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Thursday, July 14, 2016
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Legislators call for auditor general’s resignation 15 lawmakers sponsor resolution for Mautino’s removal By Rachel Rodgers Shaw Media Service
CHICAGO — More than a dozen Republican legislators called for Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino to resign from public office Wednesday in the wake of investigations into unlawful campaign spending during his 24 years as a state representative.
“Illinois deserves an auditor general free from any overhanging financial investigations, including a federal investigation for potential illegal campaign expenditures and a state investigation for the same,” state Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon) said Wednesday at a press conference in Chicago. “We deserve an auditor general beyond reproach in the highest ethical stand-
ing.” Kay was joined by state Reps. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego), Thomas Morrison (R-Palatine), and Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) to introduce a joint resolution officially requesting the Spring Valley Democrat’s resignation. Mautino received overwhelming approval from the Legislature in October when he was appointed to the 10-year
term, with only one state senator and 10 state representatives voting against him. He was the prime choice of House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). Mautino’s silence, however, during the past several months regarding the spending allegations has led some lawmakers to seek his resignation, Kay said.
Mautino Page 4
Salaries under fire Bureau County Circuit Clerk delivers compensation facts By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
BCR photo/Dave Cook
Junior Chefs at work ... Participants at the St. Margaret’s Healthy Kids Camp are spending the week at Kirby Park in Spring Valley learning some of the different skills needed to cook tasty and healthy meals. As part of the University of Illinois Extension’s Junior Chef program, instructors are assisted by teen teachers from local 4-H groups. Younger campers learned to make creamy vegetable dip, and older campers diced vegetables and prepared a spicy stir-fry.
PRINCETON — Bureau County Circuit Clerk Mary Dremann spoke to the county board Tuesday, July 12, about the low compensation clerk employees at the courthouse are currently receiving. Dremann is hoping to spark conversation on this issue before the county begins putting together a budget for next fiscal year. Dremann said she was speaking for 24 full-time employees at the courthouse — nine in the circuit clerk’s office, six in the county clerk’s office, two in the treasurer’s office, one in the zoning office, five in the assessor’s office and one in the sheriff’s civil process. “I’m not here because they asked me to do this,” she said, adding she feels she makes an adequate salary as the county circuit clerk. Dremann questioned whether board members know the current start salary range for courthouse employees, which is $10 an hour. She compared that starting rate to clerks who work in the health and highway departments. They make $12 an hour — which is $3,640 a year more, she added. “Is that fair?” questioned Dremann. She pointed out how an employee who starts at $10 an hour, works three years and receives their first step increase, will only make $10.86 an hour. She further pointed out if that employee were to work for seven years at the courthouse, they would receive two step increases, one at three years and the other at six years, and would only make $12.12 an hour — 12 cents more than the starting clerks working at the health and highway departments. “This is after seven years of continuous employment,” she said.
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The cost of recycling Tiskilwa studies its options
By Lyle Ganther lganther@bcrnews.com
TISKILWA — Tiskilwa Village Board members discussed the village’s recycling center and garbage collection fees at its meeting Tuesday, July 12. Tiskilwa Board President Randy Philhower said Arispie Township Board recently voted against making a donation to the village to help defer the costs of recycling items brought to the center by township residents, not living within Year 170 No. 84 One Section - 20 Pages
the village limits. The boundaries of Tiskilwa lie within Arispie and Indiantown townships. Philhower said when the center was first started many years ago, the townships made donations to help defer the costs of collecting the recycling items when Philhower was serving as a village board member and his father, Charles Philhower, served as the village’s board president. This townships’ donations ceased coming to the village under previous administrations, according to Randy
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Philhower, who said he recently sent letters to Arispie, Indiantown and Wheatland townships’ boards asking for donations to the center, since residents of these townships bring recycling materials to Tiskilwa’s center. Wheatland Township officials told Philhower they couldn’t afford to make a donation, while Indiantown sent a donation to help with the recycling center. Arispie Township officials were split in their decision to not make a donation. Philhower said he sent the letters ask-
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ing for donations, so Tiskilwa officials could figure out how much to charge village residents to pick up garbage when a new seven-year contract was recently approved with Illinois Valley Waste. Village trustee Steve McKenney said he isn’t against operating a recycling center but wants to keep it open only if it is cost effective. He wondered whether a curbside recycling program would not cost as much as operating a recycling center.
Recycling Page 4
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