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The Village of East Carondelet has come a long way over the years. Currently their New Park, “The George ‘Red’ Price Park is taking shape with the walking trail and many of the playground equipment in place. Along with the new pavilion’s for patrons to use and seek protection from the elements.
East Carondelet is honored to be home to Ingram Barge Company, the largest barge company in the world. They currently employ about 75 people with several of them being from the Village and surrounding area. They are also happy to have the corner convenience store which is owned and operated by Dave and Alice LaMastus. Also the Jenny’s Mirror Image owned and operated by Jim and Jackie Jackson.
The new community center has been the site for several functions. The community building manager, Jenny Brown handles the rentals and has done an excellent job in making sure the building is kept up and being used. A senior citizens program, “Senior IQ Program” has offered programs to help the seniors improve their quality of life. This program was brought to my attention through a village resident, Sherry Nelson who has a career in nursing. The community Center also has been home to several Trivia fund raisers that have provided funds to our local school district organizations. It has also been home to the monthly Pro-Wrestling shows that help with the cost of operating the center. Most recent the Prairie DuPont Fire Department moved their annual dance to the center and I must say the crowd that attended was impressive (a sellout crowd). All that attended enjoyed themselves and the Fire Department was able to raise funds to help with their equipment needs. Congratulations to all our firemen and firewomen for all the hard work they do.
The village officials consists of six trustees’ Jim Brown, Bruce Gill, Jackie Jackson, Brian Reddick, Herbert Gillispie, and Tina Weller who was appointed to fill the vacant seat when her husband Robert Weller retired, (congratulations to Mr. Weller who has been one of my mentors during my years as Mayor). The Village Clerk is Ruth Price. Village Treasure is Georgia Pursa. These two ladies keep the rest of us in line. They make sure that the village records and finance have a check and balances system.
The Village is also proud of their Neighborhood watch program that has been in operation for several years and has been instrumental in helping detour some of the crime elements. Jackie Jackson heads up the neighborhood watch with the “Red Hat Society organization.” The impressive point of these two programs is that they support the community in other ways above and beyond their main focus. They have raised money for the new park, and they hold an annual Halloween party each year. In the time of need they always step up without needing to be asked.
The village has also been aggressive on updating their drainage system. With the of (IGGD) the St. Clair County Grants department we have been able to install new pumps that help when Mother Nature decides to saturate us with rain. In fact since 1993 up until 2008 the Village of East Carondelet with the help of the County Grants Department has received over $500,000 to not only improve the storm pumps stations, but to repave several village streets and other fundable projects. I would be remised if I didn’t thank our Count Board Representative June Chartrand for all that she had done to help just not the Village of East Cardondelet, but the entire area that she represents. Likewise St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern and the entire St. Clair County Board, thanks for what you do to help improve the Village of East Carondelet.
As Mayor I feel that the future of any community relies on communication. I’ve had the extreme pleasure of having a Board of Trustees that share the same feeling. They have been an asset in making my job as the Mayor easy. Yes there are disagreements from time to time but I believe that makes for a stronger unified government group. Our job as elected officials is to listen, research all possible avenues to a problem and then act on it to the best possible solution. I personally believe you can’t make everyone happy all the time. I have learned that over the years. However, as an elected official we owe it to every resident to do the best we can to make sure our community stays safe, and everyone can have a place to call home. I must say a special thanks to my wife Mickey and my children. They have supported me and I truly love them for that. What is in the future for East Carondelet is a good question? With what is taking place in our great country with the economy, and hard working people being laid off, and those same people that been working their entire life to have a home and maybe in the process of losing it due to these terrible times is a major problem that I hope can be corrected quickly. I can tell you that we will continue to do the best we can with what we have.
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