Candidates in the March 5 election for St. Clair County Commissioners in the three districts up for election this year are invited to speak to the public Monday.
For the 55 days until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took over, there was a near-constant state of confusion over who was or who should have been in charge of fighting the fire, and who would pay to put it out.
State and local authorities faced uncertainty and confusion over who was in charge of putting out an underground landfill fire that burned for three months.
St. Clair County Commissioners late last week approving two millage proposals that will be placed on this coming August's primary ballot. Commissioner Jorja Baldwin says voters will be asked whether or not to approve increases for the library and a new millage for Tri-Hospital EMS. "There is a library millage now, but this is a half-mill increase," Baldwin told WPHM. "The ambulance millage is new, currently it's a user fee based service and we've gotten to a point where revenue isn't' meeting their needs." The library millage would collect over $8 million over ten years and could go towards building a new main branch library. The ambulance services millage would collect about $3.5 million over four years. It would be used to reimburse providers such as Tri-Hospital EMS, Marysville, and Richmond-Lenox EMS which are the three ambulance providers serving St. Clair County Residents. Other millage proposals that were previously approved by the co
St. Clair County Commissioners have approved a proposal to change the form of leadership at the St. Clair County Health Department. Under a plan that passed 4-to-2 during Thursday afternoon's meeting, commissioners will seek to hire a full-time Health Officer position and part-time Medical Officer. Currently, Dr. Annette Mercatante serves in both capacities as Medical Health Officer. Commissioner David Rushing, who has been a vocal opponent of Mercatante's school mask mandate that was in effect for much of last month, introduced the proposal. Asked by WPHM if he is reasonably confident they could fill the position, he said yes, citing the over $100,000 salary and part-time nature of the new medical officer position. "For a 16 hour position for $100,000 pay, I think we will get applicants for it," said Rushing. He added that Dr. Mercatante is welcome to apply for the new positions. "That would be an option for the county commissioners to consider, and continue b