TON-02-20-2015

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Volume 141 No. 10

Friday, February 20, 2015

Single Copy Cost 50¢

Tonica looks at sewer plant loans By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com

TONICA — The village of Tonica trustees received on update on financing for their proposed sewer treatment plant at its board meeting on Feb. 16. Village engineer Jack Kusek reviewed the status of possible funding sources with the board. According to Kusek, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Commerce and Economic Development (DECO) are two organizations that could possibly be lending money to the village for this project. The sewer treatment plant has been in the planning stage for a year. It has not moved forward due to the wait for financing. “There have been some changes at DECO,” Kusek said. “As soon as they get some feeling on what is going on down there, we will know more. We will get some different information back as to what the new rules will be; then we will have a better idea of what is going on down there.” The village of Tonica had awarded the construction contract for the plant in September of 2014. Kusek informed the board he visited with the contractor to see how long he would hold the current bid. “He did get back to me and said they would be able to hold the bids for another 30 days (from Feb. 16), and then there will probably be some increases due to materials. We would have to talk about these things that include potential labor costs,” Kusek said. Representatives from the USDA and Kusek have also reviewed the potential for a loan for the village. “If we don’t get any grants, the costs per household would be Vol. 141 No. 10 One Section - 8 Pages

$69.76 a month,” he said. “This would be for the sewer and water bill.” Tonica Village President Kevin Sluder asked for clarification on the situation. “This $3.7 million — that is including the lift station and the extra stuff we had to get,” Sluder said. “If we get the USDA assistance, costs per household will be more like what we talked about earlier in the $50 per month range,” Kusek said. The USDA assistance would include the village having the responsibility for depreciation of parts for the proposed sewer plant. “You identify the cost of a part and how long it will last. Then you divide the cost over so many years. For example if you have a $10,000 part and it lasts four years, you put $2,500 away per year. And when it dies, you will have the money for the part,” Kusek said. Kusek pointed out that it is sensible to do this. “You (the village) never did that before. Most villages don’t. So when a part breaks, you dip into whatever fund it is and you pay for it. They are trying to make the villages that borrow from them more self-sustaining,” Kusek said. In other business, the board held further discussion on the need to find funds to replacing the village’s aging police car. The car is starting to have trouble, and the board feels it would be more economical to replace it. The board also made its annual $50 donation to the American Red Cross. Tonica Fire and Rescue Chief Al Stremlau presented a new 17-year-old candidate trainee for approval. The village board voted to approve the candidate.

Tonica News photo/Dixie Schroeder

Girl Scouts Christie Ricci (left) looks at a box of Peanut Butter Patty cookie while Alaina Stasiak moves a box of Shortbread Girl Scout cookies on Feb. 14. The Tonica-Lostant Girl Scout Troop 1471 and 1704 will be selling cookies through March 13.

Girl Scout cookies are here!

By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com

A favorite time of year has come to the Illinois Valley. Girl Scouts in the Tonica and Lostant area, as well as all over the United States, have started their annual cookie sales. The sale will go on through March 23. The Tonica and Lostant troop is made up of Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts who are excited about selling cookies. Madison Stillwell,

a second-grade Brownie Scout, enjoys the annual event. “It is so much fun. My favorite part is talking to people. Some of my grandmas and stuff buy cookies from me. My favorite cookie is Thin Mints,” Madison said. Alaina Stasiak, who is a Cadette Girl Scout, is a veteran cookie seller. “I have been selling cookies since I was a Daisy. The cool part is seeing a lot of different faces and making everybody smile. I would say that the Thin

The Scouts earn what is called ‘cookie dough,’ which is the money they earn per box. “The troop will help pay for day camps and summer camps if the kids want to go. The money the girls earn individually can go to membership, books, patches or their uniforms. There are prizes that they can buy with the cookie dough at the Girl Scout offices in Peru. They have options on what they spend their money on.

Girl Scouts Page 2

Steel mill assets auctioned By Hal Adkins Shaw Media Service

HENNEPIN — The remaining tools, spare parts and other physical assets of the former ArcelorMittal finishing steel mill in Hennepin were offered for sale during a two-day global online

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auction Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, Feb. 12. Items ranged from small mechanical and electrical pieces to several large overhead electric cranes weighing 100 tons. More than 1,400 lots of various materials were offered. The 800-acre site was originally built and run by J&L Steel, which

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© The Tonica News

Mint is the most popular Girl Scout cookie we have. To name my favorite is hard. That is a very tough one. I like all of them. I’ve tried all of them,” Stasiak said. Troop leader Stephanie Stasiak said it is important parents of Girl Scouts are aware of how many cases of cookies their daughters can sell. During the course of the sale, there are reorder dates which are communicated to the leader of each troop. This can replenish the stock of cookies for each girl to sell.

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Ken Troyan, Owner/ Operator

began operations in 1967. Since then, it has passed through the hands of other owners including LTV Steel, ISG and ArcelorMittal; it is now held by IPS Steel. At its peak, the cold roll steel mill employed more than 600 workers. When the mill’s closing was announced in 2008,

employment was at 285. The plant closed in 2009, with more than 1,000 truckloads of machinery removed that year. The sale was handled by Global Online Auctions. Bidding began the evening of Feb. 10 and closed on Feb. 12. A plant

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