City Council Recognizes Special Efforts by City Staffers

Effingham City Council members Tuesday took time to say "thank you" to city employees for good work.

Four members of the Effingham Fire Department were thanked for their efforts the afternoon of Sunday, October 27 at a major fire on Hillside Drive. They are Lieutenant John Kronewitter and Firefighters Wayne Boerngen, A.J. Tackett and Kenneth Hayes. The four worked together to rescue two individuals from the fire-damaged building. They returned to the building when it was thought another individual was still inside, but that individual had jumped to safety, and they were able to get out of the structure unharmed. The two individuals rescued from the building have since recovered.

(LEFT TO RIGHT, KENNETH HAYES, A.J. TACKETT, WAYNE BOERNGEN AND JOHN KRONEWITTER)

Also recognized as City Employee of the Quarter Tuesday was City Police K9 Officer Jeremy Kyle. Kyle was recognized for his work traveling to Tennessee as part of a Disaster Response Unit working with other emergency services providers impacted by Hurricane Helene.

(JEREMY KYLE)

Also Tuesday, the Council awarded a contract for more than $1.5 million in sanitary sewer improvements. City Engineer Luke Thoele said 80% of the project is grant funded. The work should begin in the next two months.

Thoele also reported on capital improvements completed or nearing completion. That included Phase I of the Fayette Avenue reconstruction project. He said the best estimate is that Phase I should be completed by June. Thoele added that Merchant Street from Eden to Flamingo Avenues could be completed by the end of the year. The next phase of that project would reconstruct the street from Flamingo to Evergreen Avenues.

Mayor Mike Schutzbach, who also serves as liquor commissioner, said that a local vendor would like the liquor ordinance amended to offer a caterer's retail license that would sales of liquor to be consumed at a catered event. The Council also discussed the acquisition of temporary use permits and rights of way to start work on the City's first-ever roundabout at the intersection of 4th and Rickelman. 

The Council heard from Building Official Tayler Polk on declaring a property at 511 West Edgar Avenue as dangerous and unsafe. The structure has broken windows, damaged floors and soffit. The Council also discussed finalizing an agreement with the Effingham County Board and the Effingham County Airport Commission for the airport runway expansion project, and heard from Director of Public Works Jeremy Heuerman on a continuation of the decorative street sign project in the central area of the city.

Council members heard from Tourism Director Jodi Thoele that more than 5,000 vehicles have been through Wonderland in Lights this season; heard that City Treasurer Bridget Polk received a plaque from the Association of Public Treasurers of the US and Canada for her work, and were updated on the 90 kids benefitted by this year's Shop With a Cop effort by city police and the Santa Run organized by city firefighters. 

City Commissioner Hank Stephens was not present for Tuesday's meeting.