City begins work on new budget

With a draft in their hands, Vandalia officials were getting to work on a new budget on Tuesday afternoon.
“We must have a balanced budget,” Mayor Rick Gottman said at Monday’s council meeting, when he presented city aldermen with a draft of a budget for the fiscal year that begins on May 1.
Gottman said that he was to meet with the city’s department heads on Tuesday afternoon to begin the process of fine-tuning the new budget.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the council approved an agreement UpperLimit Web Design (Josh Henry) which calls for the local business to design a mobile website within the city’s existing website.
The mobile website, according to Director of Economic Development, will allow travelers and others using cell phone and other mobile devices to readily access information about the city that is currently given on www.vandaliaillinois.com.
Under the agreement, the city will pay Henry $100 an hour for the creation of content and $50 per hour for modifying the site.
Givens said the development of a mobile website is important, because it gives people traveling through town easy access to information about such things as local restaurants and hotels.
In other action on Monday:
•Gottman announced that 360 trees that are being delivered to the city garage will be planted at various locations in the city.
The trees are being planted under the agreement that was developed with the Illinois Department of Transportation after Rural King requested the removal of trees along the hillside just north of its new home on Veterans Avenue.
Gottman said that IDOT requires that two trees be planted for every one removed along state right of way.
Some of the trees will be planted in city parks, some are being given to the Family YMCA of Fayette County and others are being given to Kaskaskia College for the college’s Vandalia Campus.
• The council approved a resolution releasing the owners of The Depot from all obligations created through a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) agreement between the city and the Truitt family.
Gottman said the city could release the Truitts’ obligations after the loan for the redevelopment project was repaid. The council action comes about 4 ½ months after The Depot was gutted by fire.
• The council approved an easement for Gregory Philpot for his property on the north side of Vandalia Lake.
• The council observed a moment of silence for Clifford Ray, a city employee and 23-year member of the Vandalia Volunteer Fire Department who died last Tuesday evening.
• Alderman Larry Cable, chairman of the water and sewer department, reported that some residents have been receiving letters from a Northern Illinois company about water hookups to residences.
“It has nothing to do with the city,” Cable said. “We don’t know what it’s all about.”
He said that City Clerk Peggy Bowen checked on the company, and it’s been determined that the company is a legitimate business.
But, Bowen added, she has tried to contact the business, and it has not returned phone calls to her.
• Alderman Mike Hobler reported that a website has begun promoting a motorcycle show at the Vandalia Lake campgrounds in September, and clarified that while he has received information about the planned show, it has not been given final approval by the lake committee.
• Bowen reported that the city recently received two checks from the state for city services provided to Vandalia Correctional Center.
Bowen said the state sent a $38,493 for January water service, and that it still owes $131,088.17 for water provided to the prison.
The city also received a $12,643 check for sewer service; the amount owed to date is $23,745.
• Givens introduced Bill and Linda Overton of Altamont, who are opening a new business, Quality Diesel Service, on Vandalia’s north side, at 2052 Wagner Street.
The business will offer all types of service for medium and heavy duty diesel trucks and equipment. It will employee two full-time workers.
• Gottman reported that he will be setting up a meeting with business owners in the 100 and 200 blocks of South Fourth Street to begin going over plans for streetscape improvements in those two blocks. The improvements will be wholly funded by grant funds.
• Members of Boy Scout Troop No. 401 attended Monday’s council meeting as part of their work to obtain their citizenship and community badges.