The Wyoming Area Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Corn Boil this Saturday, July 18, in Wyoming, Illinois.  This popular event is being held in Thomas Park with room and shade for all attendees to enjoy.  The Corn Boil will begin at noon with food and a kids’ parade.  You can enjoy lunch, snacks, and/or dinner serving to 7 p.m.  There will be plenty of fresh corn on the cob plus a variety of other food offerings.

Be sure to bring lawn chairs for your personal comfort.  There is plenty of shade, many events to view and a terrific band to enjoy.

Food offerings include, not only the fresh sweet corn, but corn fritters, corn dogs, nachos w/corn salsa, rib eyes, pork chops, pork burgers, and hot dogs.  The After Prom Committee will be serving fresh lemonade and 4-H will be serving ice cream.

This is a whole family, good ole summertime celebration.

Drawings will be made for cash prizes up to $500.00 so you enjoy the day while hopefully winning some big cash.

The schedule is roughly as follows:
Noon to 7 p.m. Food tent open
Noon to 12:30 Kiddy Parade
12:30 to 2:20 Kids Water Fight
1:30 to 4:30 Children Games
2:30 Break-a-thon Demo
3:00 to 6:00 Dunk Tank
3:30 to 5:30 Kid’s Tractor Pull
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  ‘Second Mortgage Band’

Prizes, arts and crafts, raffles and many more activities are also offered.  Plan on attending to have a good family fun time, close to home.

Voices became raised during a discussion about fees for the City of Toulon’s TIF Fund.
“This subject should be handled by our legal counsel,” said Phil Albertson, city alderman.  “It won’t be solved by discussion.”
The firm of Thomas Jacobs & Associates was hired to establish a TIF area and administer the account.  The City of Toulon sent the final payment of $24,500 to Thomas Jacobs & Associates in January of this year informing them that their services were no longer needed.
“As far as I’m concerned,” said Albertson, “done means done.”
Dan Walker, representative of Thomas Jacobs & Associates rejoined with, “What specifically is done here?”
Walker presented the council with a bill of $12,747 during June’s meeting stating that the firm was due monies from 2007.  The issue was tabled until July.
After Walker and Albertson stated their viewpoint on the matter a few times, Albertson proposed a meeting with council, the previous mayor and prior council to determine what needed to be done.  The council approved the motion.  The meeting will be a TIF committee meeting and is open to the public. A meeting date will be scheduled sometime this month.
Mayor Rick Collins had called Walker, asking questions about the TIF.  “I’ve been working on this problem for six months,” Collins stated.
Due to the change in council members over the past election, the TIF committee will re-assert its application process and guidelines for requesting TIF assistance.

Old Settlers
The city approved plans from the Old Settlers committee to set up a beer tent.  The tent will be set up in the street, near the west entrance of the State Bank of Toulon and parking lot of Aunt Martha’s building.
Hours of operation will be from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and 3 to 11 p.m. on Saturday.  The tent will be administered by Off the Track proprietor Dave Kolditz.  Tickets will be sold for $2 for a 10 oz. drink of Bud Lite or Miller Lite.   Other drinks may be available on request.
The tent will be available during the day for attendees to sit under the shade.  Admittance requiring valid ID will be enforced during operating hours.
“We hope this will be an enhancement to our entertainment,” said Old Settler representative Jason Musselman.  “We want to entice more people to attend, while keeping in mind this is a family event.”
The city council approved the plans and prepared a letter for the committee to acquire a state liquor license.

Brush cleanup
Mayor Collins stated that he has received several positive comments about the organized clean-up day the city council members organized back in May.  The city continued it’s clean-up by renting a wood chipper to dispose of brush and branches for $2,500.
There are several areas city employees have cleared up and many more that are being considered for the future.
After reviewing budget items with finance chairman Phil Albertson, Shane Milroy made a request to purchase a wood chipper for $11,000. The council approved the purchase.

Other business
The council approved the cost increase for animal control for the city from $50 a month to $250 a month.
Mayor Collins gave an update on the Durbin property stating that they must begin clean-up within two weeks or the city will move on their property.
“We want to get these properties cleaned up,” said Collins, adding.  “I’d still like to see the library downtown.”
The city council approved a sponsorship ad for the Stark County Athletic Boosters in the amount of $70.
The council did not appoint a council member to fill in the vacant seat last filled temporarily by John VanDran.  The mayor has 90 days to fill the vacancy.
The next city council meeting will be on August 10 at 6 p.m.

Residents of Bradford are forming a Neighborhood Watch for the town.  Interested participants are encouraged to contact the Bradford Village hall for contact information.  Spokesperson for the group, Jim Robinson, asked the village to provide some signs to be displayed in the area.  The village will take the request under consideration.
“We’ve taken to patrolling the area and we think it’s helping,” said Robinson.  “We’d like to have more help.  Residents have been watching and reporting to the authorities.  We are making a difference.”
Nelson relieved of duty
The Bradford Police Chief Loren Nelson was temporarily relieved of his duties as Bradford’s Chief of Police due to medical reasons.  The trustees are expected to ask Nelson to return all village property until his reinstatement.  The council has hired a part-time officer to patrol while Nelson was not on duty, but no further plans for a permanent replacement have been made.

Employee benefits
The village voted to discontinue the POP plan for employee’s share of health insurance.  The village will continue to pay for half of the employees health insurance premium, but the amount must be included in the employee’s W-2, for tax purposes.
The retirement match for employees will also be handled by the village.  Proper paperwork must be filled out due to the change in reporting policies by state and federal authorities.

Other business
The village voted to begin a village website and commit to a $20 a year fee for domain registration fees.  The web site will be updated by trustee member Dave Firman’s wife.
The board voted to approve a $635 payment to Hoerr Nursery to replace a damaged tree on Main Street, and for $330 to T Hall Construction to repair swimming pool fencing.
The board voted to give an amount not to exceed $9,000 to the Country Café for reimbursement of repairs on the building.
The board voted to approve a payment request to Judd Construction in the amount of $55,384.  Payment will be made after all the required paperwork has been submitted.
The next board meeting will be held on August 3.