City Council Welcomes New Firefighter, Discusses Wellness Program

(NEW CITY FIREFIGHTER MATTHEW CARPENTER STANDS WITH HIS WIFE AND THEIR TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, FIRE CHIEF JOE HOLOMY AND DAVE STORM OF THE CITY BOARD OF FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSIONERS)

The Effingham City Council Tuesday welcomed a new member of the city fire department force.

Matthew Carpenter fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Fire Captain Bob Hoffman. J.R. Nieman was promoted to succeed Hoffman as captain, and T.J. Metcalf was promoted to lieutenant to succeed Nieman, leaving a vacancy filled by Carpenter as a firefighter.

The Council also gave recognition to Paul Gutman and Legacy Harley-Davidson with the latest Business Appreciation Award. Gutman and Legacy were recognized for their work on a number of civic endeavors.

(PAUL GUTMAN OF LEGACY HARLEY-DAVIDSON WITH EFFINGHAM MAYOR JEFF BLOEMKER)

Council members discussed an employee wellness program. Insurance and Safety Coordinator Dan Bledsoe explained that the program would provide an incentive for City staffers to live a healthy lifestyle and could save the City on health insurance costs. Some Council members asked for an indication from employees that they would participate in the program before they vote on making it available.

Also Tuesday, the Council:

--rezoned Prairie Ace Estates Subdivision along Country Club Road from non-urban to single family residential with a planned residential district guiding its development

--amended the Municipal Code to allow brew pubs in a general commercial district, highway commercial district or light industrial district

--approved disposing of unneeded city equipment

--authorized the replacement of outdoor warning sirens over a multi-year period

--agreed to close 4th Street between Jefferson and Washington Avenues on November 26 for the Hometown Christmas Event

--approved a 20-year lease with HG Development for use of an indoor shooting range for sworn active duty law enforcement personnel

--contracted with Vandevanter Engineering for work on replacement of a sewage lift station on Stevens Avenue

--approved change orders and certificates of completion on gutter replacement work in the city, street and drainage work on Lakewood Drive, and street and drainage work on Park Street, as well as this year's street resurfacing program and the annual crack and joint sealing work throughout the city and work on Wabash Avenue and Wernsing Avenue, along with Hillside Drive and Fayette Avenue and the Fayette Avenue frontage road.

The Council agreed to the City being reimbursed for any expenses on a proposed city police building from a planned bond issue to finance the project, and discussed renewing agreements with Bodine Electric on maintaining traffic signals around town and monitoring systems for the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant.

There was discussion of going halves with A-1 Food Mart at Fayette and 4th for exterior painting and signage work under the Downtown/Southtown TIF Rehabilitation Program, splitting the $10,220 cost.

The meeting concluded with a moment of silence suggested by Commissioner Merv Gillenwater for the late Mayor John Lange, whose funeral will be Thursday morning.