City Council Finalizes Development Agreement w/Stevens Industries

The Effingham City Council Tuesday finalized an economic development agreement with Stevens Industries.

The agreement insures Stevens' operations in Teutopolis will remain intact, and an expansion to Effingham, establishing an operation in the TQW building on Stevens Avenue in the Effingham Business Park.

The agreement includes Stevens retaining 497 jobs, 494 in Teutopolis and 3 in Effingham, and to get paid $2,000 for each additional job up to 25 jobs per year. The agreement is for three years. The jobs would pay at least $14/hour, a figure Company President Todd Wegman said at the previous Council meeting the company would certainly pay, if not more.

Figures shared with the Council at the previous meeting showed that Stevens anticipates adding 50 to 60 jobs by 2020, seeing a growth in revenue of at least 70% in that time period, and an $18 million investment in infrastructure and equipment.

The Council Tuesday also finalized a special use permit for mixed commercial and residential use in the former Effingham State Bank and Midland States Bank building at Jefferson and 5th, and granted an expanded liquor license to A-1 Food Mart for their expanded operation at Fayette and 4th. 

The Council approved a revised personnel policy manual bringing the City's policy prohibiting sexual harassment into compliance with new State guidelines, and approved revised job descriptions for the positions of Economic Development Specialist and Engineering Technician. Also approved was an amendment to the municipal code regarding how to handle old gas stations needing cleaned up; a contract to pull sump pumps in sewer lift stations to make sure they're operating correctly; and a $20,000 public-private project to install a storm water detention basin in the area of Four Seasons Mobile Home Park.

Council members discussed with the operator of Quick Stop Package Liquor on North 3rd Street why he is requesting a pour license for his store. The operator suggested then he could sell a customer a "can of beer". The pour license, though, only permits sampling of product. Mayor Jeff Bloemker, who is city liquor commissioner, said he would review the request with the operator before a vote on the license takes place.

The Council heard from City Tourism Director Jodi Thoele that attendance and revenue was up this year at Wonderland in Lights in Community Park. Thoele said more than $17,000 in revenue was generated up $3,000 from last year, and attendance was 7,654, up from 5,900 last year. Tuesday night was the final night for this year's display.