Altamont Council Acts on Several Infrastructure Matters

Altamont city council acted on a series of infrastructure matters Monday.

The Council approved a consulting forester agreement with Holzmueller Forestry Consulting for development of a timber management plan at the Altamont reservoir.

The firm will be paid $75/hour, plus $10 per forested acre to develop a 10-year plan, including what timber to cut. The forester will mark what trees should be cut. 

The Council had earlier discussed who to hire to do the actual cutting of trees. The sale of the timber to be cut should be a source of revenue for the water department.

Council members also approved two agreements with South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission. One agreement is to monitor progress and to submit required reports for $30,000. SCIRP&DC will monitor a sewer line project in the northwest part of the city. The firm was also hired for $2,500 to write a grant request for $550,000 to help finance water line replacement along Main Street, north of US Route 40.

The Council agreed to spend up to $155,000 for SCADA System replacement items for both the electric and the water departments. The electric department will pay up to $85,000 while the water department will pay up to $61,700. The SCADA system helps monitor the departments, including during unstaffed hours.

Altamont council members also approved the purchase of a squad car for up to $35,000; approved allocating $20,000 in tourism funds for Altamont's Sesquicentennial Celebration; and approved the purchase of an easement from the Schultz family for a sanitary sewer lift station force main replacement on the city's far south end.