DU QUOIN - Reconstruction of the critical Grant Way lift station, the promotion of local businesses and bolstering sales tax revenue, problem buildings and negotiating a new police contract are top-of-mind as the City of Du Quoin begins 2017.
Du Quoin’s 2017 budget leaves little room for discretionary spending, with 80 percent of the budget locked up in payroll and related expenses. The mayor says he has unconditional support for the existing staff, but unless payroll costs are pared back to around 70 percent there is little room for new initiatives this coming year.
A $214,000 grant to reconstruct the Grant Way lift station was the ultimate Christmas gift for Du Quoin. That station takes wastewater from the entire south side of Du Quoin and pumps or “lifts” it a point where it can be fed by gravity to the city’s wastewater reclamation plant on East Cole Street. If it should fail, wastewater could flow backwards into both commercial and residential areas.
Alongi said the city got a slight “bump” in sales tax in the third quarter and hopes for a similar outcome when sales tax from holiday sales is received in February and March. Today, sales tax revenue is short by nearly $160,000 from last year’s forecast.
Alongi said that in time, Du Quoin needs to be developed as a Route 51 and Route 13-127 bedroom community much like Carterville has been. Both Alongi and District 300 schools Superintendent Gary Kelly advocate an upscale housing development in the northeast corner of the fairgrounds would be a good place to start.
Problem buildings like the Elks Lodge building, Grand Theater building, an apartment building next to Marks Bakery, Presbyterian Church and a condemned building on the south side of Baked on Division (Baked by Gene’s) are also on the city’s radar. The Bank of Carbondale, which has possession of the Elks Lodge, recent surveyed that building to see if it can be saved.
About September, the city will begin talks with the police department union representatives in advance of that contract expiring on Dec. 31 of this year.
Lastly, the city looks forward to getting its renovated swimming pool open Memorial Day weekend.
