Central Illinois braces for potential ice storm

(Weather notice issued 2:58 p.m. Wednesday)

[FEB. 12, 2003]  An extended period of freezing rain is possible across central Illinois late Thursday night and Friday.

A weather system developing across the Pacific southwest late Wednesday is expected to strengthen as it tracks into the southern Plains by Thursday night and into the Ohio River Valley early Friday. Abundant moisture with this system will interact with a cold air mass across the mid-Mississippi River Valley to bring a wintry mix of precipitation to central Illinois, with an extended period of freezing rain possible late Thursday night and Friday.

For the counties of Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Fulton, Knox, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, Mclean, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion and Woodford, including the cities of Beardstown, Bloomington, Canton, Champaign, Charleston, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, Eureka, Galesburg, Havana, Jacksonville, Lacon, Lewistown, Lincoln, Mason City, Mattoon, Monticello, Paris, Pekin, Peoria, Rantoul, Rushville, Shelbyville, Springfield, Sullivan, Taylorville, Tuscola, Virginia and Winchester:

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Winter storm watch late Thursday night through Friday

Precipitation is expected to begin across central Illinois late Thursday night and continue through the day Friday. Current indications suggest the precipitation will be predominantly in the form of freezing rain at onset, with freezing rain continuing through much of the morning Friday. Some locations may warm above the freezing mark Friday afternoon, which would diminish the threat of freezing rain and ice accumulation later in the day.

There is still some uncertainty as to the exact track of the storm system. Any deviation in the expected track of the storm will alter precipitation amounts and type.

A winter storm watch is issued when severe winter weather is possible but not imminent. At the time there is a potential for significant accumulations of snow or ice. Future driving and walking conditions may become hazardous, so it is important to monitor the latest forecasts.

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your local media for the latest concerning this potentially dangerous winter weather situation.

[News release]

[FEB. 12, 2003]  Unpaid sewer bills are mounting up again for the city of Lincoln, with as much as $56,000 on the books that is past due, Alderman Bill Melton told the city council at its work session Tuesday evening.

Melton is especially concerned about the delinquents who are on combined sewers and who know they can't be disconnected because the other sewer users are paying their bills.

For those on single sewer lines, the procedure has been to warn delinquent users that their sewer connections will be dug up and service disconnected. First, certified letters are sent to delinquents; then, if there is no response, sewer plant employees put tags on their doorknobs, warning them their service will be cut off in 72 hours.

Most of the time these warnings bring users to City Hall with a payment, according to City Clerk Juanita Josserand.

On a few occasions, delinquent users have waited until they saw the backhoe idling in the street in front of the house before coming up with the overdue fee, Mark Mathon, city engineer, noted.

However, the situation for those on combined sewers gives delinquents a big advantage. The connection for the combined sewers is usually on private property, with only one line going out to the street, and the city cannot dig on private property without the owner's permission. The city must dig outside the property line, on the easement or even in the street if necessary, Mathon said.

If the city dug up a combined sewer line, it would be shutting off service to users who are paying the fees.

Melton and the council discussed ways to get payment from delinquent users on combined lines but came up against the same old obstacles.

Putting a lien on the property is useless, according to City Attorney Bill Bates, because those properties are usually behind with mortgage and other payments as well, and if foreclosed, the mortgage payment takes precedence over the sewer lien.

"Chances of getting any money are extremely remote," he said.

Alderman Glenn Shelton asked if the city could tie the water and sewer together and cut off the water service. However, Josserand pointed out, the city doesn't own the water company, so that method can't be used either.

It is also illegal to publish the names of delinquent sewer users, Bates said. Josserand had suggested this might motivate some users to pay their bills.

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Turning the delinquent user over to a collection agency costs the city money, Alderman Verl Prather pointed out, because the agency takes one-third of the money it collects. However, as its only recourse, the council decided to continue turning over delinquents on combined sewers to a collection agency.

The council did decide that if a sewer bill came due on a date that was a weekend or holiday when City Hall wasn't open, it would be considered paid on time if it was received the next business day, and no penalty would be charged.

Sewer bills go out three times a year and are due the 20th of the month. The penalties for an overdue bill are an added 10 percent on the day after they are due, an added 1 percent at the end of the month in which they are due, and $25 per month added on the 15th of each month that the bill goes unpaid.

In other business, the council heard a report from the ordinance and zoning committee regarding the ordinance for itinerant merchants. The ordinance requires that merchants who are in the city less than 60 days per year must pay a fee of $25 a day. If these merchants are in the city for more than 60 days, they are considered regular merchants and do not pay a fee.

The ordinance and zoning committee, which met before the workshop meeting, did not amend the ordinance on itinerant merchants but did create a policy stating there would be no fees for merchants in the city over 60 days. They also asked Josserand to check on ways to make sure the sales tax from those in the city more than 60 days would come back to the city.

Alderwoman Martha Neitzel announced that newly elected county board member Pat O'Neill would attend the next council meeting to give a report on the changes made in the county's animal control program.

Police Chief Rich Montcalm announced a meeting to be held on Feb. 20 at the Recreation Center with local businesses who sell alcohol and tobacco and representatives of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, the state police and the secretary of state's office.

The first meeting on the upcoming year's budget was set for Saturday, March 15, at 9 a.m. at City Hall.

[Joan Crabb]

[FEB. 12, 2003]  Michael Montcalm, who has served as an alderman from Ward 5 for the past 14 years, resigned from the council as of last Saturday, Feb. 8.

He is leaving so he can spend more time with his two sons, seventh- and third-graders, who are both participating in sports and in many other activities.

"I feel sorry that I can't finish my term, but the boys are growing up and I'm missing it," he said. "This is the age where they're doing everything. I've missed teacher conferences, school events and sports. I don't want to miss being with the boys as they are growing up.

"It was a tough decision. The city council is important, but the boys are more important," he said. He noted that he has missed several city council meetings lately because of his sons' activities.

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Montcalm's term expires in April of 2005. He said he had recommended that Mayor Beth Davis appoint Derrick Crane, 540 Maywood Drive, to fill his unexpired term. Crane is running against Martha Neitzel in the Feb. 25 Republican primary. Neitzel was appointed to the council in November of 2002 to fill the unexpired term of the late Joseph Stone.

Because there is less than 28 months left of Montcalm's term, whoever is appointed will serve until it expires in 2005. It is too late for another candidate to file for either the primary or the April 1 general election.

[Joan Crabb]

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