Du Quoin briefs: City Lake fees coming in quickly; council OKs pay hike for future elected officials; apply now to work State Fair
<b>City Lake boat fees coming in quickly</b>
The new boat fees at Du Quoin City Lake have raised $2,382 in the past 45 days, Mayor Guy Alongi told the city council on Monday; and on Thursday said the total is probably closer to $2,700 - which coincides with the roughly $2,700 the city has spent to set up the fee system. The vault box on site that collects the daily fees cost $1,500 to $1,600 to set up, plus it cost money to make the stickers and tags for windshields and boats, and the paper envelopes to collect the daily fees, he said. Once the costs of setting up the fee system are recouped, all money collected from daily fees, seasonal passes and annual and 5-year passes will go into a fund dedicated to the maintenance of City Lake Road - which, Alongi points out, is the reason for setting up the fee system to begin with.
<b>Council OKs pay hike for future officials</b>
With Commissioner Mike Ward abstaining, the remaining three commissioners and Mayor Guy Alongi on Monday approved updated salaries for Du Quoin's elected officials that will go into effect after the 2023 local election and thereafter be tied to the rate of inflation. Starting in 2023, the mayor's position will carry a $16,308 annual salary and commissioners will earn $9,726 each. The mayor earns an additional $3,000 each year for also being the city's liquor commissioner. The mayor and all four commissioners are up for election in April 2023. Ward also abstained from the vote two weeks ago to put the ordinance up for public review, saying he receives a pension from the city and is concerned there might be a conflict of interest. Meanwhile, Alongi said Thursday in the two weeks since the ordinance was posted publicly, he has gotten no negative feedback about the increases from anyone on the council or in the public.
<b>Apply now to work at Du Quoin State Fair</b>
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is hiring seasonal employees for the Du Quoin State Fair, Aug. 26-Sept. 5. Temporary employees are needed in maintenance, customer service, cashiering, ticket sales, grandstand ticket takers, and security. Temporary employee pay is $14/hour. Applications must be made online and can be accessed at the Du Quoin State Fair website, https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/dsf/Pages/default.aspx. Questions, contact the IDOA Bureau of Human Resources at AGR.SeasonalHR@illinois.gov, or (217) 785-4875.