….also at their Wednesday meeting, the board gives the Sumner prison an ultimatum concerning sewer bill payment.
Taverns operating outside of municipalties in Lawrence County, Illinois will be allowed to operate on Sunday’s and offer gaming opportunities. The Lawrence County Board Wednesday approved amendments to the county’s liquor and gaming ordinances that will allow the taverns to be open on Sunday’s from 12 pm til Midnight. County Board Chairman Bill Gray had to break a tie vote on the gaming amendment.
Gray says he still has moral reservations about allowing gambling on Sunday.
The amendment also includes an increase in the licensing fees paid to the county. Gray says even with the increased fees he says the county can expect to see additional revenue of 17-thousand dollars a year.
The County has seen tax revenue drop as a result of businesses moving to Indiana. Gray says they need to start thinking outside of the box and looking at new ways of generating revenue to operate county government.
The Lawrence County, Illinois Waste Water Committee has sent a letter to the warden of the Lawrence County Correctional Center in Sumner demanding payment for sewer services.
County Board Chairman Bill Gray says the state run facility has failed to pay its sewer bill. Gray says the county has threatened to disconnect sewer services to the prison if arrangements are not made to pay what they owe.
Gray says the letter was sent on January 8th. A few days later Gray says he received a phone call from a prison official offering to pay 90-percent of what they owe. Gray countered that the county is wanting the full amount and suggested they work out a quarterly payment. The official said they would get back with Gray. The letter indicated that the prison would incur a 10-percent penalty if arrangements were not made to pay what they owe within 15-days of receiving the letter.