Ameren Illinois President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Mark recently presented the keys to a 1997 Ford F-800 truck to Caseyville Mayor Leonard Black. The truck was a donation from Ameren to the village.

From left, Gussie Reed, Division V Director for Ameren Illinois, Caseyville Mayor Leonard Black, Ameren Illinois President and CEO Richard Mark, and Paula Nixon, Community Relations Coordinator for Ameren Illinois. In the bucket, is Ameren Illinois Lineman Mike Sapienza. Mark was presenting the keys to Mayor Black / Photo by Brian Bretsch

The energy company donates vans, trailers and pickup trucks to municipalities on a regular basis, Mark said. He estimated Ameren receives about a dozen requests each year. If the requests can be honored depends on the number of vehicles that will be leaving service and the condition of the vehicles.

The way a city and Ameren use a truck is much different, Mark said, which allows the company to donate a truck that is no longer suitable for Ameren’s needs, but a good fit for a city.

“Our guys use this 10 hours per day, that is much different than one time per week,” Mark said.

Caseyville will use their truck for tree trimming, hanging flags and decorations and changing bulbs in pump stations, Black said.

The donation is part of Ameren Illinois’ corporate strategy of giving back to the communities it serves, Mark said. In 2013, the company gave $7.5 million to not-for-profit and charitable organizations. The donations came from the corporate charitable trust and not directly from consumer rates, spokesperson Brian Bretsch said.