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The items for sale are what remain
after the last residents were moved out Aug. 31, when the
125-year-old facility for the developmentally disabled was closed by
Gov. George Ryan and the Department of Human Services.
"Some things — special beds and
equipment — went with the individuals who were moved out," Reginald
Marsh, DHS spokesperson, said. After that, other DHS facilities were
allowed to look over the material and equipment and take what they
could use. The rest became "surplus" and went to Central Management
Services, which will also eventually acquire the title to the
80-acre campus.
The auction will be held Saturday from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. until the completion of the
sale, according to a press release from CMS. Prospective buyers can
inspect the items until 3 p.m. Friday.
The sale is open to the public, with
all sales final and all property to be sold "as is." Purchasers may
pay by cash, certified check, money order or travelers’ checks.
Business or personal checks will be accepted only with a letter of
credit from a bank.
The long list of items for sale include
lathes, grinders, drill presses, saws and other tools; picnic
tables; electronics; kitchen items such as refrigerators, pots and
pans, stoves, and mixers; medical and physical therapy equipment;
janitorial equipment and cleaning supplies; industrial sewing
machines; a small tractor; a snow blower, office supplies and
furniture; arts and crafts supplies; and adjustable hospital beds.
According to Jodi Schrage of CMS, there
has been a lot of interest in the auction of former LDC property.
However, she said, it is premature to talk about the future of the
LDC campus and its buildings.
First of all, the transfer of the
former DHS facility to CMS is still in transit. "It takes a long
time to get the title and all the other legalities in order,
especially since the original title was issued back in the late
1800s," she said.
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this article]
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Once the facility becomes the property
of CMS, it will be put up for sale, and other state agencies will be
allowed to bid on it. If no state agencies want to purchase the
property, it will be offered to local government agencies, the city
of Lincoln or Logan County.
If the local governments do not buy the
property, it will be put up for public auction.
"It could be months before the property
is disposed of," Schrage said. "We’re talking about a huge property
and an old property."
Last year at this time, LDC was home
for about 375 residents and employed almost 700 people to care for
them. However, Gov. Ryan and DHS officials charged the facility was
lax in the care of the residents, endangering their health and
safety. Ryan and DHS began moving residents out of the facility, and
Ryan announced plans to downsize it to 100 residents and about 200
employees.
The American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees, which represented the majority of
the LDC staff, fought to keep LDC open, charging in turn that the
state had "set them up to fail" to ease the state’s budget crunch.
AFSCME filed suit against Gov. Ryan and other state officials and
stopped the movement of residents temporarily, but when the Illinois
Health Facilities Planning Board issued DHS a permit to close the
facility, the union ran out of legal remedies, and Ryan set Aug. 31
as the date to completely close the longtime Lincoln institution.
The sale of property and the transfer
of title to CMS is going forward in spite of announcements by both
gubernatorial candidates that they were in favor of reopening LDC if
elected.
Democratic
candidate Carl Oblinger, who is battling Republican Rich Brauer for
the House seat in the new 100th District, has suggested a boycott of
the auction. Oblinger said Gov. Ryan is trying to prevent reopening
LDC by getting rid of all equipment and making it more expensive to
reopen the center after a new administration takes over.
[Joan Crabb]
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Freshman
class
Freshman attendant is Shanae Goodman,
daughter of Steven and Cindy Goodman. Her school and community
activities include JV basketball, cheerleading, and she likes
running track.
Freshman escort is David Mauhar, son of
Tom and Barb Mauhar. His school and community activities include
soccer, band, speech, tae kwon do, YMCA NY PUMS, Lincoln Christian
Church Good News Choir and Source.
Sophomore
class
Sophomore attendant is Kate Dobihal,
daughter of Kirk and Ellen Dobihal. Her school and community
activities include poms, soccer, Pep Club, Spanish Club, Dramatic
Arts Club, and Lincoln Christian Church Choir and Youth Group.
Sophomore escort is Jordan Plumier, son
of Ed and Sheri Plumier. His school and community activities include
soccer, baseball, Math Club, church choir and church youth group.
Junior
class
Junior attendant is Beth Boch, daughter
of John and Karne Boch. Her school and community activities include
student government, Spanish Club, speech, church choir and church
youth group.
Junior escort is Jarryd Cooper, son of
Dave and Bobbi Cooper. His school and community activities include
varsity football, wrestling, track and Letterwinners Club.
[to top of second column in this
section]
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Senior
class
Senior attendant is Adrienne Neal,
daughter of Bob and Lynn Neal. Her school and community activities
include cheerleading for four years, Spanish Club for four years,
Pep Club for three years, Letterwinners Club for four years, tennis
for three years and student government for four years.
Senior escort is Stanton Schumacher,
son of Steve and Jan Schumacher. His school and community activities
include Thespians, speech, Good News Choir, Zion Lutheran Youth
Group and employment at Burtonview Co-op.
Queen:
Christina Xamis, daughter of Jim and
Cathy Xamis. Her school and community activities include student
body president, co-captain of the varsity volleyball team,
basketball cheerleader, DARE role model, Pep Club and Spanish Club.
King:
Chris Bunch, son of Wendy Butler and Shawn Bunch. His school and
community activities include basketball, football and church choir.
[LCHS
news
release]
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(Posted
Friday afternoon)
