City Council Acts on Several Measures

Effingham City Council members Tuesday approved a new five-year agreement with the Effingham County Soil and Water Conservation District.  The City will pay the District $2,500 a year for five years to monitor the Lake Sara Watershed and adjacent watersheds for erosion control and conservation tillage systems.

The Council implemented a 40MPH speed limit on Althoff Drive from Technology Drive to Willenborg Street; and voted to allow a portion of streets to temporarily be closed for the 2013 Effingham Artisan Fair.

Council members approved a Downtown/Southtown Business Area Redevelopment Plan grant for Russ Braunecker Cadillac-Buick-GMC.  The dealership is engaged in a $135,000 renovation project; the City will cover $50,000 of the project cost.  The Council also accepted the bid of $190,000 from A.J. Walker Construction of Coles County for reconstruction of a portion of 1st Street.  Also accepted was a bid from Kieffer Brothers Construction of Mt. Carmel for $160,200 for rehabilitating the Slate Creek sewage lift station.  Council members also approved a final change order on the street light project at Raney and Grove, and approved $19,000 in manhole replacement work on St. Anthony Avenue.

The Effingham Council adopted a resolution directing the City to sign up with the Illinois State Treasurer's office for the Illinois Funds E-Pay electronic payment services; hired a firm to do actuary work on the City's GASB system; and used alternate revenue sources to pay off the bonds that had come due.  The bonds have been issued through the years to help finance various projects.

Council members informally agreed to secure construction engineering services for street projects planned on First Street, Fifth Street and Illini Drive, and also informally agreed to creating a City employee wellness program and to join a health purchasing coalition in efforts to curtail costs.