The recently formed Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District Council has hired Lester Sterman, the long-time executive director of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, to serve as its chief supervisor of construction and works. While the addition of this veteran administrator increases the Council's odds for success, the effort faces huge financial challenges.
About 35 percent of the funding for the levee repairs was expected to come from the new quarter-cent sales tax that has been being collected in Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe counties since January 1st. The rest--about 65 percent--was expected to come from the federal government; unfortunately, the economic recession has hurt collection of the new sales tax revenues, while reports indicate an unwillingness for the federal government to provide its anticipated share.
Jim Pennekamp, special assistant to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's chancellor for regional economic development and executive director of University Park as well as chairman of the Madison County Flood Prevention District, serves as president for the Council. Dan Maher, director of administration for St. Clair County and chair of the St. Clair County Flood Prevention District, serves as vice president of the Council. John Conrad, editor and publisher of the Monroe County Independent and chair of the Monroe County Flood Prevention District, serves as secretary/treasurer. Two additional commissioners from each county round out the nine-member Council.
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