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Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Thursday, December 18, 2014
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Moffitt delivers $50,000 to Walnut
By Nita Wyatt news@bcrnews.com
WALNUT— Illinois State Rep. Donald Moffitt of the 74th District was in attendance at the Dec. 15 Walnut Village Board meeting. In August, the village board learned Walnut had been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Moffitt came to the village board meeting to present the actual check from this awarded grant. In his remarks, Moffitt expressed his congratulations to Walnut on receiving this grant. He also said that as a former city council member and mayor, he is pleased local communities can benefit from these types of grants. He also commended the village on its persistence
in completing the process for the grant, as the initial application was made in 2009. Money for this type of grant, Moffitt said, comes from fees for license plates, taxes on sundry items and liquor, and from the Illinois Lottery. No general fund money is used to provide funding. Moffitt also extended congratulations from Sen. Darin LaHood. LaHood was unable to attend the meeting but had asked Moffitt to express his message. This $50,000, acting village President Dennis Grobe said, has been used by the village to cover a portion of the cost of repairs to the village water tower. Those repairs were completed in the summer and were paid for out
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BV Board studies crisis plan Endress discusses revenue and ways to save money By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
MANLIUS — Bureau Valley is taking steps to bring its crisis management plan up to par with the 21st Century. On Tuesday, the board of education agreed to buy the Crisis Go App, which will provide all the necessary tools needed for all sorts of crisis situations within the district. Assistant Superintendent Gavin Sronce introduced the board to the capabilities of the app. After showing board members a brief introductory video about the app, he reviewed various features the app would include. Year 168 No. 152 Three Sections - 36 Pages
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The app would be able to be accessed through any computer, tablet or cell phone within the district. If a crisis situation occurred, the app could be activated by teachers, staff members or administration. Once activated, it would send out an alarm to all devices throughout the district and to the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office to alert officials of the situation. The app would provide evacuation plans, contact numbers for various emergency providers in the area; it would give a full checklist of duties for administrators such as Superintendent Steve Endress and Sronce;
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BCR photo/Goldie Currie
‘Tis the season for bell ringin’ Ethan Knaack, 3, of Princeton drops a donation into the Salvation Army collection bucket as his great-grandma, Judy Harris, watches. Bob Byrne of the Princeton Optimist Club was greeting folks as he rang the bell. Byrne is among the thousands of store “bell-ringers” all around the country, who face the harsh winter conditions around the Christmas season in efforts to collect donations for those in need.
PES, Princeton team up for grant project Student Council reps speak at board meeting By Zita Henneberry zhenneberry@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Princeton City Manager Jeff Clawson attended Monday night’s Princeton Elementary School Board meeting to explain the Safe Route to Schools Grant. Superintendent Tim Smith thanked Clawson for his service to the city and for attending the meeting. “I just want to send out appreciation on behalf of the district for the efforts the city makes to work with us … The city is always willing to help us in a number of ways.” “Just know that we want to be partners, and I think we have been for a long time, certainly longer
than I have been here. I certainly want to do anything that will enhance that relationship,” said Clawson. He continued to thank the board for its participation in the all taxing body meeting held previously. Clawson explained the terms of the Safe Route to School Grant and the process to its attainment. He told the board Smith had written a letter in support on behalf of the district to help get the grant. Clawson said he wrote the grant to enhance the sidewalks and signage around all the elementary schools. The Safe Route to Schools is a $164,000 program, of which $131,200 is grant money coming from the state of Illinois through the federal program.
In other news • Accepted the financial report summary and balance report. • Smith introduced Vision 2020 to the board. An effort to communicate their vision. • Smith provided the board with tools to complete a survey for their self evaluation meeting set for 4 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Logan Junior High Media Center. • Discussed the Pension Reform update and the changes its outcome would entail. • Smith reviewed the decline in enrollment over the past five years. • Approved the second reading of the recommended changes to the Board Policy. • Approved the FY 15 Levy Request. • Approved the Resolution declaring the intention to issue $3,100,00 working cash fund bonds for the purpose of increasing the District’s working cash fund, and directing that such notice of such intention be published in the manner provided by law. • Approved the appointment of Tiffany Johnson as a Special Education paraprofessional at Jefferson School and Sylvie Smith as Special Education teacher at Logan Junior High. “Generally speaking, we will do all this work
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