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Mt. Sterling won’t shut off water service

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Illinois

Water will remain on at the Western Illinois Correctional Center after the Mount Sterling City Council voted 6-0 Monday against disconnecting service.

The council meeting was packed with prison supporters who told the council that if water was turned off, it could devastate the local economy because the state could decide to shut down the facility. More than 400 people work for the prison.

The state was about eight months behind in payments.

The city said it is owed $369,350 from the state, though a $55,000 payment for November 2015 arrived Monday.

As I told you yesterday, this was not at all unexpected. No way did they want to be responsible for losing all those jobs.

* The Jacksonville Journal Courier has more about other area communities…

Another facility that has failed to pay its bills to the city is the Illinois Department of Corrections Pittsfield Work Camp, which owes the city more than $100,000 for nearly a year of utility services. Hayden said the prison utilities would not be shut off because of the hardship it would create.

In Jacksonville, which is home to a minimum-security prison and two state schools, the state owes the city about $350,000 in water bills since August, according to Mayor Andy Ezard.

Of that amount, the state owes a little less than $300,000 for water for the Jacksonville Correctional Center and about $30,000 apiece in water bills for Illinois School for the Deaf and Illinois School for the Visually Impaired.

“At this point, we are not concerned about payment from the state because all of these facilities have been major employers in the city for many years, and we have enough money allocated for our current projects that it’s not an issue,” Ezard said. “We have a good rapport and working relationship with our state facilities, and we certainly understand that it’s not the fault of the state facilities that the bills aren’t getting paid.”

If the Illinois Municipal League helped organize mayors with major state facilities, that could put some pressure on everyone to come to the table. But since the IML was so involved with the governor’s failed local government “right to work” resolutions, I wouldn’t bet on that.

Either they get organized on their own, or they’re gonna continue to be picked off one by one. Expect the latter. Nobody wants to rock the boat.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:39 am

Comments

The Mayors should all get together and shut the water off. This continued bullying by the Governor’s office is ridiculous.

Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:44 am
I know that there’s a law in IL banning private prisons/jails. I wonder if IL could outsource corrections… pay other states to take our inmates?

Comment by Robert the 1st Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 10:52 am
Springfield should stiffen it’s spine and shut off the water and power to all of the State buildings. Where would 1.4% move all of the agencies? It isn’t like he could pick up the Secretary of State office or Attorney General offices and move them somewhere.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:02 am
From IML’s Prevailing Wage emails “As with the LGDF resolution, you are welcome to consider it as you best determine and modify it as you need or wish.”

And this: “Our goal is simply to provide as much information as possible about important topics, such as this, to our municipal membership throughout the state.”

Yes, IML was “so involved.” But yes, the cities need to band together under IML, because yes, any city going it alone is going to pay the biggest price.

Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:41 am
===The Mayors should all get together and shut the water off. This continued bullying by the Governor’s office is ridiculous.===

That’s risky for the same reason as the OPEC embargoes fail - someone always cuts a deal. If you fancy an example from Napoleonic History could be more appropriate.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:46 am
Can we citizens stop paying our utility bills for a while? Just until we get the money to pay.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:09 pm
This seems like an idle threat. It’d cost a fortune and require legislation to move a prison as well as requiring beds to hold the inmates prior to closing. Pretty sure the prisons are safe in the districts unless there’s something I missed.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 12:15 pm
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 11:02 am:

Springfield should stiffen it’s spine and shut off the water and power to all of the State buildings. Where would 1.4% move all of the agencies? It isn’t like he could pick up the Secretary of State office or Attorney General offices and move them somewhere.

Like the CAPITOL!!!

Comment by Sybil Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 2:08 pm
Towns with prisons have to much to lose (good paying jobs) by shutting off the water. They are in a catch 22.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jun 21, 16 @ 4:24 pm