City Council Reviews Two Downtown Rehab Project Proposals

Effingham City Council members Tuesday reviewed two downtown rehabilitation project proposals.

Attorney Ed Deters spoke to the Council members on behalf of McDevitt, Osteen, Chojnicki and Deters Law Office. The law firm has acquired the former Chesnut Family Music building on Jefferson next door to their offices. The plan is to put a new front on the buildings to make them look like one facility. The project will cost $93,461 with the hope that the City would go halves on the cost.

The other proposal was from E.P. Legends, a business offering women's self-defense and children methods to deal with bullying. The business is located on North 4th Street in the former Effingham Printing Company building. The proposal is to replace windows in the building, which would cost $11,005, again with a request that the City would split the cost of the work.

Council members also reviewed two rezoning proposals.

Jerry and Janet Jansen are asking that 803, 805 and 807 North 2nd Street be rezoned from single family residential to general commercial district. They would like to extend the Orchard Inn parking lot to the east to accommodate outdoor events. No objections have been heard from the neighbors.

Mark and Mary Dawn Goeckner are asking that 108 South Cleveland be rezoned from single family residential to general commercial district. Mark Goeckner explained that he wants to tear down the house and build a parking lot on the property. The lot would replace the parking the dealership will lose when they build an addition onto the west side. A couple of neighbors objected to the proposal, one that wants to maintain the residential zoning in the area, the other concerned that the parking lot will increase drainage problems. The Plan Commission recommended the rezoning last week, on a 3-2 vote.

Council members heard that bids would be opened next week on the annual crack, seal and joint program on asphalt streets, and on the reconstruction of Wernsing Avenue from Banker west to the end of the City right of way.

Also Tuesday, Library Director Amanda McKay told Council members that circulation was up 4% this past year, even with the relocation to the new building and the resulting closing for several weeks. 

City Administrator Jim Arndt shared that most funds are in good shape, other than tourism, which Arndt says is spending more than it takes in. Arndt also discussed the end of TIF in 2021 and the work to establish business districts as a replacement revenue source. He also mentioned that the City has zero general obligation debt, allowing for some flexibility should the Council decide to go ahead with a replacement police station project.

The Council reappointed Gary Welton to the Zoning Board of Appeals; approved a downtown/Southtown business area redevelopment agreement with Ed Thomas at Bike and Hike, with the work involving rehabilitation of the building exterior; heard from Fire Chief Joe Holomy on the annual smoke detector and CO detector inspection underway now in the area of town from Fayette to Temple and from Henrietta to the CN Railroad tracks; and were reminded of the 4th of July Festival planned on July 3-4 to be highlighted by the fireworks display on the grounds of Effingham High School the night of the 4th. Effingham Noon Rotary Club is sponsoring the festival and the fireworks.