Thursday April 23, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 9
The Weekly Post
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Staffing woes prompt closings at Jubilee College By JEFF LAMPE
BRIMFIELD – A portion of the campground is being closed for the summer at Jubilee College State Park, as are two picnic areas. Trails used by horseback riders and mountain bikers have fallen into disrepair and came close to being shut down for the summer last week. Closure signs were actually scheduled to be printed before vocal users acted swiftly to head off the closings. Weekly Post Staff Writer
Water rates increased in Elmwood By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – Water and sewer rates here will go up about 3 percent after the City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an amendment to the waterworks and sewerage system user ordinance. “It’s been about a year since the last increase,” said Alderman Jared Howerton (Ward 3), the water committee chair who made the motion. “We need it to keep up with rising costs,” he said. Water customers using up to 1,000 gallons per month will start paying $14.64 per month starting with June billing due in July. After that base rate, additional volumes pay on a sliding scale. For example, customers using between 1,000 and 2,999 gallons per month would pay $3.81 per 1,000 gallons, and those using more than 20,000 gallons per month would pay $1.81 per 1,000 gallons. For The Weekly Post
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Such is the state of 3,200-acre Jubilee College, which for more than 30 months has operated without a site superintendent despite annual visitor counts of more than 300,000 people. Once upon a time, trail riders called Jubilee College State Park “a gem” among Illinois Department of Natural Resources properties. Not so much any longer. Jubilee is barely able to keep trails open these days. Even light rains now mean trails will often be closed to horse and
mountain bike traffic. Staffing problems are at the heart of the issue. From a fulltime staff of five as recent as five years ago, Jubilee has seen its work force cut to one fulltime site technician. This year, hours for the fourperson, part-time summer help crew fhas also been reduced. And there has been no site superintendent at Jubilee College since Tom Hintz departed to run Walnut Point State Park in Douglas County. “It’s not manicured like it
used to be because there’s only one person managing the whole 3,200 acres,” said Jerry Lutker, president of the Jubilee Riders group. “You’re not going to get the needed work done until you have a site superintendent to coordinate the efforts and put in requests.” That may change soon according to State Rep. David Leitch (R-Peoria), who represents much of The Weekly Post circulation area. Leitch said Gov. Rauner’s new IDNR director, Wayne Rosenthal, indicated
TROUTMAN DEPARTS
Troutman starts unique fund raiser
Deal reduces cutbacks for state schools By BILL KNIGHT
State cutbacks to schools will take place, although in a deal approved April 15 by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), 578 of the state’s 856 school districts will get some of their promised funds. Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders agreed to the restoration, using $97 million in discretionary funds to Inside soften the blow of announced cuts. • Leadership of However, the the Brimfield change won’t make up School Board for a 2.25 percent changed last week. Page 9. across-the-board budget cut including education, and local school officials still worry about future funding problems as more budget cuts are possible next year. “While we are definitely happy that the state has decided to take less of our money, I am hesitant to use the term ‘restore’ to describe what is happening,” said Farmington Central C.U.S.D. 265 Superintendent John Asplund. “I grow increasingly concerned that legislators continue to file bills that would place even greater restrictions on schools through unfunded mandates and continue to underfund schools at the same time,” he said. For The Weekly Post
By JEFF LAMPE
PRINCEVILLE – The season of raising money for good causes is underway, with benefits, runs, walks and other events scheduled almost daily. None are quite as simple or unique as the one Dean Troutman began Tuesday morning at the Princeville park dedicated to his late wife, Peggy. In an effort to raise more money for the 5.75acre park he purchased, the 84-year-old Troutman plans to spend the next 75 days walking 700 miles across Illinois. He left after being serenaded by a band, singers and a throng of well-wishers, some of whom came bearing checks: $864 from the Princeville Student Council; $364.68 from junior high students and
Jubilee will get attention soon. “I’ve been assured that Jubilee has DNR’s highest priority,” Leitch said. “They hope to hire a manager within the next few weeks. One of the problems is with the union.” Filling the job may actually take a bit longer than that, according to IDNR spokesperson Chris Young. “IDNR is in the process of hiring a new site superintendent for Jubilee College State Park. The agency hopes to have the Continued on Page 11
Weekly Post Staff Writer
Dean Troutman starts his 700-mile walk Tuesday, followed by Princeville students. Photo by Collin Fairfield.
$3,982.70 from the grade school. Money raised will fund a playground, activity stations along a walking trail, water fountains, scoreboards and bleachers for the ball fields, enclosed dugouts, blacktop for the parking lot and landscap-
ing at the park. Troutman’s Trek will take him through Brimfield, Elmwood, Farmington and Kickapoo as well as more than 50 other stops. To follow Troutman’s progress or to donate, visit troutmanstrek.com.
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