Stombaugh family donating cemetery sign

The Vandalia City Council voted on Monday to accept a memorial for a former fire chief that will also serve as a permanent sign for Vandalia’s two main cemeteries.

Alderman Neil Clark, chairman of the council’s cemetery and landfill committee, reported that Steve Stombaugh had completed design work for a monument that his family is donating to the cemetery.
Clark explained that the Stombaugh family had decided to use memorials to the city’s volunteer fire department in George Stombaugh’s name for a new cemetery sign after the city received complaints about the signage for South Hill and Fairlawn cemeteries.
The front of the black granite monument will serve as a cemetery sign, and the back of it notes that it was erected in memory of George L. Stombaugh, who served as the Vandalia Volunteer Fire Department chief from 1974-84, “and all others who have served” on the fire department.”
Clark said the Stombaugh family got the idea of honoring all deceased members of the department from a memorial sign honoring former chief Leo Brown on the front of the fire station.
“This is a very generous gift to the city … that will result in a very impressive, very appropriate sign that will last for generations,” Clark said.
He said the monument, which will be 4 feet square and sit on a 1-foot tall base, will be erected at the South Sixth Street entrance to the cemeteries sometime in the spring.
In announcing the donation, Clark praised the members of the fire department.
Speaking as someone who had once lost all of his belongings in a fire, Clark said he realizes the value of the volunteer department to the city.
“These people do all of this stuff for nothing, except for a willingness to help their fellow citizens,” Clark said.
Also at the meeting, City Clerk Peggy Bowen reported that she recently told an area legislator that the state still owes the city more than $200,000 for water and sewer service provided to Vandalia Correctional Center, and that the legislator helped address the overdue bills.
Bowen said John O. Jones (R-Mt. Vernon) told her on Dec. 1 to send him an e-mail with information on the overdue bills, and that the city received a check for $107,000 on Dec. 9.
“He told me, ‘I will do what I can to get the rest,’” Bowen said.
In other action on Monday:
• Gottman reported that he is continuing to talk to Gov. Pat Quinn’s office, state legislators and officials at the state’s Central Management Services about the proposed closure of the state’s Department of Human Services office in Vandalia.
That office is slated to close next Tuesday, which means that local residents will have to begin using the DHS office in Centralia.
Gottman again urged local residents to contact Quinn’s office (217-782-0244) to voice their opposition to the office closure.
• The council agreed to again abate taxes for payment on a bond issue that the council approved in April 2007 to assist in the development of the Walmart Supercenter.
City Attorney Jack Johnston explained that the city can continue to abate taxes on the bond issue because there has been sufficient bond revenue to make the annual payment of $227,332.
• Mayor Rick Gottman reported that the contractor for the streetscape work in the 700 block of West Gallatin Street, Mettler Development of Highland, had installed period light poles in that block.
Director of Public Works John Moyer added that Mettler has about half a day of work remaining on the lights, and would be able to finish when weather permits.
• The council observed a moment of silence for Jeanne Witbracht, the mother of Barb McCart, an employee in the city clerk’s office.
• The council approved the hiring of Mike Anderson for a position at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Anderson, who has been working with the public works department out of the city garage, replaces Mike Luster, who retired.
He was one of four candidates for the job, and Gottman explained that Anderson ultimately awarded the job because of his ranking on the city’s seniority list.
• Gottman reported that a city resident who had his water shut off for lack of payment had turned his water back on.
The mayor said that such action, tampering with city property, is a violation of a city ordinance approved in September 1974, and that the city will continue to enforce that ordinance.
During that discussion, Alderman Angie Rhodes reported that she and several other residents had received $25 water bills for several months, then received a bill that was $20 higher.
Bowen and Moyer confirmed that residents’ water meters are read monthly, and that anyone having questions about their bill can go to the city clerk’s office for an explanation of charges.
“If they bring in their bills, we can go over them,” Bowen said.