Wamac Dedication to the No.5 Mine Disaster of 1947

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On Wednesday, March 25th the City of Wamac hosted a memorial dedication to those 111 men who lost their lives in the Centralia Coal Co. Mine No. 5 tradgety. More than 300 people gathered at the Wamac City Park to attend the ceremony as Wamac Mayor Jackie "Butch" Mathus unveiled a massive black granite memorial with coal lining the pathway. The event concluded with the reading of the 111 men's names by Wamac Mayor Jackie "Butch" Mathus, Centralia Mayor Becky Ault and Central City Mayor Elect John Johnston.

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2009 Budget Document

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For the third consecutive year the City of Centralia’s Budget Document has been submitted to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for consideration of their annual Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. This award is considered the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. In the past two fiscal years the City has received this honor and is once again proud to present the document for consideration.

The City’s budget document is a powerful tool used by City staff to measure performance, document City and departmental goals and visioning, report tax dollar revenues and expenditures and inform residents of completed, active and ongoing projects. A copy of the Budget Document is always available at City Hall for review and is also posted on the City website for citizens to download.

Elmwood Cemetery Improvements

At the Work Session held on February 23, 2009, staff discussed a special project for Elmwood Cemetery which entailed improvements to the two circles located on Chapel Lane. The improvements will include landscaping, new sidewalk ramps, flag poles, brick paver sidewalks and various repairs to existing curb and sidewalks. The project will also include extending water and electric to the two circles to aid in the maintenance of the new landscaping and to allow for flags to flown at night. The main purpose of the improvements is to create spaces for cremains to be buried and a way to honor our veterans at the Pittenger statue. City staff will be starting the project as soon as the Council authorizes the expenditure in an effort to get the area ready for our annual Memorial Day celebration in late May. Staff will order the sod, which is being used to make the project ready for May, and the brick pavers and flag poles and will start immediately with the demolition of the sidewalks and the damaged curb. We will most likely ask the Council to approve a Change Order to the Lincoln Boulevard Sidewalk project due to the low price extended for the ramps and those will be complete by May 1st. Staff is also working with Jim Shoemaker of Howell Paving to get the first half of Chapel Lane from Gragg Street north to the first circle paved in May. This project is budgeted from the General Fund.

The project will be paid using funds from two accounts in the 2009 budget; Special Projects and TIF #6. Staff has proposed using $15,000 from Special Projects 05-02-0-0-502 and $8,500 from TIF #6 63-02-0-0-503. This will leave an unexpended balance in the Special Projects fund of $23,993 and $24,250 in the TIF #6 fund.

City Wide Cleanup Week April 13th through April 17, 2009

The City of Centralia would like to announce that this year’s spring city wide cleanup event is scheduled for Monday, April 13th through April 17, 2009. The curbside pickup of unwanted household items will take place on the same day as regular scheduled trash pickup. Participation is limited to single-family residences, town homes, condominiums and apartments that do not exceed four units per building. All items are to be placed on the curb by 6 a.m. on the assigned pickup day.

Any item(s) not longer than 5 feet or more than 50 pounds left at the curbside at any of the above defined residential units will be picked up except for the following:

- Yard waste, including grass clippings, leaves, brush and tree material
- Household refuse/garbage that should be put out for normal collection
- Large quantities of rocks, concrete and construction materials including roofing materials,
siding and lumber (small amounts will be taken)
- Large appliances such as freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, dryers, etc. even
if broken up, cut up, crushed or flattened
- Tires or cans of paint
- Large automobile parts such as engines and transmissions
- Lawnmowers or small engines which still contain gasoline or oil
- DO NOT mix with trash to be picked up on normal collection days and DO NOT pile items on
top of other items. Crews WILL NOT sort through material. If an unapproved item is on top
of an approved item, your items will not be collected.

Residents are also asked to place smaller items in a container such as a box or a bag. Please consider recycling any cardboard, glass, aluminum and paper products at Clean & Green’s Recycling Center located on West McCord Street.
All items must be at the curb by 6:00 AM on your normal garbage pickup day. The route WILL ONLY BE COVERED ONCE, NO EXCEPTIONS. This is a service provided by the City of Centralia. The City requests each resident’s cooperation in this project.