ANDOVER—Seldom do we have need to ponder our responsibilities as a citizen of Henry County, Illinois. Well, we certainly think about it twice a year when we write our check to the county collector for property taxes, but other than that we, like most residents, just take for granted that all is well.  Now however, it is a time to really think about our duty as it pertains to the preservation of the courthouse. It is up to us and each resident to step up and consider what is our responsibility to a courthouse badly in need of repairs.

OSCO—On election day, Feb. 2, a referendum will appear on the Henry County ballot again to create a special sales tax for the purpose of courthouse repairs. Just this past year, the voters rejected this idea by a clear margin. I was one of the “no” votes because I do not trust the Democrat majority on the county board to make fiscally prudent decisions with our tax dollars.

CAMBRIDGE—In his viewpoint letter of 18 January, board member Tom Steele is correct in stating I was the only dissenting board member to oppose the latest sales tax referendum. Going back to April 2009, I again was the only dissenting vote for the sales tax referendum. When the vote was cast, 57 percent of the voters opposed it.

ANDOVER—Once again, the voters of Henry County will be asked to vote for the Public Facilities Sales Tax Referendum, which is being proposed in order to finance the much-needed repairs and restoration to the Henry County Courthouse.

ORION—Please vote “Yes” on the Feb. 2 ballot to approve a .25 percent sales tax increase, from 6.25 percent to 6.5 percent, for repairs to the Henry County Courthouse. The courthouse building has been damaged by the effects of rain, snow, ice, and wind. As roof and third-story window repairs are made to stop further damage, the historic exterior features of the building constructed in 1880 will also be repaired and preserved for another 25 years or more.

ORION—In 1997 we began a new adventure by becoming the proud owners of Orion Pharmacy. Over the 11-plus years of ownership of Orion Pharmacy & Gifts, we gained many friends and acquaintances, friendships we will always treasure.

ORION—At one time, General Motors had an advertising motto for their Chevrolet automobile: “The Heartbeat of America.”In a very real sense, Main Stret Orion’s motto is “The Heartbeat of Orion.” Our town would still be here, and people would be living in it if MSO didn’t exist, but the quality of life wouldn’t be nearly as good.

ORION—It’s time to celebrate! Main Street Orion is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year as an active part of the community. As a member and president of Main Street Orion, I am writing to express my support for the program and I invite all community members to join with us in our celebration this year.

GENESEO—In his Feb. 27 letter, Tom Steele explained his reasons for favoring the proposed county sales tax to make repairs to the Henry County courthouse. Also, he was responding to my letter of Feb. 20 and my reasons for opposing the tax. I will say that I believe Tom is sincere in his letter, however, I must now respond in turn to his letter.

GENESEO—In his February 20 letter to the editor, Bill Preston explained his reasons for opposing a quarter percent increase in the county sales tax to fund repairs to the Henry County courthouse. Mr. Preston is sincere in his opposition, but he is in error concerning many of the facts.

GENESEO—The Henry County Economic Development Partnership (HCEDP) had its third quarterly mayors and village presidents’ meeting on Jan. 29 with representatives from all of the county’s communities meeting to discuss economic development strategy and common issues, needs and goals. I feel it is time to share with the public some of our progress and the information discussed.

CAMBRIDGE—Recently, the Henry County Board approved a referendum to be placed on the ballot for the April election. The referendum is to increase the sales tax by 1/4 of 1 percent ($.25 for every $100 spent). The revenue generated from this sales tax increase will be put in a restricted fund to pay for restoration and maintenance on the Henry County Courthouse located in Cambridge.

 

CAMBRIDGE—At the January 2009 board meeting, the Henry County Board approved a referendum to increase the sales tax by 1/4 of 1 percent to pay for the Henry County Courthouse repairs. There was only one negative vote regarding this referendum — that vote was mine.

ORION—According to Webster’s dictionary, “a tribute is evidence of good: something that is indicative of a value, benefit, or good quality in somebody or something.” On January 16, the Orion Gazette ran an article in “tribute” to Greg Nightingale, a student of Orion High School who died on January 4, 2009. 

EAST MOLINE—Recently there was a rating system for nursing homes in our area. My mother was a resident at Hillcrest Home for three-and-a-half years. She passed away Dec. 19 at the age of 101.