Council Agrees to Add Invocation

Effingham City Council members Tuesday voted to begin Council meetings with an invocation.

The proposal, originally advanced by Commissioner Matt Hirtzel, passed 4-1 with Commissioner Alan Harris voting No, saying earlier that he fears it will open a can of worms. City administration will develop a plan for accommodating those who desire to offer the invocation.

There was more conversation over the vote at the previous Council meeting against renaming Outer Belt West in honor of former mayor Bob Utz. Mayor Merv Gillenwater revisited the issue, which lost 3-2. Those who voted No said there is merit to naming future streets in honor of past mayors, not existing named streets.

Council members also named Commissioner Don Althoff and Economic Development Director Todd Hull to the Alliance Board of Directors, the local economic development group, and leaned toward no change in salary and benefits for Council members to be elected next spring. The prior Council must set the pay and benefits for the next Council; a Council in office cannot change their salary or benefits.

The Council voted to allocate $100,000 to Unit 40 School District toward the cost of vocational instruction for adult workers to make them ready to work at area manufacturing businesses, and adopted an employee recognition award program for deserving City workers.

Council members approved a natural gas purchasing plan in an effort to cut costs; granted the Effingham Sunrise Rotary permission to hold the annual Halloween Parade on Sunday, October 26; and approved an agreement with Milano and Grunloh Engineers for construction engineering services on an extension of Thies Avenue in the area of John Boos and Company off South Route 45.

The Council approved a revised personnel policy to include an employee wellness plan; amended the downtown redevelopment agreement with The Last Straw, allowing them more to complete the project; and discussed resurfacing streets in Collins Subdivision.