The City of Vandalia is still waiting to get some of their water and sewer money from the state for the Vandalia Correctional Center. At Monday night’s Vandalia City Council meeting, Mayor Rick Gottman mentioned that the city has still not received any payments on the past due water and sewer bills for the Vandalia Correctional Center. And, Mayor Gottman says he and City Clerk Peggy Bowen have both been in contact with State Representative John Cavaletto to try and see if the city can get some of their past due money. Bowen says the current amount owed for water is up to $335,565.51 and the total for sewer is $57,500.17 and that does not yet includes January’s total for sewer.
Meanwhile, Mayor Gottman says there have been stories of communities shutting off water or other utilities for state owned properties—but he says those have been for rest stops or other such non-essential areas. Gottman says the City of Vandalia could not shut off the water to the prison because of the inmates housed there could be not deprived of water.