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Harrisburg Council turns over; second time in four years

Posted April 29, 2011 11:00 pm

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A near-capacity crowd at Harrisburg City Council chambers on Thursday watched the changing of the guard for City Hall.

For the second time in four years, voters on April 5 turned out to pasture most of a city council and decided it was time to again change city leadership.

The new council took office shortly after the old council enacted a budget for the coming year - a budget with a deficit.

The new budget anticipates revenues of $3.5 million in the General Fund, up just a bit from last year's $3.2 million.

Anticipated expenditures are $3.68 million, up just over $100,000 from last year.

The shortfall in the new budget is $173,250. Last year it was $335,000.

Commissioner John McPeek, the only remaining member of the old council, commended outgoing Mayor Valerie Rose Mitchell and the council for its work on flood protection.

The city this week successfully avoided serious flood damage.

Businessman Terry Maynard joined in the commendation, saying mistakes made during the last flood event - in 2008 - were avoided this time.

"It points up that we do need that (soon to be built) pump station."

Maynard had been a prime advocate of added pumping capacity on the Pankey Branch.

Both Mitchell and Mayor Eric Gregg spoke to the audience.

Mitchell was in near tears when she spoke of the loss of Billy Rice, who died of cancer during his term.

During her message, she said the council has had its ups and downs.

"We are handing this (new) council a somewhat soggy city, but one greatly improved in the area of flood control,"she said.

She pointed out the outgoing council had some major accomplishments, with the most important most probably being the beefing-up of the city's flood control system.

Gregg, in his address to the old and new councils and the citizens also highlighted accomplishments of the past administration.

"I want to commend you," Gregg told the old council, noting infrastructure improvements, flood improvements and roadway improvements.

Gregg was emphatic in commending city workers for work they did to lower floodwaters during the past week.

Outlining the future of the city and the new council, Gregg said, "We have a common goal and that's to work together for every man, woman, child and business in Harrisburg."

He then took a whack at the old council, which during its tenure had exhibitions of bitterness, belly-bumping and during one closed session, a whack on the wall that set off intrusion alarms, bringing police to City Hall.

"We will be professional and cordial. We will do that not only in the council meetings, but in all our work for the city of Harrisburg," Gregg said.

"We want to move our town forward," he said.

He asked for support of city workers and declared "Harrisburg, Illinois, will be open for business."

"We will utilize every economic development tool on the local, state and federal level to insure job creation and job retention in this city," he said.

"We will be aggressive. Boards will come off of buildings. The town will be cleaned up and we will restore the sense of pride in our community and in our area," he said.

"Not giving up and making a comeback is essential," he said. "It takes hard work and dedication."

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