Mason
City's Parade of Trees reaches out [DEC.
23, 2000] A
white Christmas, being more than a dream sung about by Bing Crosby,
brought cold and wintry conditions to the area. Extremely cold
temperatures and school closings caused plan changes for
distributing the decorated Christmas trees from Parade of Trees at
Mason City Civic Center.
Original
plans were to place eight donated and decorated trees in needy homes
by Dec. 17. Illini Central students of Operation Snow Ball and Mason
City police in charge of the donation process finally overcame old
man winter with the assistance of employees of the city of Mason
City. The concentrated effort of these organizations plus tree
sponsors Little Cougars, Mason City Area Nursing Home, Mason City
Pharmacy, the Dr. Means Family, Johnson Lumber-Sentry Hardware/McEntire
Appliances, Mason County Chiropractic Dr. Marion Ring, Mason City
Police Operation Snow Ball, and Mason City Brownie Troop made
several homes warmer and happier with this outreach during the
holiday season.
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School
District 27 board begins
planning for construction process [DEC.
22, 2000] Members
of the District 27 school board are tackling some of the complex
problems involved in building the two new schools that will replace
Central Elementary and Lincoln Junior High School, such as exactly
how much supervision of the construction process the architect is
responsible for and whether to hire a construction manager.
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At the
regular Wednesday evening board meeting, members raised questions
about the wording of the contract with the project’s architect,
Dave Leonatti of the Springfield firm of Melrose, Morse Leonatti/Fanning
Howey Associated Architects. Board President Bill Bates said he did
not think the contract specified that the architect would be
providing enough supervision.
"I
envisioned that on a construction project of this size, somebody
with expertise would be on-site daily. I want somebody besides the
contractor to tell me it’s being done right," Bates said.
Leonatti,
who attended the meeting but came in after the discussion started,
assured the board that his firm would be responsible for being
on-site "to be sure the work adheres to the contract," and
also that when contractors and subcontractors are paid, the district
would be clear of liens.
However,
that may not mean being on-site every day during all phases of the
construction, he said. "When foundations are being poured, we
need to be here daily," he said. At other times it is not
necessary to be on-site every day, but members of the firm will be
on the phone almost daily to answer questions.
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"We’re
at Peoria Heights [where the firm is building a school] twice a
week," Leonatti added.
"You’re
telling me that what I want you to do, you’re going to do. But I
don’t think this contracts says that," Bates said.
"I
want this board satisfied with this contract," Leonatti
replied.
"If
we can get this agreement to tell us what you told us verbally
tonight, we will be all right," Bates said.
Bates,
who is an attorney, suggested that the school board attorney review
the contract. "I have maintained for 15 years that it is not my
position to give this board legal advice. I personally think the
contract should be reviewed by the attorney for this board."
The
board agreed to have the contract reviewed by their attorney, Jeff
Funk of Monticello, and to revise the language to confirm what
Leonatti had told them.
"I
have never not been able to work out a contract with anybody,"
Leonatti told the Lincoln Daily News later. District
Superintendent Dr. Robert Kidd also told LDN he was sure a contract
that satisfied all parties could be worked out.
The
board also debated hiring a construction manager to oversee the
building operation.
"With
a construction manager, you pay a flat fee. There is no incentive to
jack up prices," Kidd said. "If your general contractor
gets a subcontractor to do the job a cheaper way, the general
contractor reaps the benefits. If the construction manager finds
cost savings, the school district reaps the benefits."
Kidd
said he had talked to several other school superintendents in the
area who had found the construction manager concept worked
"exceptionally well" and saved the school district money.
However,
board member Joe Brewer, who works for a construction firm, said
that he had not had good experiences with projects that hired
construction managers.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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"Whether
we get a construction manager or a general contractor, if he’s not
good, it will not be a good job. It’s very critical who you
get," Brewer said.
Leonatti
agreed that the qualifications of a construction manager were
crucial. "I would recommend to the board you look at a true
construction management firm, not a construction firm or an
architectural firm which also does construction management. I’d
pre-qualify the firm pretty carefully."
Superintendent
Kidd said he and board members Brewer and Bruce Carmitchell would
meet with several construction management firms and report back to
the board.
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Leonatti
also noted that he would hire local firms to do the work on the
school construction project wherever possible. He has contacted the
local firm of Mike Foster, land surveying, and said that while
Foster can’t satisfy all requirements, he can work with a
Springfield firm to complete the one aspect he cannot do, a
computer-based drawing .
"We
will work with local contractors if possible," Leonatti said.
"If we can keep the money local, that will be great."
Leonatti
also reported that he has initiated the review by the Illinois
Historic Preservation Agency that is required by law. The agency
will review both sites, Central and Lincoln Junior High, and inform
the board if they believe either is eligible for the National
Register of Historic Places.
Superintendent
Kidd reported that about 25 teachers and others from the district
toured the Peoria Heights school being built by Leonatti’s firm.
Another tour is set for Jan. 6, when teachers and board members will
visit two Indianapolis schools constructed by Leonatti’s firm: a
junior high and an elementary school. Leonatti said he could also
arrange tours of Bloomington Junior High School, which is now 10
years old "and shows 10 years’ worth of wear," and of
Vachel Lindsay Elementary School in Springfield.
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The
tours allow teachers and board members to get ideas for the new
Lincoln schools. The board has been asking for input from teachers
and others involved in the day-to-day running of the schools.
In
other business, the board approved the estimated tax levy of
$2,558,885. Kidd noted that the tax rate "will be just about
what it was last year. Even with the building bond issue, we won’t
see an increase in taxes."
