Month: December 2009

Bumbry elated to see sister honored at Kennedy Center event

Posted by ehusar – December 8, 2009

Kennedy Center honorees Dave Brubeck, left, Robert De Niro, Grace Bumbry, Mel Brooks, and Bruce Springsteen stand at the Kennedy Center Honors gala in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Kennedy Center honorees Dave Brubeck, left, Robert De Niro, Grace Bumbry, Mel Brooks, and Bruce Springsteen stand at the Kennedy Center Honors gala in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Alderman Ben Bumbry was beaming at Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting.

He had just returned from Washington, D.C., where he watched his younger sister, Grace Bumbry, an internationally known opera singer, share in the limelight at Sunday’s 32nd annual Kennedy Center Honors.

Grace Bumbry, who grew up in St. Louis, was one of five individuals recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. She was honored for helping to break the color barrier on her way to one of the most illustrious operatic careers of the 20th century.

Also honored at the same event were jazz great Dave Brubeck, legendary actor Robert DeNiro, rock star Bruce Springsteen and comic actor/writer/producer Mel Brooks.

Mayor John Spring commended Ben Bumbry for making it back in time to attend Monday’s City Council meeting. He then encouraged Bumbry to share what it was like to attend such a gala event and watch his sister receive “the highest arts honor in this country.”

“It was something to behold,” Bumbry said.

“It was something to see all the movie stars,” he added, noting how the Kennedy Center was filled with all sorts of celebrities and big-name politicians, including President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and their wives.

“Robert DeNiro is something else,” Bumbry said.

Bumbry, who has spent much of his adult life as a jazz musician, was also pleased to get to see Brubeck, one of his favorite jazz artists. Bumbry said a special surprise awaited Brubeck when a curtain was pulled back a jazz band comprised of his five sons began to play in his honor.

“My sister’s on Cloud Nine. I’m on the other cloud,” Bumbry said.

Spring told him: “It’s just something very special for our community to have Grace recognized like this, and you deserve to be on Cloud Nine.”

A telecast of the Kennedy Center Honors will air nationally Dec. 29 on CBS.

Cost for new Health Department building: $5,348,736

Posted by ehusar – December 2, 2009

The new Adams County Health Department headquarters at 330 Vermont was completed at a total cost of $5,348,736.

County Board member John Heidbreder, who oversaw the construction project on behalf of the county, provided a breakdown on the cost figure.

According to Heidbreder:

• Land acquisition totaled $523,000, with the county paying $394,500 and the city of Quincy paying $128,500.

• Architectural fees, paid by the Health Department to Klingner and Associates, came in at $257,000.

• The construction contract, awarded to Maas Construction, was $4,384,000.

• Various other costs totaled $184,736. This included $43,810 in change orders paid by the county’s General Fund; $41,903 for cubicle partitions, data and telephone lines paid by the General Fund; $27,893 for cubicle furniture paid by the Health Department; and $71,130 for health equipment and lobby furniture paid by the Health Department.

According to Heidbreder, here is where some of revenue for the project is coming from:

• $4,301,810 from a general obligation bond issue.

• $5,593 interest earned on bonds in 2008.

• $90,134 interest earned on bonds in 2009.

• $11,192 due from the city of Quincy for sidewalks.

• $27,195 energy-saving grant due from the state.