City Revenues Are Increasing in Some Areas, But Not All

Effingham City Treasurer Caitlin Phillips told the City Council Tuesday that revenues are increasing in some funds, but not in all funds.

Phillips said sales tax revenue is increasing, including the use tax that appears to be reflective of increased online spending. By and large, though, revenues are down from year-ago figures. 

Hotel/Motel tax revenue has been particularly hard-hit with the downturn in travel. Revenue in that area is down 43%. 

Council members acted on a number of items Tuesday. The Council:

--approved a Downtown/Southtown Business District redevelopment plan with Ed Thomas, owner of Bike N Hike at Banker and Jefferson, involving installation of windows on the third floor of the building, replacement of a door leading to an exterior fire escape, and replacement of the fire escape. The City will go halves with Thomas on the $60,000 cost of the project

--approved a special use permit for Family Care Associates so they can place a COVID-19 screening clinic and immunization clinic on a lot north of their offices on North Merchant Street

--approved a special use permit at 302 East Section Avenue so Lakeside EMS can place an ambulance to handle calls during high call volumes

--approved a special use permit at 1350 Outer Belt West for a radio tower to be erected that will, among other things, hold the antenna for KJ Country 102.3 since Menard's wants to expand south into the storm water detention area where the tower now stands

--approved a replat of Addition A to Cornell Subdivision on Lynn Drive from four lots into one lot

--approved a replat of three lots into one lot in Burke's Subdivision at the corner of Frederic Avenue and South Banker Street owned by the City

--approved a replat of three lots into one lot along Newcomb Drive and Steger Drive in Historic Hills Subdivision

--honored Amy Beckman as City Employee of the Quarter as nominated by Chris Huelsbusch and Matt Wortman

(AMY BECKMAN WITH EFFINGHAM MAYOR MIKE SCHUTZBACH RECEIVING HER EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER HONOR)

--welcomed Emily Bonner as a customer service representative at City Hall in utility billing

--amended the fiscal year by $5,000 in the General Fund to reflect a $5,000 grant received by the fire department and by $120,000 received for Leaking Underground Storage Tank work

--accepted a bid proposal from B&T Drainage for a Maple Street sanitary sewer extension that will run under the interstate and serve the area along a planned easterly extension of Ford Avenue for economic development purposes. The project was one condition under which D&A Farms agreed to annex into the City

--awarded $407,000 in maintenance work at the water treatment plant

--renewed a traffic signal maintenance agreement with Bodine Electric of Decatur

--approved the final plat of Equity Subdivision, reflecting the acquisition by The Equity of 23 acres of ground and the former corporate offices of Mid America Motorworks, which has relocated their offices into another building on the Mid America complex

--renamed Spindler Subdivision to Spindler and Gratz Subdivision and reapproved the final plat of the subdivision

--discussed a professional services agreement with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Engineers of Springfield for engineering work at the water treatment plant

--discussed accepting a quote for treatment materials at the water treatment plant

--heard from Economic Development Administrator Todd Hull that an amendment on the city's Industrial TIF District should be completed soon