The
board also approved the home-school policy discussed last month,
which states that home-schooled students who attend District 27
classes for half a day are eligible to participate in after-school
activities, including athletics.
The board also approved
the resignation of Lisa Baker as special-education aide at Lincoln
Junior High School, the hiring of Anne Taylor as LD teacher and John
Longmire as BD teacher at LJHS through the end of the 2000-2001
school year, and Paula Lee as special-education aide at LJHS.
[Joan
Crabb]
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For
ESDA and 9-1-1 helpers
A night of
honors and appreciation
[DEC.
22, 2000] On
Sunday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m., approximately 150 emergency volunteers
and friends gathered in the Myers Student Center at Lincoln College.
They came for the eighth annual ESDA and 9-1-1 awards dinner. The
feast was catered by Warren Wendlandt, who runs the catering service
at Lincoln College and is an emergency volunteer in his spare time.
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According
to Dan Fulscher, director of Emergency Service Disaster Agency (ESDA),
the dinner had the largest attendance of all their annual dinners.
He believes it would have been even larger if the weather had not
been so cold. Fulscher said the county board and 9-1-1
"annually honor people who are volunteers or work for different
emergency agencies for the betterment of the county." About 260 individuals in Logan County regularly spend free time
helping ESDA.
![](../../images/122200pics/emergency_ESDA.jpg)
[(L
to R) Terry Storer, assistant director; Dianne Ruff, office manager;
Dan Fulscher, ESDA director]
Guest
speakers for the evening were Mike Chamness and Norma Bathe.
Chamness is the director of IEMA. Bathe is the vice chairman of the
9-1-1 board and a member of the Hartsburg fire and rescue
organization.
This
year ESDA offers a new award, the Larry Schroyer award. According to
Fulscher, Larry Schroyer was "the backbone and founder of ESDA."
He was involved in emergency rescue when it was referred to as civil
defense. The award will be given to individuals who show long-term
dedication to emergency service — the same type of commitment to
rescue that Schroyer demonstrated. This year’s two Larry Schroyer
Award recipients are both fire chiefs. Carl Faith of Latham has
served his fire department 38 years, and Glenn Mason of Mount
Pulaski has fought fires 33 years. Both men are well-respected and
liked in their communities.
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The
ESDA volunteer awards went to Devon Vannoy and Mike Patridge. Both
individuals give generous amounts of time to help ESDA. Ron Sparks
and Darrell Deverman received a special merit for helping ESDA and
9-1-1.
The
National Weather Service in Lincoln was given a plaque for its
five-year partnership with the emergency services in Lincoln. Rich
Kempf and Gerald Hubrich were named dispatchers of the year for ESDA.
Dispatchers relay information from the field to the national weather
forecast. The public sees the dispatchers’ work when the blue
weather bars scroll across the bottom of the television screen.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Many
other branches of ESDA had individual workers recognized. Gene
Hickey of the snowmobile team received special merit. Also, three of
Lincoln REACT’s workers received special merit: Stan Wilhoit, Jay
Roberts and Glenn Bonaparte. Many individuals in the search and
rescue — whether by horse, bike or ground — received awards, but
special thanks went to Pat Keane. Keane is the Search Master of
Illinois.
Not
only volunteers but also two board members of 9-1-1 received awards
for their service. Bob Mayer and Mark Mann were commended for their
work to improve 9-1-1 dispatching. Debbie Kimberlin was presented
with the county dispatch award. Jack Bishop received the comparable
city award.
![](../../images/ads/MErealty/merealty.jpg)
Several
individuals and a few organizations received a different award this
year. On July 15, a 54-year-old developmentally handicapped man was
missing for 12 to 16 hours. Tim Sickbert, Pat Keane, Macon County
ESDA, Piatt County ESDA, St. Mary’s EMS and the Salvation Army all
helped look for the missing man. When his bike was found, three
people volunteered to remain with the bike until its owner returned.
Ernest Petro, Sue Ellen Alsup and Amanda Alley found the missing
man. All nine individuals and groups listed here were
recognized at the awards dinner for their participation in the
search for the man.
Dan
Fulscher, director of ESDA for the past eight years, is grateful for
all of the help he receives from people in the community and is
confident that next year’s awards dinner will be even bigger.
[Jean
Ann Carnley]
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LINCOLN
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Ho Ho Dough
Hottest tickets in town
[DEC.
21, 2000] Like
a scene out of an old movie, avid Lincoln shoppers huddled together
amidst swirling snow, braving the frigid night air at 6 p.m.
Wednesday. Not daunted by the cruel weather, a crowd, seemingly as
large as ever, came out in hopes their ticket for the year 2000 Ho
Ho Ho Dough holiday giveaway would be the one chosen for one of
three different winnings.
The
drawings, kept short and sweet, were over in 10 minutes. Amazingly
and much to the relief of everyone, only four tickets needed to be
drawn to get the three winners. The one ticket number called that
went unclaimed and was redrawn was for the $250 Ho Ho Ho Dough
Bucks.
Taking
home the winnings were Darrel White, $250 Ho Ho Ho Bucks; Charles
"Chuck" Pegram, $500 Ho Ho Ho Bucks; and Vernon Kiper,
with the top prize: $5,000 cash.
[LDN]
|
ABE
LINCOLN
PHARMACY
Just
inside the ALMH front door
Jim
White, R.Ph.
"We
Answer Your Medication Questions."
Click
here to visit our website |
25
Cents per
Gallon
Self-vendored
reverse osmosis water
The
Culligan
Fresh Water Station
318
N. Chicago St., Lincoln |
Our
staff offers more than 25 years of experience in the
automotive industry.
Greyhound
Lube At
the corner of Woodlawn and Business 55 No
Appointments Necessary |
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