Noon Rotary Learns About City Building Rehabilitation Program

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Published on November 2 2016 3:39 pm
Last Updated on November 2 2016 3:39 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(FROM LEFT: ROTARY WEEKLY PROGRAM CHAIRMAN GAYLAND BOURLAND, ROTARY WEEKLY STUDENT GUEST JENNA WOLTMAN, AND ROTARY GUEST SPEAKER TODD HULL)

The Effingham downtown area is a beehive of activity with a number of buildings undergoing renovations or rehabilitations.

One of the key ingredients in generating the activity is the City of Effingham's Downtown/Southtown Rehabilitation Program.

City Economic Development Director Todd Hull spoke to the Effingham Noon Rotary Club about the program at Rotary's November 2 meeting.

Hull said the rehabilitation program began in 2003 under former mayor Bob Utz. The plan was to split the cost of downtown rehabilitation work. Eventually, the program expanded to include the boundaries of the TIF District. Where the program included physical rehabilitation of structures, Hull said it has evolved into a program to upgrade the facades of downtown and southtown buildings. He said 56 projects have been undertaken to date.

$200,000 is budgeted annually for the program and it's offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gayland Bourland served as the Rotary weekly program chairman. City Administrator Jim Arndt accompanied Hull to Rotary for the presentation.

The Rotary weekly student guest was Jenna Woltman, the daughter of Dan and Diane Woltman and a senior at St. Anthony High School.