$16,805,500.00 In Jeopardy!

In clear dictatorial fashion, Chris Patrick, current Edgar County Board Chairman confirmed he canceled the County Highway Meeting.

Reason for Canceling the meeting?

“I wanted to!”

Over $16 million dollars in projects on hold because of the confirmation from IDOT that Chris Patrick has a Conflict of Interest, and the very man in that position of confirmed conflict cancels the meeting!

Not one mention of resolving this matter all while over $16,000,000.00 dollars is in jeopardy of being lost thanks to one person who thinks he is above the law.

It appears that even some of the board members don’t realize the ramifications of what is happening, as some have told local business’s who have expressed concern that it’s not but a couple of grants in question.

WRONG!

It’s $16,805,500.00 that has been FROZEN as we speak!  Don’t think it’s that big of a deal? A vast amount of that money may very well be LOST if this is not resolved this month.

Here is the list of projects that will be lost if this is not resolved!

• HSIP County Wide Sign Upgrade
• STR/MFT Lower T 4 mi STH of US 150 to STH of WAL-MART
• MFT/TARP Vermilion Road CH 1 Resurfacing from Lower T to Vermilion
• MFT/TARP Cherry Point Road CH 13 Resurfacing from CSX RR to 1200th Street
• TBP Bridge Replacement Stratton Township
• TBP Bridge Widening High School Road
• IKE PI Grant Brocton
• IKE PI Grant Metcalf
• IKE PI Grant Kansas
• STR/MFT Clinton Road Widening and Resurfacing from Eads to East of RR Tracks
• MFT/TARP Shiloh Road Cold Mix Resurfacing from ILL 133 to Horace-Brocton Road
• HBP/TBP Bridge Replacement Elbridge XMAS Tree Road
• HSIP/MFT Heelens Dip CH 1 Safety Improvement
• MFT County General Maintenance
• IDNR/MFT Trails Multi-Use Path Phase I Cherry Point Road
• ICC GCPF Applications (4 locations)
• HSIP Grade Crossing Application High School Road
• HSIP/MFT Lower Terre Haute Road from US 150 to South of WAL-MART (Intersection)
• STR/MFT CH 8 From IL 49 to East edge of Brocton Widen and Resurface, Drainage
• MFT Scotland Road Improvement
• MFT Maple Avenue Improvement
• MFT/TARP Redmon Road
• ITEP Clinton Road Enhancement
• MFT County General Maintenance
• HPP/CP/TARP/MFT High School Road Upgrade
• DCEO Energy Upgrades
• MBP/TBP Illinois Major Bridge Program Symmes Township
• TBP Township Bridge Program
• MFT/TARP Springfield Road
• IDNR/ITEP Trails Phase II
• USDA AMS RBEG / TBP Staley Bridge
• FEMA/IEMA HMP PDM Projects

Not only is this list significant, but its impact on the community can’t be quantified in dollars it’s so big.  Townships in this entire county are waiting for signs and it’s those very signs that prevent further liability for township government.  Three communities have been working on a fix for flooding and drainage for years and right at the point money is getting released to solve those problems, it’s frozen and potentially lost!

That list represents projects that span three years on behalf of the county and it’s clear it will effect local truckers who haul for the county as well as all those business’s that support those operations, such as fuel haulers and mechanics and who knows how many other construction related operations.

Single-handedly Chris Patrick is going to bring this county to its knees for reasons no one can comprehend and it’s going to cost a lot of people their livelihood.

I can only ask, where are the leaders in this community that are going to stand up to these people and demand the law be enforced? 

Chris Patrick has sold materials to the county while sitting as the County Chairman and has violated his very own recusal letter and IDOT has informed the State’s Attorney that there IS a Conflict of Internet.  What does it take for the wheels of justice to turn?

The people of this county are going to have to stand up and demand a resolution to this matter.

Where are the men with the courage to stand for what is right?