City Council Approves New Sewer Rates

Effingham City Council members Tuesday approved sewer rates for the coming four years.

Here are the base user charges for 1,000 gallons of water used:

5/1/24--$7.07

5/1/25--$7.42

5/1/26--$7.79

5/1/27--$8.18

Wholesale sewer rates are 83% of the retail rates.

The Council approved an agreement with the Effingham Unit 40 School District for the cost of school resource officers for the coming three school years. The cost will go up by $1 more per student each year. Council members also approved a redevelopment agreement with Integrity Electric and Plumbing on South 4th Street. Just over $12,000 in exterior improvements to the business will be undertaken with the City covering 25% of the project cost.

Council members awarded contracts for crack and joint sealing work for just over $44,000; pavement preservation program work to extend the life of newer pavement for $382,756; hot and cold mix materials for roadways for just over $48,000; and drainage improvements along Jefferson Avenue from Willow Street to the junction with Fayette Avenue for just under $185,000. Also approved was work by Esker and Walker on Hendelmeyer Avenue and Blohm Avenue including pavement patching and sidewalk improvements for just over $316,000.

Appointments were approved to various boards and committees, including City Administrator Steve Miller to the Police Pension Board of Trustees and the Human Relations Commission.; Patty Greene, Julie Clark, Katie Koester, Arpit Shah and Kim Jansen to three-year terms on the Tourism Advisory Board; John Richards to a term on the Fire Pension Board; Jim Wolters to a three-year term on the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners; and Austin Hayes, Christo Schultz and Brandon Weber to two-year terms on the Ethics Commission.

Several matters were up for discussion by the Council. One was whether to renew the Downtown/Southtown Business Area Redevelopment Plan for another year where businesses can seek 25% of the cost of exterior renovations to their business; another was a renewal of group health insurance coverage for another year with a possible slight reduction of rates; another annual contribution of $25,000 to the Effingham City/County Committee on Aging; whether to let a portion of North 4th Street in front of New Life Church downtown be closed for a church block party on July 7; a possible housing redevelopment program in both the central and industrial TIF Districts to cover demolition costs for developers; a subdivision plat for Andes Health Mart Pharmacy's new development; and a text amendment in the zoning ordinance concerning wind energy systems. No votes were taken on any of these items.