Although the State of Illinois I way behind in paying their water and sewer bills for the Vandalia Correctional Center, Mayor Rick Gottman would rather not take on a hollow tactic that has been tried in other parts of the region. Ward One Alderman and Water and Sewer Committee Chair Jerry Swarm asked if the State of Illinois has recently paid anything on their past due water and sewer bills for the Vandalia Correctional Center. City Clerk Peggy Bowen says they have not and that the state currently owes about $350,000 in past due water and sewer bills. Swarm asked is it time to send them a disconnect letter and Mayor Gottman immediately answered “No” saying that Bowen has been talking with State Representative John Cavaletto, who is working to get the city some of the money they are owed. Swarm said that this certainly qualifies as a hardship for the city. Some other utilities have used the tactic of sending the disconnect letter, but this would more than likely be an empty threat—as disconnection by any of these would be highly unlikely.