OPINION: Report to the people

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Report to the People
December 27, 2016

Dear Citizen,

The purpose of this letter is to provide information on my recent efforts as your County Board District Three Representative. District Three includes; Pocahantas, Grantfork, Hamel, portions of Highland, New Douglas, Prairietown, Williamson, Worden, and some Staunton and Edwardsville mailing addresses. I serve on the Tax Cycle (Chair), Planning, Finance, and Transportation Committees.

Flooding Issues (Planning and Transportation)

I met with Hamel Village President Larry  Bloemker and Superintendent Donald Grimm on December 21 to discuss flooding issues. Mayor Bloemker provided me a very professionally booklet with detailed maps and pictures of flooding along Old Route 66, I - 55, and a tributary of Silver Creek. I toured  Residential properties along Park Ave and Cassens Ave. and the Old Route 66 corridor south of Sievers Equipment. Badly needed changes  to relieve flooding in the Cassens Ave residential area and the business corridor south of Sievers Equipment are needed. It appears the State has much work to do correcting broken culverts and silted drainage ditches along Old Route 66 and I -55. In addition, the culvert at Park and Il 157 is too small to handle flood waters and apparently needs replacement.

After touring these areas I immediately contacted State Representative Charlie Meier of the Illinois 108 District. Representative  Meier stated he will visit with the Village Mayor and will contact appropriate personnel at IDOT to help facilitate repairs in state right aways. Previously, Hamel  spent large funds to alleviate flooding. Unless the state acts in concert with Hamel Village the Village money will be virtually wasted. Unless the state acts flood water will not reach the Silver Creek watershed but will in effect be dammed up due to broken culverts and silted drainage ditches in the state right aways.

After January 1 I will return to Hamel to see additional Village areas with flooding issues. In addition, I will visit with appropriate personnel in Highland to discuss the Proposed FEMA Flood map changes.  Given bureaucracy Hamel personnel can’t work on state controlled right of ways without following cumbersome and expensive regulations.  I’m concerned local municipalities and villages may be proactively  doing all they can to minimize flood damage while larger bureaucracies like IDOT and FEMA may  be less than responsive to local concerns.

Rejection of County Pension and Benefits Package (Finance)

After assuming office I kept my campaign promise and rejected a county pension and benefits. This should help keep future county costs down.

Respectfully Submitted,

Philip W. Chapman

County Board Member District Three

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