Wednesday, March 7, 2007 10:18 PM CST
Mattoon council OKs funds for railroad depot project
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON -- With a commitment of $70,000, city officials hope they might help stoke up the steam for getting the Mattoon Railroad Depot Renovation Project back on schedule.
On Tuesday night, the Mattoon City Council approved a $70,000 payment in conjunction with an $84,001 payment of funds raised by Coles County Historical Society for architectural services for the depot project preliminary plans. The money is needed now to meet the March 23 deadline for holding a bid-letting on depot work in mid-June. The project has 80 percent of its funding secured through a federal grant, but the city and CCHS must make a commitment on 20 percent on the first phase of construction, estimated to cost $1.2 million.
The total of $154,001 will be paid to Hance, Utz and Associates of Mattoon. Mattoon City Administrator Alan Gilmore said a bid letting in June could help get the renovation and construction work on the 90-year-old depot started later in the summer. Different matters have delayed the start of the project since federal money was approved two years ago. He confirmed installation of a new elevator in the depot would be a priority in the first phase of the work. The project will renew the interior and exterior of the former Illinois Central Railroad passenger station, which is utilized by Amtrak trains.
“Frankly, I’m anxious to see this project get started,” said Jackie Record, who has led the Depot Project effort over the past few years.
Gilmore said some businesses have expressed interest in locating on the top level of the depot along Broadway Avenue, one of the ways the project will help revitalize Mattoon Mid-town Tax Increment Financing District. But when they learn construction and renovation work will extend for two years, their interest is dampened, he said.
“They are interested in moving in this year, not two years from now,” Gilmore said.
Mattoon City Treasurer Preston Owen wants to make sure the city does receive full credit on match fund commitments for the Depot Project. “If that doesn’t happen we could be on the hook. We don’t want the city responsible for more money on this,” Owen said.
In other business, the council approved $20,000 in tourism grants to the following athletic events this year:
-- $2,000 to the Mattoon Cobras for assistance in hosting a Mother’s Day Softball Invitational World Series Qualifier from May 11-13.
-- $,6,000 to the Cobras organization for hosting a World Series qualifier from June 22-24.
-- $,5, 000 to Mattoon American Legion Post 88 for hosting the Firecracker Classic Baseball Tournament July 2-8.
-- $5,000 to Eastern Illinois University for Illinois High School Association State Badminton Championships for Girls May 10-12.
-- $2,000 to Mattoon Junior Baseball for the George Foster Hitting Camp on April 21.
Wanda Ferguson, a former mayor of Mattoon, asked why tourism tax money raised from Mattoon motels was going to an event in Charleston. City Commissioner Randy Ervin, whose responsibilities cover tourism efforts, explained that many people attending the event at Eastern will stay in Mattoon motels. He said Tourism Advisory Committee determined that does benefit Mattoon as well as Charleston.
Ferguson cautioned that could eventually lead to funneling local tourism money to other communities in the county.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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