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and observed the third
Thursday in November each year.
Annual Christmas parade route
This year's Christmas parade route will stay the same as last
year, beginning with lineup on Wyatt Avenue, turning on Kickapoo
Street to head downtown, traveling counterclockwise around the
courthouse square, then exiting downtown on Broadway Street to
Chicago Street and ending at the Regions Bank parking lot.
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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