3 months ago Mary Griffith
Ordinance will appear next week on ending aggregation program
After much debate, The Quincy City Council voted 8 to 6 Monday night to pass a resolution giving the Quincy Society of Fine Arts a $25,000 appropriation from the food and beverage tax proceeds.
Arts Quincy will use the money to apply for state and private grants to boost arts tourism. The money was already allocated in the current city budget. Those voting no say they oppose the city funding not for profits, although GREDF and the tourism bureau regularly get city tax dollars.
Quincy council members also voted 8 to 5 with 4th Ward Alderman Tony Sassen abstaining to end making contracts with Constellation and Simec for electric rate aggregation. Aldermen voted to end an arrangement which started 12 years ago when Quincy voters went to the polls and said they wanted a choice at cheaper electric rates. Aldermen now say it is too cumbersome for citizens to have to call Constellation to opt out of contracts when the Ameren price is less expensive. Even if a cheaper price than Ameren can be found in the future, the aldermen voting to end the relationship say the government should not be involved in personal citizens financial choices. An ordinance formalizing the end of the aggregation program will have a first reading next week.
The feel good moment of the night came when Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates presented a letter of appreciation to private citizen Steven Fuller. Chief Yates said that on the morning of September 5th, Fuller was on his way to work when he came upon two police cars stopped near 18th and Spring. Soon, Fuller realized the officers were trying to save a life. A teenage boy had become pinned beneath a car he was working on when the jack slipped.
Fuller rushed in to help the officers lift the car just enough off the trapped boy for him to be freed. Yates told Fuller he saved a life.
Fuller, a father of four small children, thanked the city for being a great place to live.
