Miller to Continue as City Administrator

The Effingham City Council is expected to vote at their next meeting to offer Steve Miller a multi-year contract to continue as city administrator.

Miller was promoted to administrator when Jim Arndt departed for a City Manager position in Paducah, Kentucky. He had been serving as Director of Public Works. The rehiring was presented by Mayor Mike Schutzbach during the discussion portion of Tuesday's Council meeting and no negatives were heard. City Commissioner Merv Gillenwater was highly complimentary of Miller's performance.

Also Tuesday, the Council purchased a tract of land in HGI Subdivision, south and east of Thelma Keller Convention Center, for $775,495 as an economic development site; agreed to dispose of items no longer needed by the City; granted Sunrise Rotary permission to hold the annual Halloween Parade on Sunday, October 31; agreed to close some streets and parking lots for the Hometown Christmas Event; agreed to contract with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Engineers for recoating of the treated water standpipe on East Rickelman Avenue; agreed to sell property to EBS Development for $450,000 formerly used by the City as the tourism office on Hampton Drive, which Effingham Builders Supply wants to develop with one of their Rent X businesses; agreed to vacate a street and a public utility easement that originally was going to be an easterly extension of Technology Drive; amended the City Code to regulate swimming pools with an option of certain covers rather than fencing as a security option; sold land that was to be part of the extension of Technology Drive to a First Mid Bank and Trust land trust for $119,000; and approved a Scope of Work agreement with Illinois Housing Development Authority to develop a Community Revitalization Strategy.

Council members also discussed amending the city personnel policies and procedures regarding a harassment policy, an amendment to an economic incentive agreement with Kabbes Development Group, a proposal for design engineering services for 2022 water main replacements, an agreement for engineering services with Milano and Grunloh of Effingham for the US Route 40 sewer lift station and sanitary sewer that would run from Salt Creek to Crystal Club Road. 

The Council also heard from Miller that for National 4-H Week, ribbons will be placed on street lights along Jefferson and Washington Avenues downtown October 3-9.