Questions Over Funding for Construction Course Highlights Busy Council Meeting

The question of whether or how much the City should help finance a Construction Occupations course for area high school students highlighted a busy meeting of the Effingham City Council Tuesday night.

Bryan Wenthe and Bob Schultz...part of a task force working to put the program together...said they are hearing from area contractors of a dire need for trained construction workers to keep up with the volume of projects underway.

Effingham Mayor Merv Gillenwater, though, wanted to know why the City was being asked for funding, particularly when students from outside Effingham could be participating when area school districts whose students would be benefiting from the course would not be chipping in.

Schultz said area contractors are being approached for contributions and were told they would need to help at an informational meeting held earlier this year at City Hall. He also said the school districts don't have the financial wherewithal to underwrite the course.

City Commissioners Don Althoff and Brian Milleville have been part of the group working on the effort. Althoff said the idea is that the City would help with contributions from TIF dollars for the first couple years of the program. Schultz said when the construction community sees the benefits of the program, they'll be ready to invest.

The matter is going to be on the Council's agenda later this month for discussion and a possible vote, but what the final proposal will be is still up for debate.

Council members informally authorized Helen Matthes Library to borrow funds for the renovation of the former 5th/3rd Bank building into the new home for the Effingham library. The library will seek a $2 million loan from Washington Savings Bank to cash flow and partially finance the renovation of the facility. The library would be solely responsible for the repayment of the debt. The terms are being finalized, so the matter will be subject to a final vote later this month.

The renovation project is to begin December 1.

Council members heard from Lisa Hill-McCay from Buxton, a firm that helps determine what drives tourism to Effingham, who the city's best visitors are, and where most of Effingham's "best" visitors can be found. Not only would the City then utilize the findings to market itself, the information would be shared with local businesses. The project cost is projected at $40,000, which would come from Tourism dollars. A vote on the proposal is expected at the next Council meeting.

The Council agreed with City Administrator Jim Arndt's recommendation on a tax levy for the coming fiscal year. The total levy is based on an estimated equalized assessed valuation of $241,800,000, a 1% increase over last year's valuation. The levy is targeted at strengthening the City's pension funds, but reduces the amount levied for corporate purposes. The levy request is 3% under last year's request.

Council members voted to issue a liquor license to Tappers on East Route 40, and approved a downtown redevelopment project with Joe Sippers Cafe for $31,338, with the City and the business splitting the cost. A utility extension agreement was approved with Midland States Bank related to the bank's upcoming construction of a new downtown facility. It was also agreed to close certain downtown streets on November 29 for the Hometown Christmas event.

Infrastructure improvements were approved, including reconstruction of North Raney Street from Ford Avenue to Rickelman Avenue, and the Council discussed abating the tax levy since earnings on bonds sold for public improvements are sufficient that other funds won't be needed.

The Council also discussed plans to create a business district located on Outer Belt West and Keller Drive. City staff are proposing the project to help jump start development in the area of the district.