Salem Acting Mayor Nic Farley swears in new Salem Patrolman Mason McMeen, as Mason’s father Michael holds the Bible. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
The Salem City Council has approved making an application for a $680,000 one percent loan from the State’s Illinois Financing Authority to replenish the Natural Gas Fund reserves.
Public Works Director Annette Brushwitz says the reserves are key if there is an unexpected large utility project expense.
She says even with the decision to spread out the huge spike in gas costs in February, residents will see their largest gas bills in some time due to the extreme cold and cost of natural gas on the market.
“This month is definitely going to be high for everybody across the board, based on the fact that we got it down to $8. If we would have split that $600,000 that we got this month over just this bill it would have been overwhelming for too many people.”
But even so, the $8 cost per dekatherm in February is still much higher than the $2 to $3 cost per dekatherm charged during the past few winters. The council was told the cost of natural gas has now returned to the old rates. City gas customers will see a 30-cent per dekatherm charge added to bills over the next two years until the large gas bill is paid off.
The council swore in new Police Officer Mason McMeen. He will begin the department’s 16-week field training program Tuesday after completing the full-time police officer training program. McMeen is a Salem Community High School graduate who served in the US Marine Corps. Police Chief Sean Reynolds says McMeen replaces Bryan Green who retired last year and brings the police force back to its authorized strength of 18 officers.
Acting Mayor Nic Farley presented a proclamation honoring the Salem Lion’s Club on their 85th birthday. The proclamation noted the large number of projects the club is involved and the role it played in raising the initial money for the construction of Salem Township Hospital in 1940.
Members of the Salem Lions Club are honored with a proclamation at Monday night’s City Council meeting by Acting Mayor Nic Farley. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
