Thursday June 16, 2016 Vol. 4, No. 16
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Farmington focusing on state funding shortfalls By JEFF LAMPE
By KEITH BUTTERFIELD
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois students often get tours of the State Capitol. Seldom do they head to Springfield with as much purpose as did a group of 14 students from Farmington Central Community School on May 31. Those students and six parents were part of Farmington’s “Fair Budget or Bust” group which traveled to Springfield to express their concerns about school fund-
FARMINGTON – Superintendent Dr. John Asplund asked Farmington Central Community Unit District 265 School Board members Monday night for input to a letter that likely will go to district parents within the next several days updating them on continuing state budget and funding uncertainties. Asked after the meeting if the draft distributed to board members answers the big question – whether schools will open on time this fall – Asplund said: “We intend to open, but that’s part of For The Weekly Post
Weekly Post Staff Writer
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Farmington students visited Springfield on May 31 to discuss the state budget. Photo by Crystal Prahl.
the input I’m seeking from the board.” The letter is a follow-up to an earlier communication this spring detailing the dire state funding situation. To address a possible loss of $4.7 million in state funding, that missive indicated that possible avenues could be a delay to the opening of schools in the fall, operating on a reduced number of days or completely shutting down. With no resolution to the state budget and the end of the fiscal year looming on June 30, “it’s important to update people where we are with this,” Continued on Page 2
Asbestos costs under budget for school remodel
THE BELLS OF ELMWOOD
By JEFF LAMPE
WILLIAMSFIELD – Costs to remove asbestos from an ongoing remodeling project at the Williamsfield school building will be lower than expected according to Superintendent Tim Farquer. That was among the items discussed Monday evening at a sometimes contentious meeting of the Williamsfield School Board. Farquer said the asbestos abatement bill from Morland Environmental Services should be around $23,600, which is $41,400 less than the original estimate. Farquer said that removing a ceiling and fiberglass insulation in the area where asbestos must be removed “saved us a significant amount of money.” With saving money as an impetus, Farquer offered two options to the board for the planned school remodel: 1. Hire a building manager to run the project, thereby putting more responsibility on Farquer, but saving money. 2. Bring bids to the Board in July or August for work to be handled most likely by a general contractor. The board voiced support for the second option and instructed Farquer to bring them bids, which will be focused on construction of Weekly Post Staff Writer
Among the seven bells of Elmwood are the Oak Hill School Bell (left), the Neptune Fire Co. bell (middle), the First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood bell (right ) and the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church bell (below).
Every bell has its own story By CHERYL HARLOW
ELMWOOD – There are seven bells of historical significance scattered throughout this small town. Each bell serves as a reminder of past structures that are no longer here, but once commanded a place in the history of Elmwood. From one-room schoolhouses to imposing churches, these bells have called students to school and the faithful to worship down through the centuries. Each bell has its own story. Here’s a suggested seven-stop tour. For The Weekly Post
1. A first stop is the home of Fred and Pam Paige. Outside their home, on its original mount, is the 1869 Paradise Chapel one-room school bell. This bell was manufactured by the Buckeye Bell Foundry in Cincinnati,
and once graced a one-room school house on Illinois Route 8 north of Elmwood. The school closed in 1952 and the children who attended there began attending Elmwood School. Pam Paige’s father, Bob Lott purchased the bell at an auction in the 1960s in order to save it from being melted down by another bidder. 2. Our second stop on the tour would be the Elmwood High School Lobby, where the original Elmwood Grade/High School bell sits on its Continued on Page 12
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