Eldorado employees, volunteers rewarded for a good year

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado City Commissioners and Mayor Rocky James on Tuesday declared hard work and cooperation of city employees has helped keep the city in good financial condition during trying times.

As a result, the council gave its approval to a package of year-end compensation.

Each of the full-time worker for the city will receive an extra $200. Part-time workers, volunteer firefighters and volunteer auxiliary police officers will each receive $100.

One-by-one, commissioners declared the city's workers have been diligent in saving resources of the community.

Fire Chief Mike McKinnies said the city employees "give more than their fair share," based on his observation.

Mayor Rocky James pointed to one recent project that became a city-Men's Club combined effort, placing of Christmas decorations.

"Without the city workers, the Men's Club couldn't do it," he said.

While concentrated effort on keeping spending down has aided the balance sheet, several financial concerns have developed.

Street and Sewer Commissioner Robbie Price said the city is need of new street signs to replace those that are damaged or missing.

He said an inventory was recently made. "We are missing more than we can afford to replace," he said.

He asked, and was granted, permission to spend up to $4,000 on the project, but that will not be enough to complete it.

What happens to missing signs remained a bit of a mystery. Commissioners and police aren't certain.

While it was suggested in the future insurance claims will be filed with the insurer of motor vehicles that knock over signs, Police Chief Shannon Deuel said, "Most of the time when they hit a sign, they don 't call us."

James, in the near year-end meeting, outlined a couple of matters of concern to him.

He said Eldorado has no flooding problem, "but (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is going to put us in a flood plain."

He urges commissioners to be at a FEMA-called meeting 1:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Southeastern Illinois College Foundation Center in Harrisburg where communities will be allowed to "identify and communicate to FEMA the flood issues and needs within your community."

James also was critical of U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, the current congressman for Eldorado.

James said federally paid workers are "all over the place" in Harrisburg cleaning drainage ditches but Eldorado can get no help with its drainage ditches.

"I have been trying," James said.

He told the council, "Congressman Johnson has done nothing for us. I don't know why he would start now."

During the meeting:

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The council learned the first phase of expansion at Ferrell Hospital is off to a rapid start.</li>

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The council rescheduled the second meeting of December to 11 a.m. Dec. 23, to be followed by the annual employee dinner.</li>

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Approved payment of a liability policy at a cost of $72,879 and workers compensation at a cost of $46,305 through Williams and Associates. Each policy was increased slightly in rate. the liability policy is increased about $3,000 and the workers com pension by less than $200.

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