City Council Discusses Regulations on Gaming

(FROM LEFT, EFFINGHAM MAYOR JEFF BLOEMKER, CITY ATTORNEY TRACY WILLENBORG AND CITY COMMISSIONER MERV GILLENWATER DURING THE GAMING DISCUSSION AT TUESDAY NIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING)

Effingham City Council members Tuesday discussed whether to regulate the amount of gaming within the city.

Mayor Jeff Bloemker, who as mayor serves as liquor commissioner, has indicated he doesn't want to be the "gaming commissioner", too. Bloemker said he either wants to let the free market dictate where gaming is available, or wants some restrictions to regulate gaming in town.

The indication from Council members Tuesday was opposition to gaming parlors in town. Also, no one had concerns about the establishments where gaming is already permitted. City Attorney Tracy Willenborg, though, said cities are limited in how they can regulate gaming; either an outright ban on gaming or regulation through liquor licenses.

That regulation can involve what percentage of an establishment's revenue is generated through gaming. Willenborg was tasked with developing some possible regulations for the Council to consider.

Also Tuesday, the City Council heard no comments during a public hearing regarding the sale of bonds that would finance construction of a police station building. The City is looking to sell up to $9.5 million in bonds. City Administrator Jim Arndt said construction is expected to begin in May or June 2017 with completion expected in June or July of 2018.

The Council approved a tax levy for the new fiscal year seeking a total of $4,442,820. That equates to a .057% increase over what was extended for taxes collected this year. Arndt said the revenue generated would meet the City's pension and annual insurance needs.

There was also discussion Tuesday of the purchase of a new fire truck, replacing a 2001 unit. Banner Fire Equipment has made a proposal for a unit that, if ordered, would arrive next summer. Seven bids were received. 

Effingham Fire Chief Joe Holomy said the new vehicle would carry a larger water supply, which he said would be helpful at fire scenes along the interstate and in "no man's land" areas outside the city that are not part of a fire protection district. 

The vehicle has a price tag of $407,945. Holomy said $400,000 is budgeted and the Foreign Fire Tax Committee has approved covering the overage. 

Council members also:

--granted a special use permit for a brew pub to National Trail Development at 403 West National Avenue adjacent to the Amtrak station

--approved rezoning property at 2301 North Raney Street for K&K Investment Company and Kabbes Development Group to highway commercial district related to the upcoming Meijer store project

--hired Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Engineers for $15,000 to evaluate three different systems that could be used as a disinfection system at the waste water treatment plant

--approved a Downtown/Southtown Business Area Redevelopment Program agreement with Four Treats Inc., doing business as Dairy Queen on South Banker to share the cost of exterior renovation work at the business

--okayed $69,000 in additional work on the sanitary sewer system south to the CSX Railroad on the 3rd Street reconstruction project

--purchased a water main easement for $1,000 from Holmes Real Estate in connection with the Banker Street water main and Wernsing Avenue reconstruction project

--agreed to utilize TIF, water fund and sewer fund revenue to make annual payments on four existing bond issues, eliminating the need to levy for the cost of the payments

--heard from David Faller of West and Company about the audit of the past City fiscal year, with Faller mentioning that changing guidelines nationally could affect the rating of Effingham and all municipalities, but likely not, Faller said

--discussed spending $51,000 on software upgrades on the remote system that monitors the waste water treatment plant

--discussed a $25,000 contribution tothe Effingham City/County Committee on Aging for the fiscal year, following a trend of contributions for more than 20 years

--discussed a change in the city's personnel policy manual adding an option for cash and an option for money to be deposited in the employee's VEBA account when the employee utilizes the vacation buy-back program

--discussed the City's new hotel/motel rehabilitation program, where the City would help with the cost of exterior renovations to existing establishments, with the City considering up to $75,000 to assist America's Best Value Inn on the West Fayette frontage road on a $153,000 project that will likely be undertaken next spring