Teutopolis Village Board Moves Ahead w/Development Project

Teutopolis Village Board members Wednesday moved ahead with a development project on the village's west side.

The Board approved plans for a Tax Increment Financing district along the north side of US 40, west of Dollar General. The 40-acre tract is being developed commercially by Wooden Shoe Development, and the first tenant has been identified. American Fiber Optic and Splicing will locate its business there, including about a half-dozen jobs. A roadway to be known as Commercial Drive will be built off Route 40 into the development. A.J. Walker Construction of Mattoon was awarded the street project for a low bid of $404,853.67. Water and sewer service will also be extended to the development. Tri-S Excavating of Odin was the low bidder at $203,477.60. The street work should begin within two weeks, with the water and sewer work to follow this fall.

Meanwhile, the Village and the developer is working with IDOT to construct a center turn lane along Route 40 in the area of the project, extending roughly from 3Z Printing to Brumleve Industries. Formal agreement on the turn lane project is pending, and would follow the development project.

Also Wednesday, the village board purchased the building along Green Street formerly used by Toby McMahon as a slaughterhouse for $14,000. The building, which has been in the village since its early days, is located on village property. Village officials plan to use the building for storage.

Trustees also met in closed session and then accepted the resignation of Village Treasurer Eloise Wallin as of September 30 due to medical reasons. The Board also appointed Rita Swingler to succeed Wallin. Swingler will begin September 1 so she can work with Wallin for a month before her departure. Swingler was appointed to fill out the remainder of Wallin's two-year term as treasurer.

Village Board members also discussed allowing residents to drop off tree limbs and yard waste at the village maintenance building. The proposal is to accept waste on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 8am to noon. A village employee will be present to make sure no other waste is dumped. Grass, leaves, small limbs and garden waste would be accepted under the proposal that will likely be voted on at a meeting in September. There would be no dumping on weekdays.