" Seriously, there should be some sort of a IQ minimum , say at least 85 for any candidate wishing to run for commissioner. Only in good old Mattoon would you see such nonsense as the above. Mr Jones needs to stick to playing the horses, and leave the politics to those with half a brain.

And as for the woman in the wheelchair, it has nothing to do with cars on the sidewalks, she just prefers to ride in the street period. I see police cars drive around her on a regular basis. "

" Bill, if you are going to make the police do their job, you have my vote. It would be very nice to be able to walk in this town again and use the sidewalks. Mattoon does not need more loafing cops. Make the ones we have earn their high salary for a change. "

" I am outraged by the blogs that are on here. To think that I call some of you friends. It upsets me that you have the nerve to say that paramedics who work for private ambulance services dont give the same care as paramedics who work for the fire department. I have had the same training as several of you and even went through the same class. What do you base your opinion on? I feel bad that your department has to go through budget cuts, but to make comments about the care that I give my patients in order to keep your job is WRONG. If I remember right Mattoon Fire had an ambulance in the 1990's. What happen to that ambulance that the City of Mattoon purchased? You make comments about other ambulance services leaving town, what is gonna keep the fire department from selling their ambulances again? So is Mattoon Fire going to run calls out in the county. Are they going to transfer patients from Sarah Bush to other facilities. How many ambulances are they going to staff and at what level. What about the training how much will that be, for the paramedic class, and over-time associated with the class (class time, ride time and clinical hours). If there is no money to retain firefighters now, then where is the money going to come from to pay these expenses. Maybe Charleston Fire Department is going to pay for it, sense they are they ones giving you all these figures. Who are the seven paramedics that are on the department now. I can only count six, and I recently heard one of those were going to another department. Why the long wait in starting a service, if it had been on the table for two years. Dunn's Ambulance will have only been in Mattoon for a year in May. I have also heard that Charleston Fire is interested in a county wide fire department; if this is the case then will Mattoon Fire still have a Chief and Assistant Chief and if so why, when these two positions could be eliminated. So before you start using Charleston Fire figures, maybe you should ask what they are hoping to gain in all of this. One more thing, I don't do my job for the money. I do it because I love what I do. I give the same care to every patient no matter what the emergency is, I don't base patients lives on the amount of money that I make and I'm sorry to the citizens in Mattoon and surrounding communities that you would have to make a comment like that to justify keeping your job. "

" You cant get the city to do a proper job to begin with.Finishing a job to make it look right.And when they do side walk work,they place it over the property line and infringe on your dwellings property. Case in point the end to the new bridge construction on Champaign Ave west of the new bridge. The job stopped at sunken curbs,It looks like HELL! Accross the bridge on the east side there is a sidewalk that is at a 45 Degree angle to the road, What Morron desided to place this there and for what reason is beyond me. Too lazy to cut a stone curb I guess. Part of the side walk leading to the bridge has sunken, A dandy trip hazzard.I was taught that the job ends when it looks right,NOT because it has to end somewhere,but when it looks right. It's not done by a long shot. I over heard the jerk say while on my porch reading the news paper " It isn't my street I dont care". We have the wrong folks doing the work for our city. Your tax money is being wasted by poor planning and work done. "

" Harry Potter How can you put a man down who really wants to good for this city. He is more quaified than any other person running. This man can build roads, bridges,and I am sure he would never have put boiler slag on our streets which our engineer who has many years of schooling and alot higher IQ than 99% of the folks here on this blog.Bill Jones has more knowledge than is needed for alot of jobs in this city and also has more common sense than most people. Did you not read all of what he said in the iterveiw?? He said if he didn't know the answer he would find out and get back to the people.How many times have you heard that from our current council? They won't get back to you with anything. This is a good man and just because he is a black man and he doesn't speak as clear as you,people want to put him down. Bill Jones is an honest hard working man who deserves alot more from this community than to be treated bad on this blog. The city has asked his advise for years on different situations and he has always tried to help in any way possible. "

