Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise (DBE)
Certification Workshop
The City of Macomb, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Western Illinois Regional Council, and the U. S. Economic Development Administration jointly sponsored a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification Workshop for Illinois Small Business Owners on Wednesday, March 2, 2011. The workshop specifically targeted Disadvantaged Businesses Enterprises (DBE), Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) with helpful tips and the opportunity to meet IDOT and City of Macomb officials. Area small business owners were given instructions on how to do construction-related business with state and local government, and achieve DBE, MBE, and WBE Certification Tips, as well as tips on how to navigate IDOT's website for information. The attendees felt that the workshop was very informative and several indicated that they would be moving ahead with certification in order to grow their business and to create more job opportunities. |
TCR&WMC
Tri-County Resource & Waste Management Council
Tri-County Residents Recycle BigTime in 2010 
THE WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW
The total poundage for each county includes the efforts of residents at home with curbside programs, drop-off sites, and parking lot collection events. Recyclable materials include the traditional residential materials of paper, cardboard, tin, aluminum, plastic, glass, etc., electronics such as computers and yardwaste.
The collection of paint is not counted as recycling, although Warren Achievement in Monmouth produces a reformulated paint from the "good" latex paints turned in for disposal. Over 1500 gallons of reformulated paint is available for purchase at $30 per five gallon bucket, plus tax.
McDonough County has curbside programs in Blandinsville, Bushnell, Colchester, Good Hope and Macomb. There are drop-offs for traditional recyclables in Industry and at Bridegway in Macomb. Electronics can be dropped off in Macomb at the Regional Collection Facility and Colchester City Hall.
Bethel, Eldorado, Emmet, Industry, Macomb, New Salem, Sciota, Scotland and Walnut Grove townships have once a year clean-ups that include recycling electronics.
Yardwaste is collected at the curb in Macomb and at a drop-off site north of Macomb. The McDonough County yardwaste is composted at the City of Monmouth's IEPA permitted compost site.
Mercer County has curbside programs in Aledo, Matherville, New Boston, Sherrard and Reynolds. There is individual curbside pick-up service available in Joy and Viola. There are drop-offs for rural and village residents in Aledo (Wal-Mart), Eliza (Township Hall) and Viola and North Henderson.
Duncan, Eliza, Mercer, Perryton, Preemption and Richland Grove townships have once a year clean-ups that include recycling electronics.
Warren County has curbside programs in Little York and Monmouth. There are drop-offs for traditional recyclables at Roseville, Swan Creek Township, Greenbush Township and Monmouth's Maple City Area Recycling Center.
Ellison, Greenbush, Hale, Point Pleasant and Swan townships have
once a year clean-ups that include recycling electronics.
The City of Monmouth has an IEPA permit for a compost site. Warren County citizens can "recycle" their yardwaste into compost for free.
COUNTY RECYCLING
2010 TOTALS
McDonough: 1506.43 tons
Mercer: 707.08 tons
Warren: 2069.22 tons
Warren County's larger total reflects the combined efforts of the City of Monmouth's Transfer Station where it collects and separates waste and recyclables as they are brought in by residents; the Maple City Recycling Center's 890.22 tons of recyclables and 16 tons of electronics; and Monmouth's Transfer Station's
226 tons of scrap metals and 913 tons of yardwaste.
Lest we forget...the Regional Collection Facility in Macomb! Our own Gene Frakes and Don Johnson prepared 427,770 of electronics for recycling in 2010 and, in five months of up and running time, recycled 103,930 pounds of paint. Way to go guys!
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"I do not want to see us balance the budget on the backs of those less fortunate." - Suzan Nash
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DIRECTIONS - Suzan Nash, Executive Director
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April is almost over and this has been an unusual time. While we generally expect our federal budget to be passed and fully operational in the fall, this year, it was a spring time event. Certainly through the series of Continuing Resolutions and the avoidance of the last minute shutdown, everything was kept moving along. However, now the battles will come as Congress tries to reduce spending and get the deficit under control in its deliberation on the 2012 budget. And all of this in an election year, so it should be very interesting to see what actually gets accomplished and when. Read more...
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The Dream of Owning a Home
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Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC) will be partnering with the Illinois Housing Development Authority again this year to offer the Homebuyer Program to residents of Hancock, Henderson, McDonough and Warren counties. This is a two-year program that will serve 18 potential homebuyers. Assistance will be available for a down payment, closing costs and rehabilitation. Participants are required to be income eligible and be approved for a first mortgage through a participating lender as well as contribute at least $1,000 toward the down payment of the home. WIRC will hold public meetings in May to introduce the program to the public. Applications will be accepted after the public meetings have been held. WIRC currently maintains a waiting list for this program; individuals wishing to be added to the Homebuyer waiting list can call 309-837-2997. Everyone on the waiting list will be mailed an invitation to the public meetings once they are scheduled.
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Courthouse Restoration Grant
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The Richard H. Driehaus Illinois County Courthouse Initiative was created in 2009 to provide challenge grants for the restoration of courthouses throughout the state. The initiative is a four-year program designed to provide funding through a competitive review process administered by Landmarks Illinois.
Eligible structures to be considered for grant funding include active or former courthouses that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places or determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places with the intention of becoming listed. Applicants must be not-for-profit organizations or governmental bodies; own the eligible structure or site or have sufficient legal control of the eligible structure or site to permit the eligible project to be completed and protected as required by Landmarks Illinois; possess the capacity to manage the grant funds prudently; have the expertise to execute the eligible project in accordance with its approved conditions; and have the capacity to issue a follow-up report of the project as required to be submitted to Landmarks Illinois within a determined time period. Read more...
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Domestic Violence Ruins Mother's Day
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Victim Services has a poster in its office hallway showing a child leaning his head on a headstone in a cemetery. The caption reads "Every year, Domestic Violence ruins Mother's Day for over 4,000 children...PERMANENTLY." It's rather haunting. The child is obviously hurting, and hurting in many ways he may not understand.
As I've looked at that poster over the years, I have thought of my own mother who would have turned 100 this year. I was blessed, lucky, however you care to call it, to live in a home where she was loved, honored and celebrated not only by my sisters and me, but also by my father. They had almost 60 years of married life together. Then I think of our clients and their children. Their lives have been very different.
Statistics show that children living in a home where one parent figure is violent towards the other are at greater risk for being harmed themselves. About 60% of children living in these homes are also physically abused. But, when the mother is abused, as another poster we distribute says, "they see, hear it, sense it. They feel confusion, fear, and anxiety." Is this what we want for our children?
We need to examine how our society and ultimately our own families and relationships honor our mothers and grandmothers, sisters and aunts who are so important in our children's lives. Do we use just this one day in May to say the niceties everyone expects of us, send the flowers and cards, take Mom out to dinner? Or do we use every opportunity we can to show not only the women in our lives how we value them, but be the example for children, showing them how to engage in healthy, respectful relationships?
Think about it. Then do something about it. -Diane Mayfield
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 NetWIRC Newsletter - Volume 21/Issue 1
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Western Illinois Regional Council
223 South Randolph St.
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 837-3941
patti@wirpc.org
Go to our website!
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