ELECTRICITY COSTS, NEW TABLES AND RENTAL RATES TOPICS AT FAIR BOARD

The Bond County Fair Board held its first meeting of 2007 this week and like all residents and businesses using AmerenIP electric power, the board is concerned by the uncertainty of the prospect of increased electricity costs for the next year.  The board has been presented estimates of an increase of from 17% to 50% and it is difficult to do financial planning with this information.

The fair needs some new tables and chairs and asked Randy Ostrom to obtain prices and present that at the next meeting.  The contract for the 2007 Agape music festival was reviewed and approved.  Brian Marcoot was present and received board approval to hold a registered Jersey cattle sale at the fairgrounds May 12.  The board also approved a request from Larry Kleiner to hold a household goods sale in the metal building in February.

The board discussed a change in the rental rates for the horse barns and will be considering the horsemen's request to make a change.  Several fair board members will be attending the state convention of county fairs in January when county fair queens and talent contest winners will also compete.

Members of nine fair board committees were appointed with very few changes from last year.  The next meeting will be February 14.

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THE CITY OF GREENVILLE AND BUXTON RESEARCH BEGINS STUDY

The City of Greenville is continuing to search for appropriate commercial businesses and industrial prospects for the area. To help with this, the city has hired the Buxton Research Company. City Manager Dave Willey said that January 8 was the kickoff meeting between Buxton and the City of Greenville, which begins the study.  In about a week Buxton will begin to produce deliverables to the city that will talk about the definition of the trade area.  The data will also show mapping information for the city to review and make sure that they are in agreement.  At that time, they will then begin the process of matching commercial and retail clients to that trade area.

So far the city has raised $17,500 of the $50,000 needed for the Buxton Research project data. Two banks, two developers and an anonymous donor have already contributed to the project.

LATE WINTER FIREARM DEER SEASON TO BEGIN JANUARY 12-14

Starting today, hunters will have one final opportunity to participate in the 2006 deer-hunting season.  The Late-Winter Firearm Deer Season, open January 12-14, is an antlerless-only season designed to help increase the harvest of female deer to help manage the state's deer population.  This will be the first year that hunters will be able to utilize their unfilled permits from the 2006 firearm and/or muzzleloader-only deer seasons.  In order to be legally used, leftover permits must have been valid for one of the counties open for the Late-Winter Deer Season, which does include Bond, Clinton, Madison, Montgomery and Fayette.

Things to keep in mind for this hunting season is that all permits will only be valid in the county for which they were originally issued.  During the Late-Winter Season, hunters using unfilled muzzleloader permits may only hunt with muzzleloading rifles, whereas hunters using unfilled firearm permits, or Late-Winter Season permits, may use shotguns, muzzleloaders and handguns.  One antlerless deer may be harvested per legally authorized permit.

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ILLINOIS LEADERS WANT EARLIER 2008 PRIMARY

Illinois is looking to cut-in on Iowa and New Hampshire.  Democratic leaders in the state want to move Illinois' 2008 primary from mid-March to February 5th.  That would put Illinois in the thick of the presidential selection process.  Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan isn't hiding his agenda behind the move, saying he wants to change the primary to give Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama a better chance at the White House.  Madigan says that Illinois is often too late to pick a presidential candidate.  Obama has not yet said if he is a candidate, but is considering it.  Iowa is set to the be the first in the 2008 selection, their caucuses are set for January 14, 2008.

PUBLIC LIBRARY CLOSED MONDAY

The Greenville Public Library will be close Monday January 15, 2007 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The library will re-open on January 16 at 12PM.

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