Carbondale Communiqué

Carbondale Communiqué February / March 2018 City of Carbondale, Illinois www.explorecarbondale.com Carbondale Firefighters awarded Mayor’s Corner second largest employer, and SIU are in a joint venture with a new build- lifesaving medals ing at the corner of University Ave- nue and West Oak Street on the SIH campus. This will bring much needed jobs to our city and help with SIU’s enrollment. Your City Council has a lot going on. This year’s budget process is, at best, very difficult, due in part to the continued uncertainties of funding coming from the state of Illinois. Just recently, the state reduced our share of the Local Government Distributive Fund and initiated a new fee for the collection of local tax- es. These actions cost us $521,000. Mayor John M. Henry That’s over half million dollars, in the middle of our fiscal year which First and foremost, Carbondale forced us to postpone some much is a university community. SIU is our needed City Improvements. largest employer and the major eco- There is, again, the very real pos- nomic engine for the region. As our sibility that the state will demand University grows enrollment, they higher contributions to the state’s will prosper as will we and the re- pension system, while at the same gion. Your Mayor, City Council, City time, reducing their payments to us. staff, President Dunn, Chancellor Also, due primarily to declining en- Montemagno and our Chamber of rollment at SIU, there are substantial- Commerce are committed to a con- ly fewer people in Carbondale. This By Gary Williams Rob Miller, Carl Sisk, Ben Schultz, and This was the very first call that tinuing spirit of cooperation be- is not only detrimental to our busi- Assistant Chief Mike Hertz responded Carbondale Firefighters respond- tween the City and SIU. nesses but is also causing a decline In 2017, the Carbondale Fire De- to the 600 block of South Glenview ed to as first responders. Their deci- As you know, Southern Illinois in sales tax revenues. partment provided the opportuni- Drive to provide assistance to a male sive action and professional training University at Carbondale is in the As the City continues to revital- ty for firefighters to become certified that was in full cardiac and respirato- helped save the life of a Carbondale midst of a significant reorganization. ize itself, SIU is beginning a reorga- as first responders, allowing them to ry arrest. The crew took swift action resident. As a result of their actions, This is a bold initiative undertaken nization as well. We need to change assist with mutual aid service to the to resuscitate the man and then sta- they received the Lifesaving Med- in a period of challenges to our sys- how we’ve been doing business and Jackson County Ambulance Service. bilized him until the Jackson County al. Congratulations to our dedicated tem of higher education, not only in reimagine what we want to look like On August 22, Firefighters Brad Lam, Ambulance arrived on the scene. firefighters! the state of Illinois, but also national- in the future. It’s time we abandon ly. I certainly do not have the exper- the ways of the past and boldly en- tise to make any recommendations vision a brighter future. We have a lot in this process, but I will say this - we of good things going on and more cannot continue to operate as we to come. Carbondale City Council have in the past. As our enrollment I ask each of you to be positive continues to decline, our reputation about our city. Get involved, vol- Meeting Schedule continues to waver. unteer and vote. Get to know your So, I ask this of each of you - sup- neighbors and the cat lady at the All regular meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in City Council port our Board of Trustees, President end of the street. Be kind to one an- Chambers at the Carbondale Civic Center. Beginning February 27 meetings Dunn, Chancellor Montemagno, the other. A simple nod of the head and will begin at 6:00 p.m. Any changes to this meeting schedule will be administration and the faculty of this a smile go a long way. We are a di- published in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Additional great institution. Be positive and en- verse community and that diversity local government meetings are listed on the calendar on page 7. courage these good folks to do their is, perhaps, our greatest resource. best to restore this institution to its Shop local and shop often. Our February / March 2018 former greatness. local businesses are strong support- February 13 February 27 March 13 March 27 On a brighter note, the Chancel- ers of our community, charities and lor recently announced two $1 mil- our children. Their employees are Regular City Council Regular City Council Regular City Council Regular City Council lion contributions to SIU Carbondale. your neighbors. Now, more than ev- Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting These contributions are a great indi- er before, they need your support. cator that our alumni have not lost Together we are making Car- faith and hopefully will encourage bondale the city that you and I, our Keep informed of City News and Events: www.explorecarbondale.com others to do the same. children and our grandchildren are Southern Illinois Healthcare, our proud to call home. Daniel Booth hired as Carbondale Elementary School District 95 superintendent By Dustin Duncan to principal. dent Elizabeth Lewin, who has been and talked to the Carbondale Educa- THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN Booth said Carbondale is his in charge since May when former tion Association, and you saw noth- home and he is excited “to hit the superintendent Michael Shimshak ing but smiles and happiness “all A familiar face will lead the ground running” in the new district. retired. around.” charge for Carbondale Elementary “I was eager to talk to the board Booth wasn’t the only per- Booth addressed the teachers School District No. 95. about my vision what this district son happy to see the district make during the meeting, saying he looks Carbondale Community High can be with great leadership,” he this move, as School Board Chair- forward to helping them feel special School Principal Daniel Booth was said. “We were on the same page and man John Major said District 95 is and important. hired by the school board Thursday here we are today.” trending in the right direction with “Because this district will not be to a five-year contract with a salary He said this is an opportunity new hire. anything without you guys and I ap- of $150,816. His tenure as superin- for Carbondale to begin succeeding, “I think our district has made the preciate what you do every day,” tendent will begin July 1. starting with its youngest minds. turnaround already tonight,” he said. he said. Booth came to Carbondale to at- “I’m most excited about what the The teachers in the audience on The only negative comments tend Southern Illinois University in future holds for Carbondale,” he said. Thursday were also pleased with came from two board members 2002. He obtained a bachelor’s de- “It’s a great opportunity for Carbon- the hire, as several times through- Carlton Smith and Gary Shepherd, gree in 2006 in health education and dale to reach its full potential at the out the meeting, there were pauses who both said it was concerning the in 2010 received a master’s degree in elementary level. for applause. board only saw the contract from education administration. “This could be a model district Sharonda Marshall, third grade the first time Thursday night, and He was hired by CCHS in 2006 in the state of Illinois. We will exceed teacher at Thomas School, said didn’t get to participate in what as a health and driver’s educa- expectations. It will take time and Booth is exactly with the district terms went into the contract. Daniel Booth tion instructor. He was promot- hard work, but we are not running needs. However, both members also ed to dean of students in 2009 away from hard work.” “He is a person who is going to said their concerns did not reflect CES 95 is home to Parish Elementary, and became assistant principal in Booth takes over the superinten- come in and change the culture of their feelings toward Booth’s qualifi- Thomas Elementary, Lewis Elementa- 2010. In 2011, he was promoted dent job from interim superinten- our district,” she said. “He came in cations for the job. ry and Carbondale Middle Schools. City of Carbondale Public Safety Center featured in national publication The City of Carbondale Public The Public Safety Center is a Safety Center is currently featured 32,000 square foot, 2-story brick in a national publication of the structure on the site of the for- Spacesaver Corporation, a Wisconsin mer Lincoln Middle School at 501 based, global company specializing South Washington Street. Conteg- in high density storage and shelv- ra Construction Company, LLC of ing solutions. The publication, titled Edwardsville, Illinois, was award- ‘Law Enforcement Facility Design,’ ed the contract to construct the fa- spotlights the Public Safety Center’s cility, with construction commenc- utilization of the company’s product ing in July 2010. The building was solutions as a part of the overall con- opened and operational on April struction of a modern police facility. 18, 2011. “We had a great team of public To view the article spotlighting works and police staff come togeth- the City of Carbondale Public Safe- er with our architectural advisors ty Center please visit http://www.

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