1x Update portions in italics.  2x update in italic and underlined.  3x update in a purplish color.

Tonight was another glorious Effingham City Council meeting.  A meeting doesn't seem to go by without the council acting against people trying to make a living in this town.  One has to wonder if anyone on the city council has ever had to struggle financially.  Three of the council members are retirees living off of pensions.  1 is a nurse, and the other is a barber.  In fact, the barber has been on the council long enough to draw a pension from the city when he decides not to re-run or is voted out.  If these people have had to struggle, they must have forgotten where they came from - or they wouldn't be attacking those trying to eek a living.  It's my understanding that some members of the council were laughing about those "homemade" signs.  I can't believe there are those kind of sycophants on our city council that would laugh at someone trying to earn a living.  What's next?  Will they mock those that clean houses?  Or those waiting on tables at restaurants?  Or how about those that pick up our trash?  Nothing said about the numerous vendors that set up shop on Keller/Henrietta Ave?  Or on South Banker Ave?  Interesting.  I wonder what could have motivated the Council to be so upset that they had to pass a resolution to first warn the sign posters, and then fine them?  Our illustrious "acting Director of Administrative Services" suggested they should buy a permit.  Ridiculous.  Better tell Heartland Gardens to take down their "homemade sign" hanging on Mid-America Ave/Rickleman Ave.  That goes for any other business posting "homemade" signs pitching deals, sales or specials.  What about the "For Sale By Owner" signs?  Those signs are homemade.  What exactly constitutes a "homemade sign"?  Does it have to be on vinyl backing?  If so, Mow N' Go were vinyl signs, but written on with permanent marker.  Do they have to "look professional'?  And what is considered "professional'?  Do they have to be made by a business that specializes in signs because anyone can get a banner and vinyl lettering and do a sign themselves.  That's technically "homemade" then.  If that is considered "homemade", then Right To Life, cancer walks, and anybody else with those banner signs with vinyl lettering would be outlawed.   Went to City Hall on June 3rd around 11:30am to get some paperwork, ran into a commissioner up there.  I was informed that the council did not pass any new ordinance or resolution banning signs in Effingham.  Instead, it was just a somewhat reaffirmation of existing ordinances barring such signs.  I was also told the ban applies to both homemade and professional signs.  The clarification is appreciated.  I'm still left wondering if the council will apply this rule uniformly to organizations or others that also post signs, not just garage sales and those mowing lawns.   

At issue tonight was the city council voting against "homemade" signs that are put up around Effingham advertising garage sales and especially a local person with "Mow N' Go" signs.  Wow.  Doesn't the Effingham City Council have better things to do than beat up on people just trying to make a little money (garage sales) or earn a few extra bucks to make it (Mow n Go)? 

We went to Save-A-Lot today (because we were trying to save money) and the place was packed.  Obviously, there are people in this town that are struggling, but yet, "homemade" and professional signs are making the city look bad.  I think everyone that reads this needs to drive the streets around their area and write down the addresses of properties that "look bad" - lawns unmowed, buildings that should be condemned, etc.  Then you need to call City Hall and tell them about real things that are "making the city look bad".  Just off hand, I'm thinking of the corner of Fayette Ave and Banker St.  Numbers posted below. 

How much is Effingham struggling?  How about a 8.6% unemployment rate.  Take the surrounding counties with Effingham added in, and that unemployment rate sits at 11.1%.   Both numbers don't reflect those that are underemployed, have stopped looking for work, or construction workers currently employed that would otherwise be counted within these numbers.  Am I splitting hairs here?  You tell me because these numbers were just recently updated on the city of Effingham's website.  Earlier today, the numbers on the website sat at 10.3% unemployment for Effingham, and 12.3% in the surround areas including Effingham.  And the Effingham City Council is concerned about "homemade" and professional signs.  Good Lord.

Another issue is Todd Hull, when recruiting businesses for Effingham, takes an average of Effingham's wages/salaries and tells the companies what they could/should pay when coming to Effingham.  Sounds like the Effingham City Council, who Todd Hull is ultimately responsible to, is allowing Hull to deflate wages and salaries.  God forbid someone come in this town and compete for business or pay a decent wage.  The Council can try to shift blame all they want, but they are responsible in the end for allowing this to happen.  Hull has been our "Economic Development Director" for quite some time now, and Effingham is really not that much better off than it was when I was in high school in the mid-90s.  Same minimum wage jobs, more TIF districts, and now we are purposely telling companies what they can pay?  Todd Hull needs to go, period.  There needs to be new blood up at City Hall to give this town a jumpstart.  Navistar is looking to relocate and is having problems with suburban Chicago fighting that relocation.  Fort Wayne, IN is trying to woo them from Illinois.  Has anyone at City Hall even contacted Navistar and asked them to look at Effingham?  Probably not.  4000 jobs.  That's only what they might bring with them.  But we're concerned about "homemade" yard signs.  Sad.

I forgot to mention in the above paragraph that the median household income for Effingham is roughly $34, 761.  Average salary in Effingham is roughly $26, 492.  How does that compare with the national numbers?  US median household income is roughly $52,029.  US median income is roughly $58, 029 according to a report by the New York Times. 

Here's the deal.  If you are tired of this City Council treating the common voter, the common taxpayer(!) like dirt, then give them a call.  Here are their phone numbers.  Before anyone gets upset about me posting their numbers, their numbers are also posted on the city website.  In no particular order...

Commissioner Karen Flach -  217-342-4930 or email her at flachkar@ci.effingham.il.us
Commissioner Merv Gillenwater - 217-342-2555 or email him at gillenwm@ci.effingham.il.us
Commissioner Alan Harris - 217- 821-2217 (no email provided)
Commissioner Larry Micenheimer - 217-342-5278 or email him at heimer@consolidated.net  Phone number listed is incorrect, not sure what correct number is, sorry.  I pulled this information from the city's website. 
Mayor John Lange - No phone or email provided, so call City Hall at 217-342-5304 or email the Mayor's Office at kemperja@ci.effingham.il.us

I was going to post the phone number for Mow N' Go but the signs have already been taken down, so if you have the number, send it to us and we'll post it here.  Better yet, if someone would like to donate making some "professional signs" for Mow N Go, please do. 

One last thing.  The way this council legislates reminds me of A Christmas Carol.  So as a treat, I've included a scene where Marley visits Scrooge.  Marley reminds me of the people of Effingham, Scrooge is the Council.  There is one scene in this clip, where the single mother is holding her child and it is obvious that they are destitute that reminds me of those just trying to make a few extra bucks.  I hope the Council remembers to look around the next time they are at Wal-Mart, IGA, or elsewhere.  Try to take notice how many people are using Link cards.  Try to look to see how many people are watching what they are buying (off-brand, etc.).  Remember that next time you laugh, and disparage someone trying to make a few extra bucks instead of being so concerned about how the city looks because apparently it's not the unkept properties in Effingham "making the city look bad" but "homemade" signs being the culprit for trashiness.  Amazing.  Enjoy the clip.