Local News

Though Congress established a 42-county Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area more than two years ago, a series of public meetings was held in Vandalia and four other Illinois cities last week to determine what to do with that designation.
In Vandalia, the meeting last Thursday allowed public officials and interested citizens to learn more about the heritage area concept and brainstorm about Vandalia’s part in it.

Seven individuals ­– including three incumbents – wasted no time in getting on the ballot for Vandalia’s municipal election in the spring.
The filing period for the spring election got under way on Monday morning, and right away, an aldermanic race was formed in one of Vandalia’s four wards.
Up for election in the spring are four four-year terms, one in each of the wards, and a two-year term in Ward IV.
In Ward I, those filing petitions included incumbent Bret Brosman, Jason Paslay and Kenneth Hubler.

Holiday activities over the weekend included the Christmas Open House at the Vandalia Statehouse and the Christmas program presented by the Vandalia Elementary School's Honor Chorus. In the first photo, local historian Dale Timmermann tells visitors to the Statehouse about the history of the building and the state of Illinois. In the second photo, Audrey Myers (left) and Alexis Beckman dance during the Honor Chorus program. More photos from the events are on Page 1 B and will appear in slideshows at www.leaderunion.com this week.

Presented with three options for a new tax levy, the Vandalia City Council decided on Monday not to go with any of those.
Instead, the council voted to proceed with the approval of a levy with a total that is 10 percent above last year’s total tax extension.
At a special meeting, the council received three levy options from Dale Timmermann of Timmermann & Co. Ltd. – one that mirrors the 2009 extended levy total of $559,070.41; one that’s 5 percent above that total, $587,0245; and one with a 20.94-percent increase, $676,153.