Capital Improvement Projects Moving Ahead in City

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Published on April 6 2017 11:06 am
Last Updated on April 6 2017 11:06 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham City Council members discussed a variety of capital improvement projects at this week's meeting.

The Council agreed to vacate the portion of Section Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets and an undeveloped alley between 2nd and 3rd Streets that was mapped between City Hall and the police station. Those vacations are helping clear the way for construction of a larger police station building south of City Hall.

The Council rezoned land at 404 North Oak Street from single family residential to multi family residential to allow for construction of an apartment building on the property just west of the Effingham County Health Department building. A right of way was purchased for $1,800 for the East Rickelman box culvert replacement project. A plat was approved for Gebben Subdivision, for Prairie Oak Apartment Subdivision, and for Third Municipal Subdivision.

Council members accepted a $62,685 proposal from Spectra Tech LLC for manhole covers for this year's manhole rehabilitation project, and contracted with Farnsworth Group for construction engineering on the reconstruction of Luther Drive from the Fayette Avenue frontage road to the old Lutheran cemetery. Also finalized was a joint agreement with TREC for the bike path program and construction of a trail head. The City received a $934,400 grant for the work, but the City has to provide a 20% match. TREC agreed to go halves with the City on the 20% match.

The Council awarded a bid to Kieffer Brothers Construction for $292,974 for construction of a stretch of trail to the pedestrian/bicycle bridge crossing the interstate, approved design work for an eight-inch water main replacement project from Temple Avenue north to the end of Second Street just north of Catholic Schools Track at St. Anthony High School, discussion a storm sewer project on Charlotte Street, and discussed agreements with Lake Sara Area Water Cooperative and with EJ Water Cooperative to designate where each of the entity's territory lies.

Council members discussed engineering services for reconstruction of Henrietta Street from Temple Avenue north to Heritage Avenue, discussed preliminary engineering work on resurfacing Main Street downtown from Jefferson Avenue north to St. Anthony Avenue, discussed preliminary engineering work on resurfacing Clark Avenue and Lawrence Avenue from Banker to Park Streets in the area of Bliss Park, discussed a water main replacement project along South Banker Street from Wabash Avenue south to the south side of the railroad crossing by Bob's Discount, and discussed a proposal for GIS database and online mapping for City crews when they're in the field.

The Council this week also got no comments from the public on the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins May 1, allocated $15,000 to Effingham Noon Rotary for fireworks for the community Independence Day celebration, agreed to temporarily streets downtown on May 5-6 for the Effingham Artisan Fair, received the annual report from Effingham County Soil and Water Conservation District, met new Accounting Administrator/City Treasurer Randy Bukas who will take over upon Janice Moomaw's retirement, heard from Daniel Angel about plans for a Mexican restaurant along US Route 40 and a request for a liquor license for the facility that is to open in the former Outer Limits Bar building, and discussed plans to contract with Swagit Productions to video stream city public meetings. The firm would be paid to video stream up to 50 meetings per year, including City Council meetings, Plan Commission meetings, and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings. The meetings will be streamed on the city's website but eventually will be seen on Mediacom.

Council members discussed plans from Village Wine and Thursday Thunder sponsors to hold another Effingham Cruise Night on Friday night, May 19 from 5-10pm with certain street closures. Paul Gutman and Boris Bonutti said there were 1,500 participants in last year's event. The plan is to use Autozone as a turnaround area this year and the State is reportedly planning to allow Jefferson Avenue to be closed at Henrietta Street, which is Illinois Routes 32-33. Bonutti also promised, "there will be more Hi-Boys this year". They ran out early at last year's event.

There was discussion about a couple of City job classifications, and more discussion about whether the turnaround time for approval of improvement projects in town could be reduced.