Chrisman Leader to fund Babe Woodyard Way
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The Chrisman City Council meeting began with the approval of the previous meeting minutes as well as claims in the amount of $84,103.22. The council approved both a building permit and demolition permit for 215 North New York Street.
Kyle Lientz, owner of the Chrisman Leader, brought to the council that the business would like to fund a project making an honorary stretch of Washington Avenue Babe Woodyard Way.
“Not changing the street, just an honorary sign,” Lientz said. The stretch would start at the highway and go down Washington to the railroad tracks, before Pleasant Meadows Senior Living. The council approved the project.
Jack and Judy Wyatt attended the meeting on behalf of the Veteran’s Committee. The committee was set up temporarily as a non-profit. “It was all done with the idea that at some point it would be dissolved. We’re ready to dissolve, we’ll turn the money over to you,” Judy told the council.
Some names had been added to the list for the wall. Once everything is handed over, the memorial will be insured. “We need a price, so we know what to insure it for,” Commissioner Rodney Wolfe said. The amount of $80,000 was agreed on to cover everything.
Mayor Danny Owen asked about the list of names that were to be added to the wall. “There will never be all the names,” Judy said. “Their will constantly be new names. What we do is collect the list of names over the course of the year, we put the new names on so they are there ideally before Veteran’s Day. As people continue to serve, new names will be added.”
Commissioner Wolfe stated that those who have served would’ve been given a DD-214 or discharge papers. These are issued upon a military service member’s retirement, separation or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. “They would have to show it,” said Wolfe of residents that want their names added to the memorial. Other criteria would be worked out at a later time.
Jack Wyatt asked the city if it would be possible to get holes repaired in the lane near his house that hasn’t been fixed. “Part of it’s been fixed, but there’s two holes and one on the lane,” Jack said. “I was just wondering if we could get some patch to fix that.”
He also questioned why the sewer plant overflows when the town gets a lot of rain.
“The infiltration on the manholes and pipes,” Commissioner Wolfe said. “We can spend five million to align the sewers or we could spend one million to put the excess infiltration.”
Bids have been received for the demolition of the dilapidated house at 221 South Illinois.
To demolish the home, additional steps have to be taken. Joe Razmus sent a bid in for $20,880.00. This is for Razmus to verify utility disconnect, demolish surface structure, haul off demolition debris, remove concrete two feet below, break up basement floor, replace concrete in the basement with city hall dirt and rough grade for drainage.
Another bid was received from Bell & Bell for the same work, but it was at $24,515.00. The funds available for the project were only $17,600. Mayor Owen stated that they would move the difference from another fund to cover the bid for Razmus.
Commissioner Thad Crispin brought a bid for the tar and chip project in the amount of $71,344.70, which would begin in mid-September. The engineers estimate was $68,500, so this gives the city a bit of wiggle room. The bid was approved.
A church in Sidell contacted the city about using the pavilion or the gazebo for a family fun day. The church preferred the pavilion, but if it’s not ready and no electricity can be used, then they wanted to have the event at the gazebo in city park. The event is in August, but Commissioner Crispin isn’t sure that all the electricity will be completed.
Due to his snow plow having been destroyed last winter, Commissioner Crispin presented the council with a quote for a new plow for $7,086.38. “Ours is pretty well destroyed,” Crispin said. The council approved the purchase.
Commissioner Crispin also brought to the council the possibility of hiring part time help. Crispin had contacted Junior High/High School principal Cole Huber about the co-op program. Two students signed up, but they already have jobs elsewhere. With the two students having other jobs, the co-op program isn’t going to work this year.
The council agreed, but at the present time, it’s hard to find help. Working time would only be a few hours a day for no more than thirty-two hours a week.