" He does have access to heavy equipment,knowledge to operate it and connections to dispose of some of Mattoons eyesores,give the man a chance.He'd be better than what exist now. "

" I believe Bill jones is a man who is capable of making honest and fair decisions. He and his family have served this community well for many years and he has never failed to prove he was willing to work hard for everything he has. While working for Walkers Const. he was always willing to do as he was told and always tried to give 100% of his effort to do the best job possible.This man would make a very good commissioner. "

" never mind potheads comment. he is just jealous that Mr. Jones is smarter than himself. "

" You dumba$$ people in this town all want better things for this community but are not willing to give anyone even half a chance. So go ahead and vote in the half wits that built new schools we didnt want or need and give it to the people who are going to think it is okay to use the tax payers money in stupid ways then sit back and complain about it like you all do on these blogs "

" You tell em Bobbi. Hey thanks for gathering up the ladys tues. LOL. "

" As far as eyesores go, Young Radiators, Mattoon Memorial Hospital, 2300 Block of Broadway, Clark Foundry, Kinzel Field. Just to name a few. "

" There you go Micky picking on the old hospital and the less fortunate people who can't get disability. GET A JOB!! "

" Sister Rose

Have you been in the old hospital lately, I have. The south part of the old hospital has completely collasped, the elevator takes at least 3 minutes to get to the 2nd floor, what if it breaks down, no one there to help you. Ther have been multiple fires there, no sprinkler system. The carpet is the color of puke,(probably what is was covered with, the ceiling tiles are falling in, if you don't have an air conditioner on you very small apt, it can easily reach over 100 degrees in the summer, which is why everyone sits outside till 3 in the morning. The rent for these nice rooms is $300 a month, minimum, $50 more if you want to put in your own window air unit. Most of these people would be much better off at Sunrise Apartments, except that Lakeland college students have taken over there. Sunrise was NEVER intended for college students. It was supposed to be Government Low Income Housing.

And by the way Rose. I have never had disability for one day in my life.

Do you still think that I work for the fire department? "

" This is a good man and just because he is a black man and he doesn't speak as clear as you,people want to put him down.

What? Why bring race into the discussion? "

" Hammbone Do you have a son named Matt?? I am a friend of his and trying to get a hold of him, last I knew he was up north. "

" Yes Rohn. He is now in San Diego,I cant give out personal info here but if you would come to the house. I'd could give you contact info. "

" tcb_1968 wrote on Apr 1, 2009 10:27 AM:

" I am outraged by the blogs that are on here. To think that I call some of you friends. It upsets me that you have the nerve to say that paramedics who work for private ambulance services dont give the same care as paramedics who work for the fire department."

I agree with you tcb. Not that I don't think the fire department could do a good job but I did disagree with the statement that the private companies don't care as much as they would. That was a low blow in my book. "

" Hammbone not sure of address just know about where is all. "

" Hey Hammbone can you just have Matt call me?? He has my number. "

" At least Bill Jones knows how to balance a checkbook. Rick Hall is good at spending other peoples money, just look at how much he opposed PTELL. He also had no problem voting for new schools when the public voted against it twice. "

" Rohn;


Matt will call you sometime tomorrow "

" I have to roll my eyes at those who can't understand how wonderful the schools in Mattoon are, and what a maintenance nightmare it would have been to continue to try to maintain and repair 100 year old buildings.

The cost of the Amtrak station should be a clue to you. "

" With the exception of a couple of letter to the editor type endorsements, it seems strange the neither Hall or Ervin has gotten any support at all on these threads from any of the bloggers. If this is an indication of their popularity, those two might be in deep trouble. Their free spending habits will probably be what does them in.

I'm sure both of them thought they were doing the right thing, but run away spending is not what we need at this time.

For some reason when people get elected it seems they always get the build something urge, if Hall's case it was the schools, and in Ervin's case it was anything will do, as long as we're throwing money at it.

Perhaps it's something about building a permanent structure that symbolises their legasy, at least in their minds.

