Transportation a Major Focus at Council Meeting

Transportation was a major topic at Tuesday's Effingham City Council meeting.

The Council awarded a $700,000 contract to Effingham Asphalt for Phase II surface work in Rollin Hills Subdivision, a residential subdivision off Keller Drive. Also awarded was pavement replacement at 2nd Street and Jefferson Avenue. Frank C. Feutz Contractors of Paris will do the work for just over $802,000. 

Council members also discussed whether to proceed with engineering work with Civil Design of Effingham for reconstruction of a lengthy portion of Merchant Street. The project would extend from where the concrete portion of Merchant ends at Eden Drive, north to Evergreen Avenue.

The Council voted to approve $39,300 in crack and seal work on less-traveled roadways in Effingham.

Another transportation-related matter is whether to permit use of golf carts on city streets. The issue came up at a Council meeting in July and was revisited Tuesday night. There was no public comment last night, but Council members again discussed the issue and some guidelines were considered. Some revisions of the guidelines are likely, and no vote is scheduled on the issue at this time.

The Council approved contracts with city police recruits, patrolmen, corporals and sergeants for the next three years with pay increases of 4.5%, 4% and 3%. Agreements were also approved with city telecommunicators, with city public works employees, and with city firefighters. 

Council members granted a special use permit for recycling of Type 2 and Type 5 plastics by shredding in light industrial and non-urban districts for a specific project at a property on 1200th Street. The Council approved rental of billboards in Warrenton, Missouri and Brazil, Indiana to promote Effingham to the motoring public, and finalized the sale of property in the City Business Park to Fritz Krampe. Krampe's plans are to construct a 50,000 square foot warehouse along South Raney Street by the end of 2024. The purchase price was $133,750. 

Council members discussed modifying the boundaries of the Effingham City/County Enterprise Zone. The plan is to add property south of Sur's Woods Drive along North 3rd Street into the Enterprise Zone for commercial development by EL Holdings. 

The Council also heard from Effingham Regional Growth Alliance President Courtney Yockey on City financial support for the Alliance for another year. Yockey focused on projects supported by the Alliance that have benefitted the City. No vote on the matter was scheduled at last night's meeting.