City Council Voices Support for City PD Supplying SRO for Unit 40

Effingham City Council members Tuesday voiced support for the city police department taking over supplying a School Resource Officer for Unit 40 schools.

The Effingham County Sheriff's Department has supplied a SRO for Unit 40 since the program began 20 years ago, but Sheriff David Mahon indicated several months ago that he would like to end supplying the SRO for Unit 40. Mahon said the move would get another deputy out on regular patrols. 

City police chief Jeff Fuesting supports the idea, saying, "It's important we have an Effingham officer on duty in our schools." Fuesting also discussed programs he'd like to begin in local schools including a Teen Leadership Academy. He wants to offer youth crisis intervention training and mental health training. He'd like students to be "eyes and ears' for law enforcement and the community.

All of the Council members voiced support for the move. Commissioner Merv Gillenwater said it "will improve communication with our department and the students...we can't not do it." Commissioner Kevin Willis sees the move as a "huge benefit...we can't let it not happen." Commissioner Don Althoff said he was pleased the action will involve the administration of the department, Commissioner Kevin Esker said he was good with the proposal, and Mayor Jeff Bloemker said the sheriff said it has been a stress on his department taking care of the whole county as well as the city when it comes to SRO and supports the change.

Unit 40 Superintendent Mark Doan was present for the Council meeting. Doan said regardless of the reason for the change in the SRO program, "our kids and the community are better for having the program."

A vote on the issue should come at the next Council meeting. Mahon has said the changeover in SROs in Unit 40 won't occur until this summer ahead of the start of the new school year, and said County SRO Darren Feldkamp will be available to assist with the transition to the new officer.

(EFFINGHAM MAYOR JEFF BLOEMKER HELPS PRESENT AN AWARD TO A MEALS ON WHEELS REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE "MARCH FOR MEALS" EFFORT THIS MONTH)

Also Tuesday, the City Council heard that proposed pay ranges for non-union salaried and hourly City employees will be the same for the coming fiscal year as for union employees of the City. They also learned about a downtown rehabilitation project for Phil and Lupita Thompson at Thompson Law. The practice is locating at 125 East Jefferson. Under the program, the City goes halves with the developer on exterior work on their building. The project has a price tag of $21,950.

Council members heard a presentation from JoAnn Sasse Givens of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce on the results of their Life and Work in Effingham County survey. The responses differed from Census Bureau data in that survey respondents reported higher incomes and that they are better educated than the Census revealed. A need for affordable housing was among the items most often cited on the survey.

The Council appointed former City Council member and retired educator Larry Micenheimer to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to fill a vacancy. Micenheimer is a former paid-on-call firefighter. Also approved was a $15,000 allocation in tourism funds to help pay for Effingham's 4th of July fireworks display.

(CITY POLICE CHIEF JEFF FUESTING PRESENTS CITY TELECOMMUNICATOR DANIELLE FLOWERS WITH A CHIEF'S COMMENDATION AWARD FOR HER WORK IN DEVELOPING A TRAINING MANUAL FOR TCs)

The Council also witnessed a presentation to a Meals on Wheels representative recognizing March for Meals in Effingham, and a Chief's Commendation Award presentation by Fuesting to Telecommunicator Danielle Flowers for her work on a training manual for new TCs.