A last minute change to hire a lobbying firm has pushed thefirst payment by Madison County in a massive levee improvementproject $72,000 higher. The County Board agreed Wednesday to handover $172,000 to the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, theSt. Louis-based group spearheading the project, to hire engineersand consultants to improve levees along the Mississippi River.The board originally planned to provide $100,000 for the initialphase, but additional fees were tacked on before the vote Wednesdayto ink an agreement with the St. Louis firm Husch and Eppenberger,which will lobby for project funding, said County Board ChairmanAlan J,Guess Shoes. Dunstan.The additional costs were not included on the meetingagenda.The fixes, expected to total at least $180 million, are requiredbecause the federal government has toughened the standards it usesto determine whether levees will withstand serious floods. Propertyowners in areas with levees that fail the new standards, which willgo in effect next year, will be forced to buy flood insurance,The North Face Boys' Ski Jackets.As many as 150,000 Madison, St. Clair and Monroe countyresidents would be affected by the change.A 14-member task force created in January is coordinating thefixes and last month inked $225,000 contracts with engineering,planning and financial firms that will work on the preliminaryphase.Madison and St. Clair counties will provide $172,000 each in thefirst phase, with Monroe County contributing $25,000.The initial costs will be absorbed over a two-year period,although county officials are hoping to eventually receive federalreimbursements.The state Senate is considering legislation by Sen,Guess online. William R.Haine (D-Alton) that would attach a temporary quarter-cent salestax in the region to pay for the fixes, raising up to $6.6million.Dunstan, St,North Face clearance. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern and a groupof other board members, including Michael J. Walters (R-Godfrey),went to Springfield earlier this month to push for the newdistrict, which is slated for senate approval next month.Walters told the board Wednesday that he wants to cement as muchsupport as possible among legislators before the bill goes to Gov.Rod R. Blagojevich, who has not backed the plan."We have the vote to pass it, but we're hoping it will beveto-proof," he said. "I think we'll get it through the Senate andthe House. But the governor �� we'll see."Later, board member Hal R. Patton (R-Edwardsville) said thegovernor should realize the vital need of the repairs."If we can get a $600 million bridge," he said, referring to theplanned new crossing between St. Louis and Illinois in whichIllinois will contribute more than $300 million, "we can get $160million for these fixes."Also approved by the County Board Wednesday- The appointment of Larry L. Ringering, a former East Altonfire chief, as interim director of the Emergency ManagementDepartment, replacing the retiring John D. Quigley;- The purchase of a $22,299 15-seat passenger van for the countyProbation Department;- The commitment of $110,000 in grant funding to Madison for newsingle-family homes;- Park and Recreation grants for Collinsville ($98,103),Edwardsville ($75,Tory Burch Flats,219), Glen Carbon ($35,000), Granite City($97,653), Venice ($15,GUESS Mens Jeans,000), Chouteau Township ($15,000) andMaryville ($15,000). 相关的主题文章：

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