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Tuesday, January 6, 2009 4:24 PM CST
City to consider vying for fresh federal funds
Proposal to require lock boxes also goes before council tonight
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — The city may seek funding from President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus proposal to complete the Interstate 57 access road on the north side of town and replace a key water main.
The city council will consider seeking funding for the two infrastructure projects when it meets at 7:30 tonight in City Hall, 520 Jackson Ave.
The council also will consider requiring that certain rental housing and nonresidential buildings be equipped with key lock boxes for use by firefighter-paramedics.
Regarding the funding, the council would authorize the Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission to submit proposals for grants utilizing various state and federal funds through Obama’s expected economic stimulus proposal.
City Manager Scott Smith said the city would seek $25 million for completing the County Road 1000N access road between Interstate 57 and Illinois Route 130, and more than $1.5 million for replacing the approximately 125-year-old main that connects the water treatment plant to the rest of Charleston.
Smith said both proposals cover infrastructure projects that are a high priority for the city and can be scheduled for construction in the near term.
“These projects really need to be shovel-ready projects,” Smith said.
Currently, there is no direct access from the new I-57 interchange east to Route 130 in Charleston’s industrial area but plans are in place for 1000N to extend to the east like it has to the west for Mattoon.
Coles County Engineer Rick Johnson said the county board should vote on a resolution in support of the funding at its meeting next week. The $25 million would be enough to complete the roadway, with utilities, from the new interchange to Route 130, he said.
Work to improve one section of the road is already planned for this summer. Johnson said if the rest of the money becomes available, the remaining work could take place next year.
Regarding the lock boxes, firefighters can use a master key to open boxes on the exteriors of properties so equipped and access the keys to the buildings there for quick entry during an emergency. The city has a voluntary lock box program but the proposed ordinance would make them mandatory for certain properties.
Under the proposal, lock boxes would need to be installed at any rental housing building containing four or more living units and in which access to the building or to common areas or mechanical/electrical rooms within the building is denied through locked doors.
Lock boxes also would be required at any nonresidential building where a fire detection or suppression system is monitored by an alarm company or has an external audible alarm.
There would be a one-time application fee of $50 for a lock box to cover maintenance. Property owners would need to purchase their own lock boxes.
In other matters, the council will hold a closed meeting at 7 p.m. to review minutes of all closed meetings. During the subsequent regular meeting, the council will consider releasing printed minutes from previous closed sessions and authorizing the destruction of audio recordings of previous closed sessions.
Additional information for this story was provided by staff writer Dave Fopay.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
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lefty wrote on Jan 6, 2009 12:27 AM:
What an utter lack of vision. Shocker, huh? "