Pike Co. 911........

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — The Pike County Board approved an intergovernmental agreement and an ordinance Monday that clears the way for approval of the county's enhanced 911 service.

The documents enable the Emergency Telephone Systems Board to pursue preliminary Illinois Commerce Commission approval this week. After the preliminary review, the county can begin the required system testing, which must be completed before the system wins approval to go online.

Jim Sheppard, a County Board member and chairman of the ETSB, said the system could be in operation this fall.

What??? No new building to go with it ???

OLC Soccer Part XXVII

By Edward Husar
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Soccer had long been a profit-making enterprise for the OLC. The center's 2005-06 budget projected revenue of $64,000 from soccer team registration fees, $18,500 from soccer gate receipts and $8,000 from soccer advertising. At this point, those line items in the 2006-07 budget show zeros.

Jansen said he has “no idea”what it cost to run the soccer program. “I don’t think we ever put a pencil to it,” he said. But he said the center had costs for utilities, tearing down and setting up the fields, security, maintenance and hiring people to work the gate and concession stand. “There’s a lot of hidden costs there,” he said.

Jansen noted that the OLC and the QCVB are both expected to see higher revenue next year from the city's hotel-motel tax, which generates about one-third of the Civic Center Authority's total operating revenue. Part of the reason for the increase, he said, is the anticipated availability of around 200 new motel rooms in Quincy.

Just because you build it, doesn't mean they'll be full all the time.

Fridays Open Thread..........

Once again...Tell Us What Really Burns Your Ass....................

Entrenched 911

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

By Edward HusarHerald-Whig Staff Writer

A proposal to authorize the Quincy/Adams County 911 Governing Board to borrow $1.3 million to finance various costs associated with the implementation of an enhanced 911 system ran into choppy water at the Quincy City Council's Finance Committee meeting Monday night.

The 911 Governing Board wants to borrow $1.3 million to help finance the construction of a new 911 communication center and the need to buy an enhanced 911 network, telephone and radio communication equipment and other costs.

FY2004-2005 Call and Incident Statistics
(May 1, 2004-April 30, 2005)

Call-Taking: Quincy-area 9-1-1 calls: 24,970 - 57%
Rural county 9-1-1 calls: 1,357 - 3%
Wireless 9-1-1 calls: 17,459 - 40%
Total 9-1-1 Calls: 43,786 - 100%

9-1-1 calls: 43,786 - 30%
Non-Emergency and Administrative calls: 97,301 - 68%
Alarm line calls: 2,591 - 2%
Total All Calls: 143,678 - 100%

Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Incidents:
Quincy Police 41,405 - 67.3%
Adams County Sheriff 10,114 - 16.5%
Quincy Fire 3,599 - 5.9%
Tri-Township Fire 246 - 0.4%
Adams County Ambulance 5,814 - 9.5%
Volunteer Fire Departments 303 - 0.5%
Total CAD Incidents: 61,481 - 100.0%

Total all calls to 911 center : 205,159

FY2004-2005 Operating & Capital Budget
(May 1, 2004-April 30, 2005)
Fiscal 2004-2005 Operating Budget $1,049,538
Fiscal 2004-2005 "City" E9-1-1 Capital Budget $405,000
Fiscal 2004 "County" E9-1-1 Capital Budget* $270,000

Total Budget : $1,724,538

Cost per call into the 911 Center : $8.41

Remove all but the 43,786 - 911 calls and the price goes to : $39.38

School Bored Bud

Board member Bud Niekamp objected not only to the loan, but to its expense, in casting the only no vote.

"Maybe we need to start planning now for next year so we don't have to borrow this money," Niekamp said.

Dear Bud:
You have been on the school board for years. How come you didn't have this figured out last year?? You do a great job of casting no votes when money is involved but have yet to hear a solution from you. Speak up Bud !!

OLC Soccer Follow-up.....

In other action, Jansen reported he still hasn't received prices for a new playing surface that could be used if the OLC decides to begin offering indoor soccer once again later this year.

Last month, Jansen reported he has received many inquiries asking if the center would consider offering indoor soccer again in the future.

Jansen was going to explore the costs involved in buying a new playing surface for just the larger, original field that had been used at the OLC since soccer was first introduced there in 1996. That playing surface is now about nine years old and would probably have to be replaced if soccer is brought back. A slightly smaller field to the north was added about three years ago, and that surface is still in pretty good shape, Jansen said.

Jansen said he should have more information when the board meets in special session March 28 to begin hammering out next year's budget.


Ed: Good job following up on this story!!

If We Build It, Will You Pay Some.....

Quincy City Council heard from the Malls maybe new owners that they would like to invest 13 million to create about 120,000 square feet of new Gross Leaseable area. The catch, they are asking for the city to rebate a portion of sales tax generated by new mall enterprises that emerge...to the tune of $6 million dollars. Quick math and that is almost half of the cost of improvements.

Is Duesterhaus correct in his concern about a possible negitive impact on existing businesses ?? You tell us !

Fridays Open Thread.....

Tell us what REALLY burns your ass......