Thursday Oct. 22, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 33
The Weekly Post
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Judges overrule staff, Ameren preference, pick Route B By BILL KNIGHT
Discounting the Illinois Commerce Commission staff recommendation for a route along Interstate 74, administrative law judges have authorized Ameren to build the Spoon River Transmission Line along “Route B,” which runs north from Kickapoo Township toward Princeville, then west near Williamsfield en route to Galesburg. The “action by the ICC is welcome news for Illinois,” said Maureen Borkowski, chairman and president of Ameren Transmission Company of IlliFor The Weekly Post
nois. “This project will benefit the state's economy, create jobs and provide Illinois electricity customers greater access to lower-cost energy and electricity from renewable sources, such as wind energy. It also will improve transmission system reliability in and around the project area.” The new 345,000-volt electric transmission line using single-shaft steel poles is planned from an expanded Fargo substation on U.S. Route 150 in Kickapoo Township to a new substation on Galesburg’s east side, a distance of 46 miles. Construction on the $150 mil-
Billtown extends Farquer’s contract For The Weekly Post
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“The approval hasn’t granted eminent domain,” she continued “We had a meeting months ago explaining the [intervening] process, and now we’ll have another meeting – after Ameren sends out notices to property owners about easements. We’ll be back out doing that. The standard easement [agreement] is somewhat one-sided for the company, so we want people to know what they can do. We want to make sure people are protected. Easements are not a one-time thing; easements are forever.”
HOMECOMING 2015
By BILL KNIGHT
WILLIAMSFIELD – After listening to months of criticism from a handful of people speaking during the Public Comment portion of school board meetings, the Board of Education has extended Superintendent Tim Farquer’s contract for five years. In a 5-2 vote – conducted in executive session of a regular meeting after The Weekly Post’s deadline on Oct. 13 – the board essentially gave Farquer a vote of confidence, although the terms keep the pay the lowest in The Weekly Post area. Because some school districts don’t post compensation information on their websites, the most recent data available for all five districts is from the Illinois State Board of Education. That shows Williamsfield’s pay for its superintendent as the lowest in the area. However, those figures are from 2012, when districts in
lion project is scheduled to start next year to go online in 2018. Despite Ameren’s reaction, others are surprised at the decision. “I think this is the first time they’ve gone against the utility and the staff,” said attorney Laura Harmon, senior counsel for the Illinois Farm Bureau. “We’re not sure all the evidence they needed went into the record. Ameren didn’t testify as to how much [land] they can use. They could go 75 feet into property owners’ land [and] they may not have the authority to go into properties unless people agree to it.
Williamsfield’s sophomore class float (Technology District) won at last Saturday’s parade due to the incorporation of the theme (Hunger Games), the Homecoming volleyball game and the characters on the float. Photo by Kathy Wight.
Elmwood’s senior class float was voted best at last Friday’s Homecoming parade. Each class was assigned a holiday as the theme for its float. The seniors got to focus on Halloween. Photo by Jeff Lampe.
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Libel suit filed vs. Schock, LaHood By BILL KNIGHT
EDWARDS – The Edwards Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for the Peoria County Board from the 16th District encompassing Brimfield, Elmwood, Jubilee. Rosefield, and parts of Kickapoo, Radnor and Trivoli townships has filed a libel suit against the current and former Congress- Burns men from the area. Dick Burns, 68, lost to incumbent Republican Brad Harding last year, with 44 percent of the vote to Harding’s 56 percent, and his lawsuit says a letter signed by then-U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock and state Sen. Darin LaHood and sent to area households was defamatory and hurt Burns’ reputation For The Weekly Post
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