City, Private Developer Commit Money Toward Easterly Extension of Ford Avenue to 4th Street

Effingham City Council members Tuesday voted to commit $50,000 toward a request for a grant that would finance an easterly extension of Ford Avenue to 4th Street.

D & A Farms, which owns the property on which the extension would be built, also committed $50,000 toward the project, valued at $5.1 million. The City is seeking the grant from the State's Rebuild Illinois program.

In red, the proposed Ford Avenue extension would run parallel along Interstates 57/70 to Fourth Street

The City confirmed last fall that they were working on a project that could bring up to 10 retail stores to the area that would be served by the Ford extension. 

Also Tuesday, the Council approved a one-year extension of the Downtown/Southtown Business Area Redevelopment Program. The guidelines have been changed, allocating up to $200,000 for the program. The program also places a limit of 25% of the project cost up to $25,000.

The Council also:

--approved a three-year agreement with Effingham County for use of the County's GIS services at $25,000/year

--approved an agreement with RJN Group for $114,870 to complete the final phase of smoke testing City sewers

--approved the allocation of $15,000 to Effingham Noon Rotary toward the cost of this year's 4th of July fireworks display

--awarded health insurance coverage to Blue Cross Blue Shield for $2,131,802.88; a 4.9% increase over last year for the traditional plan, and 3% more than last year for a HSA plan

--awarded bids for $53,500 for hot and cold mix materials for street maintenance

--approved seeking $25,000 in Small Business Stabilization Program funds for Party Worx to cover monthly expenses

--discussed foregoing lease payments by Arts Connection of Central Illinois for the Effingham Performance Center since the EPC has not been able to operate due to the pandemic

--discussed holding the Effingham High School Homecoming Parade on October 7 and going back to the traditional route for the parade now that the Jefferson Avenue reconstruction project downtown has been completed

--heard from City Treasurer Caitlin Phillips that revenues from the State should hold up for the next month since it will be based on revenues from March, pre-pandemic.