Egyptian Electric sends disconnect notice about Kaskaskia site
<span>The effects of the state's budget impasse may have trickled down to another historic site in Randolph County.</span>
<span>During last Wednesday's meeting of the Chester Tourism Commission, commissioner Norma Baughman said Egyptian Electric is threatening to shut off power at the Kaskaskia Bell State Historic Site on Kaskaskia Island due to lack of payment.</span>
<span>The dispute is over a $90 bill, the cost for a two-month period of usage, that was due on Sept. 1. The shrine does not have heating or air conditioning, but it does have a flagpole light and electricity powers the door and audio system.</span>
<span>The building houses the "Liberty Bell of the West," which is the bell that rang on July 4, 1778 to celebrate the liberation of Kaskaskia from the British by American forces under the command of Col. George Rogers Clark.</span>
<span>The amount would usually be paid by the State of Illinois, which cannot do so due to the gridlock in Springfield.</span>
<span>According to sources, Egyptian Electric sent out a final disconnect notice dated Oct. 19.</span>
<span>Baughman - who is also a member of Randolph County Tourism - told the Herald Tribune that she learned that information from Emily Lyons, Randolph County historian and curator of the Randolph County Museum and Archives.</span>
<span>"At this point, we don't know what could happen," Lyons said. "The state is three months behind paying the bill."</span>
<span>Lyons said that from a tourism standpoint, Randolph County Tourism officials need to be kept aware of the situation so they can avoid sending tourists to a potentially closed site.</span>
<span>"Egyptian Electric, at this point, is not taking action," Lyons said. "I take care of the shrine for (Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site park manager) Chester Wingerter and he let me know that this is something that could be happening in the future."</span>
<span>The shrine contains the bell itself, as well as a wall mural that shows the village of Kaskaskia as it appeared during colonial times.</span>
<span>"This time of year, it typically gets between 200 and 300 people a month," Wingerter said. "Even in the dead of winter, we'd get 60 to 70 people and people drive a long way out of their way to see the bell."</span>
<span>Recently, members of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution did some service work at the site as part of their 125th anniversary celebration.</span>
<span>During Friday's meeting of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, the topic of the potential disconnect was brought up. Board Chairman Marc Kiehna said the commissioners had become aware of the issue on Thursday.</span>
<span>"We're trying to figure out all the information on it before we make a decision," said Commissioner Ronnie White.</span>
<span>Bryce Cramer, district office and member services manager with Egyptian Electric, said the co-op has to send the notices out as part of its billing process.</span>
<span>"We have no intentions of disconnecting any State of Illinois sites," he said. "But in the event that something did happen, we have to send out those notices.</span>
<span>"Should, at some time, it become a financial burden on members of the co-op, we would have to reconsider (service). At this time, we are not."</span>