Teutopolis considers new community alert system

Oct. 5—Following the accident just outside of Teutopolis last week involving a truck transporting anhydrous ammonia — which killed three members of a local family and two others from out of state — the Teutopolis Village Board is considering investing in a new community alert system.

The board held its first meeting since the accident Wednesday night.

Teutopolis Village Foreman Carl Pals was the first to mention the recent tragedy during the board's meeting, telling members of the board that the village should seriously consider requesting the reduction of the speed limit for trains passing through the area to prevent a similar accident from happening on an even larger scale.

Pals cited the train derailment in Ohio in February as an example of why taking such precautions might be necessary.

"You know, we had this tragedy, and I think that the village and other villages along the railroad, CSX, should write a letter to that company and have them do a school speed limit just like we do on the highway," Pals said. "And I'd rather have them wreck it 20 miles per hour than 65 miles per hour. We don't want another bigger catastrophe."

Pals also told board members that the village has received the two new radar signs it's installing in an effort to slow down the traffic which has been diverted through the village since construction began on Interstate 70 in March.

The signs include red and blue flashing lights.

The board agreed to have the two new signs placed on the east and west side of the village.

Meanwhile, members of the board expressed their desire to do something to recognize the first responders who came to the area after the accident to help injured residents and assist with the evacuation process.

"At some point, I wouldn't mind seeing the board do some type of acknowledgment thanking all of the first responders for the event, getting everybody out of their houses," said Trustee Dan Zerrusen said.

Village President Dave Repking said he recently asked Teutopolis Fire Chief Tim McMahon for a list of every department that responded to the accident Friday, as well as over the weekend. He said he plans to at least send letters to each of them.

"To me, a simple thank you isn't enough," Repking said. "To think of what those guys did, to go in there without really knowing exactly what was going on at first."

Repking also said that he spoke with the mother of an EMT from the Montrose area who was among those called to the scene in the moments following the accident.

"Fifteen years, he's been an EMT, and he said it was the worst shift he's ever worked," Repking said. "And he said, 'I don't ever want to go through another night like that.'"

Teutopolis Village Trustee Dave Tegeler suggested that the board hang a banner outside of the Teutopolis Village Hall as a show of appreciation for area first responders.

Also in light of the recent tragedy, Repking asked his fellow board members to consider the use of a community alert system, TextMyGov, to improve the village's ability to share urgent messages in a timely manner with as many residents as possible.

"You can do emergencies," Repking said. "We can do things for the water department, the street department."

"That'd be good for boil orders," Zerrusen said.

Repking said other communities that use TextMyGov includes Effingham, Altamont and Greenup.

According to Repking, it will cost the city $4,300 for its first year with TextMyGov. The next year will cost the village $3,800.

"To me, it's going to save us money and time," Repking said. "There's so many features with this."

Additionally, Teutopolis Village Clerk Amy Vahling said the village could include helpful information and maps that might be relevant to a particularly situation like last week's accident.

"I got chewed more than once this weekend because people didn't know where the railroad tracks in T-town were," Vahling said.

Although it's quite simple to sign up for these alerts, Village Attorney Tracy Willenborg noted that residents must opt into TextMyGov themselves.

"We have to get the message out," Repking said.

As board members discussed the possibility of using the alert system for a variety of notifications, Tegeler expressed his concern that too many text alerts will overwhelm residents.

"The only problem with that is, all of a sudden, you're going to overload all these things, and people are going to stop looking at them," Tegeler said.

Repking said that while setting up the new system could take up to a month, he said it could be installed in as little as two weeks.

"I'm all for looking into this," Teutopolis Village Trustee Christina Mette said.

After the meeting, Repking commented further on the recent tragedy that claimed several lives and injured others, saying he went to the area where the accident occurred on Saturday and thanked area first responders.

"On behalf of the village, we extend our prayers and sympathies to the families, not only those that passed away, but that are also still in the hospital and injured," Repking said. "It was a terrible terrible accident and tragedy, and thank you is not enough."

He also expressed his appreciation for the first responders who came from Danville, Champaign, Dieterich, St. Elmo and other communities to help with the situation, and he said this is just a "drop in the bucket" compared to the number of departments, groups and individuals who helped in the moments and days following the accident.

"I got choked up when I looked at that," Repking said.

Village Trustee Greg Oseland was absent.

In other matters, the board:

—Approved the refunding of the bond money on Lot 55 in Prairie View Subdivision.

—Approved a payment to Siemer Milling Company, Inc. in the amount of $29,047.38 from the TIF 2 Special tax Allocation Fund per TIF Development Agreement 1 by and between the village and Siemer Milling Company, Inc.

—Approved a payment to Brumleve Properties, LLC in the amount of $1,499.82 from the TIF 1 Special Tax Allocation Fund pert TIF Redevelopment Agreement 1 by and between the village and Brumleve Properties, LLC.

Nick Taylor can be reached at nick.taylor@effinghamdailynews.com or by phone at 618-510-9226 or 217-347-7151 ext. 300132.