Bret Austin
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The Adams County Board’s Finance Committee went into closed session May 9 to discuss giving themselves raises and lay out a political strategy to deal with potential fallout from voters who might not approve of the action. These actions are not permitted under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. “The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of…
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QUINCY — On July 22, the 25th anniversary of Blues in the District, officials with The District recognized and thanked the four founders responsible for bringing this free music concert series to Quincy — Karol Ehmen, Fran Cook, Bret Austin and Sandy Austin. This group had a vision for family-friendly free public concerts. With the…
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QUINCY — The Adams County Board is reviewing more requests for projects to utilize funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Adams County has received $12.7 million in ARPA funding from the federal government. Finance Committee Chairman Bret Austin said the county has spent roughly $6.5 million has another nearly $4.8 million in pending…
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QUINCY — The Adams County Board approved to spend about $258,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on new election equipment Tuesday night. The current machines are 18 years old. Finance Committee Chairman Bret Austin said the 45 touchscreen DS-200 machines are an improvement to the technology of the voting system. “I think we have…
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QUINCY — Agencies who haven’t turned in an application to receive American Rescue Plan Act funds from Adams County still have a chance to do so. Bret Austin, chairman of the executive committee, said during Tuesday night’s meeting of the Adams County Board that emails were sent to 138 non-profit agencies in Quincy asking if…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Adams County Board unanimously passed its fiscal year 2022 budget Tuesday night that absorbs increases in personnel and employee health insurance. It is a nearly $1.8 million increase over the FY2021 budget. The $61.5 million spending plan calls for four new corrections employees to accommodate the new jail and an additional $600,000…
Read Full Article As Adams County prepares its 2022 budget, the Adams County Board received a little bit of sticker shock on one important item at Tuesday night’s meeting. Finance Committee Chair Bret Austin informed the Board that the County’s employee health insurance plan was looking at a 32 percent increase. “There are not a lot of options…
Read Full Article Bret Austin is confident the funding already received — and what is yet to come — will prove to be a major assistance to Adams County in its efforts to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the health and economic impacts tied to the present situation. “I’m optimistic about the process,” said Austin, who serves…
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QUINCY — The idea made complete sense. Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive action has protected from eviction any Illinois residents who can’t pay rent because of the pandemic since March 2020. Nearly 18 months later, local landlords are ready for the eviction moratorium to expire. “A lot of politicians on the state and federal level are…
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QUINCY — One of the projects to be paid for with money Adams County has received from the American Rescue Plan Act is one step from approval. Another project, however, ran into a roadblock during Tuesday night’s Adams County Board meeting. The County Board voted to approve a resolution to upgrade the county’s network and…
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QUINCY — The executive committee of the Adams County Board can move forward with three projects that will be paid for with money the county has received from the American Rescue Plan Act. Bret Austin, finance chairman for the Adams County Board, said in Monday night’s executive committee meeting that representatives from Bellwether LLC in…
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March 31, 2025
MUDDY RIVER GEMS: THE RELIC HUNTER
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