McAlister's Deli is Officially Coming to Effingham

McAlister's Deli is officially coming to Effingham.

The City Council Tuesday heard about a complete renovation planned for the former Lonestar location along Hampton Drive. The restaurant hopes to be open by year's end. The facility will be equipped with a drive-through, a rariety for a McAlister's.

There are over 400 McAllister's locations in 26 states.

The Council heard that City staff is proposing a $100,000 offer to McAlister's to aid in the exterior renovation of the facility; the developer will handle all of the costs of the interior re-do of the building. There was no action on that proposal last night.

The Council voted 3-2 to approve an agreement for sewage transport, treatment and disposal of the homes to be developed in Prairie Ace Estates near Effingham Country Club. Commissioners Kevin Esker and Don Althoff voted against the measure. Esker said he was not given the document in time for proper review and is concerned he wouldn't have received it for review had Althoff not raised the matter at a previous meeting; Althoff voted "No" since he believes City funds shouldn't be helping with the cost of a feasibility study of the project. Both said they are supportive of the subdivision project, though, and a vote in favor of an annexation of the subdivision once it is contiguous to the City limits passed unanimously.

The Council awarded a project to renovate a stretch of Rickelman Avenue that will include getting rid of the dip west of the railroad tracks to Effingham Asphalt for just under $700,000. 

City Engineer Jeremy Heuerman shared with the Council plans to resurface Wabash Avenue from 4th Street, west to the CN Railroad crossing. IDOT has agreed to pay their share of the cost of renovating the intersection of Wabash and Banker as part of the project. IDOT will pay $75,000; the City's share of the project should come to about $435,000. 

Heuerman said the stone pillars flanking 5th Street at Wabash will have to be removed as part of the project. The Council appeared favorable to a plan to relocate the pillars to either side of the sidewalk leading into the south entrance of the Courthouse Museum downtown. That work would be done by Goeckner Masonry for about $5,000. Heuerman said photos indicate the pillars have been in place for more than a century and once served as street lights. There are not plans for them to be lighted at the museum, but Heuerman said they will be equipped with conduit, just in case.

Heuerman also reported on plans to put new signage at the public parking lots downtown to clearly indicate where public parking is located downtown. He said one lot per year will be retrofitted. The cost will be $18,350.

Also Tuesday, the City Council:

--passed an ordinance designating areas in the right-of-way by the former Speedway location as contaminated from fuel storage tanks 

--appointed John Richards to seats on both the Fire Pension Board of Trustees and the Police Pension Board of Trustees

--granted permission for a downtown street to be closed for a Tractor Trends event designed to help Effingham County Farm Bureau continue its 100th anniversary celebration

--approved preliminary engineering by Hanson Engineers of Springfield to study where a fourth interstate interchange could best be located south of town

--passed a resolution in support of applying for $9.8 million in grant funds to pay for the City's share of the "missing mile" of roadway that would carry an extension of Rickelman Avenue east to match up with a westerly extension by Teutopolis of Water Street to provide another means of access between the two communities

--heard from Charlene Oberlin that there needs to be a city ordinance requiring vehicles to park no closer than 10 or 15 feet from a property line, since her neighbor parks a motor home along the property line between their properties

--approved an agreement with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Engineers for work at the water treatment plant

--approved the purchase of property for sidewalks along Keller Drive and Outer Belt West

--granted permission for Effingham High School to hold its 2018 Homecoming Parade on Wednesday evening, October 3