Mr Hall got his new schools, and unbelievably after the that, the good folks of Mattoon went on to elect him to a commissioners position. Shame on the voters if they repeat that foolish decision.

Mattoon has some serious problems, but electing someone of Mr Jones ilk is not the answer. If I were to list the real reason for my objections to him, it wouldn't pass the monitor, even though I hinted at it in an earlier post. "

" Dang Bobbie your comment on Apr 1st sure sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. Not everybody blogging on this issue was complaining about Bill, I think I somewhat endorsed him,because I believe he would be an asset to the community.Your complaining about complaining. "

" Harry I do not think IQ has anything to do with the city council, most of the people there now supposedly have high IQs, look how pitiful they have done. Common sense will beat IQ any day. "

" Mr. Hall was not elected by the people. He was appointed to the board. Gee Harry, who is making statements now when they don't know what they are talking about. But don't let that stop you. Hasn't before. "

" Its the means to the end, that has even expanded further, that doesn't sit well with people, not that we now have new schools, alone. From carpeting the entryway at the jr high, to fancy architecture that heavily inflated costs of upgrades, to the 1 millon plus, for a trasportation department for 30+ leased busses, the district has spent all kinds of money wastefully for years, and didn't meet standards in math to boot. The juniors this year, were in lower grades, when Hall was with the schools. He had as much to do with their short comings, as the current bunch does, if not more. Had he been as determined to effectively improve education, as he was the buildings it takes place in, many things should be a very different reality. New schools should have been made a long term goal that was set, not rushed forced and financed. More other than how it was funded, should have been done, to not now see the district strapped for cash yet again, in such a short span. "

" Harry, Mr. Hall was not elected to a commissioner position. He was appointed to fill a vacancy. "

" BW wrote on Apr 3, 2009 3:34 PM:

" Harry, Mr. Hall was not elected to a commissioner position. He was appointed to fill a vacancy. "


Thank you for the clarification, BW. "

" Hey joe hardy, I have to roll my eyes when people disregard the will of the people and vote to build schools that were rejected twice by the voters. You probably think representative government is a bad idea also! "

" HP, thankfully most voters in Mattoon don't share your viewpoints, and probably don't waste time posting here or reading your drivel. I seriously doubt that the lack of "endorsements" from this venue is a problem for any candidate. It is probably a blessing. "

" Archives say Hall left school board, before his term was up, to avoid possible legal entanglements with his occupation and serving on the board, being a conflict of interest. Somehow that is not the case, at the city council position or so he was legally advised. City must be less likely to utilize aspects of his business, than the school district was. What does he do again? Who runs the company? Who is their area competition, in their business? How might the new schools have benefitted his business directly? "

" Here you go this is what I am talking or complaining about,
" Dang Bobbie your comment on Apr 1st sure sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. Not everybody blogging on this issue was complaining about Bill, I think I somewhat endorsed him,because I believe he would be an asset to the community.Your complaining about complaining. "

Seriously, there should be some sort of a IQ minimum , say at least 85 for any candidate wishing to run for commissioner. Only in good old Mattoon would you see such nonsense as the above. Mr Jones needs to stick to playing the horses, and leave the politics to those with half a brain.

And as for the woman in the wheelchair, it has nothing to do with cars on the sidewalks, she just prefers to ride in the street period. I see police cars drive around her on a regular basis. " "

" I remember when the city was wanting to pass the ptel law and Mr.Hall found a loop hole in the system and raised the taxes to the max before the law went into effect.He used an frase stating he had bought his wife a 3 diamond necklace and refered to the past -present- future. Every body there was trying to decide how they were going to pay their taxes after the tax increase came into effect. Our population here has went down every year since.We need people in office that will listen to what the people tell them and do as they want.

This election is coming down to the wire and people need to be reminded that he did this.

Please tell every person you can over the weekend and we will show him the peopleof this city are smarter than he thinks.

Vote for the candidates you think will listen to the public and hold them accountable for their future actions. "