City Council Learns About Community Revitalization Program

(NEW EFFINGHAM POLICE SERGEANT JARED PURCELL)

Effingham city council members Tuesday heard about a Community Revitalization Program.

Amy Bashiti and Kris Walton from the Illinois Housing Development Authority said a survey of the community would be done at no cost to the City. The surveyors would complete a housing needs assessment, would look at the community's infrastructure, and look at economic development possibilities.

City officials seemed receptive to the idea and appear ready to pursue the initiative.

The Council discussed amending the new budget to account for funds being allocated for a housing initiative designed to attract employees to FlexNGate once the plans begins operation. $300,000 would be put up and $2,000 in relocation costs would be made available to workers moving into Effingham County to work for FlexNGate. 

Council members approved the annexation of land into the Enterprise Zone to allow the rail siding along the CSX tracks on the west side of Teutopolis owned by Stevens Industries to make it more attractive for Stevens to proceed with an expansion that is to mean 15 more jobs. Also approved:

--purchase of land for improvements to East Evergreen Avenue

--an engineering agreement with Civil Design for a turn lane off West Wernsing onto South Raney Street

--a proposal for Phase 2 of the Rollin Hills storm sewer project

--a proposal for street improvements in Rollin Hills Subdivision

--a proposal for pavement reconstruction on Outer Belt West, south of Evergreen Avenue

--a proposal for water main looping on Outer Belt West

--a proposal for pavement marking work this fiscal year

--downtown/southtown business area redevelopment program agreements with Chandra Niemerg, DJ's Party Supply, Terry and Susan Poe and from Brandt Investments

--promotion of city police officer Jared Purcell to sergeant

The Council granted a special use permit to Theresa Loy and Loy Holdings at 423 West Virginia Avenue, and recognized Justin Hayes as the new City Public Works Operations Manager as of September 10. Bids were rejected as too high on a new building at the wastewater treatment plant, and sale was approved of a small parcel of land not needed by the City to Bev Phelps adjacent to her home for just over $1,000.

Council members discussed hiring a firm for the city's every-four-year water rate study, discussed an engineering agreement for design of an extension of Heritage Avenue from Henrietta Street east to Medical Park Drive, and discussed granting Village Wine permission to conduct a Cruise Night in downtown Effingham on Saturday, September 11.