City Council Considers Funding Requests

Effingham city council members Tuesday heard requests for funding from three entities.

The Council heard a request for TIF district rehabilitation funds for exterior improvements to the Zehner Building on the northwest corner of Washington and 4th. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Westjohn are asking the City to go halves on a project involving painting, new windows, awning and stone work. The total project cost is about $45,000.

Council members heard from Patty Greene of Thelma Keller Convention Center, who requested $25,000 in tourism funds for new risers for the convention center. Greene pointed out the volume of visitors who utilize the center, from 160,000 to 180,000 each year. Greene's estimate was that the Center generates $11.7 million annually.

The Council also heard from local resident Bonnie Mellendorf who, with her sister Arnetia Osborn, is raising funds for an Effingham County Heroes Memorial Fund. The memorial will cost just over $14,000 and is meant to recognize all emergency service branches, past, present, and future. Mellendorf said their memorial will be different in that it won't list names of those who've served, but the insignias of the various agencies. Mellendorf asked for $1,000, but some Council members offered that they might come up with more than that. The sisters are about halfway toward their fundraising goal.

Council members concurred with IDOT in the award of a project to build Calico Trail East, east of Outer Belt West and under that street to improve safety for those utilizing the trail. Kieffer Brothers Construction of Mt. Carmel will do the work for $240,000. The Council also awarded work to Swingler Construction of Teutopolis for $130,000 to relocate the bulk water facility now located along Grove Avenue. Those using the facility now leave water on the roadway, which is especially problematic during wintry weather.

The Council discussed replacing the box culvert carrying Rickelman Avenue through a low spot west of North 3rd Street.

Council members also heard from Director of Public Works Steve Miller that improvements should be made to the Evergreen Avenue and Temple Avenue railroad crossings by the end of 2015. Those projects are handled and scheduled by the affected railroad, not by the City.