Rendering of proposed National Geospacial-Intelligence Agency facility in St. Louis. (Photo courtesy of Nation Geospacial-Intelligence Agency)

Public meeting called to protest tentative NGA site

An overflow crowd packed the O’Fallon Community Center, May 27, as U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) and a coalition of Metro-East civic and political leaders encouraged a public outcry against the National Geospacial-Intelligence Agency’s tentative decision to build its planned new high-tech intelligence-gathering center in North St. Louis. Metro-East leaders have proposed the new Next NGA West (N2W) campus be located in St. Clair County just north of Scott Air Force Base.

In a letter to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin last month, NGA Robert Cardillo countered criticism that the proposed St. Louis location would not meet U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) security standards. He suggested N2W security personnel may share jurisdiction over the surrounding area with St. Louis police.

Bost has asked the DOD Office of Inspector General to investigate the development of an Army Corps of Engineers report that recommended the St. Louis site.

A final decision on the N2W location is expected this week.

Former East St. Louis police chief charged

Former East. Louis Police Chief Michael Floor was charged May 26 with seven counts of public contractor misconduct, after allegedly defrauding the Bi-State Development Agency. The St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office alleges Floor failed to provide security services as scheduled for the agency’s Metro-Link light rail line on five occasions during February and March of this year, but accepted payment anyway. Floor had been contracted to provide security as an off-duty police officer. He served as chief from January 2012 to July 2015.

Madison County tax limitation petition challenged

Former Edwardsville City Administrator Ben Dickmann has filed a formal objection to an initiative petition aimed at limiting the county’s maximum tax rate. A group led by Edwardsville veterinarian Mike Firsching and Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler on May 6 filed petitions, with just under 10,000 signatures, to place a tax limitation measure issue on the November ballot.

However Dickmann contends nearly 3,000 of those signatures, or nearly 30 percent of the total submitted, are invalid. A minimum of 8,033 signatures is necessary to place the tax referendum before voters.

The objection now goes to the Madison County Officers Electoral Board, comprised of the county clerk, circuit clerk and state’s attorney.

Township supervisor launches bid for Illinois House

Wood River Township Supervisor Mike Babcock has announced he will challenge incumbent Rep. Dan Beiser for the District 111 seat in the Illinois House of Representatives. Announcing his candidacy, May 23, Babcock, a Republican, cited his experience balancing the township budget and reducing the township tax levy. He ran unsuccessfully for the state senate on 2012. Beiser, a Democrat, has been the state representative for District 111 since 2004. He previously served on the Alton City Council and also as treasurer of the City of Alton.

The district borders the Mississippi River and includes all or portions of Holiday Shores, Pontoon Beach, Mitchell, Granite City, Alton, Bethalto, East Alton, Elsah, Godfrey, Hartford, Rosewood Heights, Roxana, South Roxana and Wood River.

Bair named new Collinsville city manager

Interim city manager The Collinsville City Council, May 23, named Mitch Bair the town’s new city manager, as well as is new economic development director. Consolidating the two positions will save the city an estimated $85,900 in salary and benefits costs, according to council members. Bair has been serving as Collinsville’s interim city manager since Sept. 14. Bair’s new employment contract is for three years.

Illinois American buys Grafton wastewater system

Illinois American Water has purchased the City of Grafton’s wastewater system. The purchase price was for $600,000, according to joint statement. The city’s wastewater system has about 400 customers.

Illinois American Water began providing water to Grafton on wholesale basis in September 2010 and purchased the local water system in August 2013. The company has been operating the Grafton wastewater system on a contract basis since March of last year.

Illinois American currently provides retail water service in Alton, Godfrey and Elsah, as well as wholesale water to the Jersey County Rural Water system, Fosterburg Water District, Brighton, and the Forest Homes-Maple Park water system.

The acquisition of the Grafton wastewater system was approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission on May 4, 2016. The sale was closed by Illinois American Water and the City of Grafton May 21.

Godfrey firefighters to use new CPR system

The Godfrey Fire Protection District has become the first in Illinois to implement the ResQCPR system, a new CPR device clinically proven to increase survival rates in cardiac patients. The two-segment system, uses a pump with two suction cups, placed on the patient’s chest, to improve the effectiveness of chest compression by raising as well as lowering the chest. Meanwhile a pod, placed over the victim’s mouth, is used to create a vacuum in the chest and thereby increase blood flow to the brain and vital organs. Clinical trials found a 9 percent one-year survival rate among cardiac patients treated with the ResQCPR system, compared with a 6 percent survival rate for patients who received conventional CPR.

–Metro East Area News Briefs–