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Even though construction along Illinois Route 8 and Summit Drive in Sunnyland just wrapped up for the extension of Summit Drive, the next phase of construction on a stretch of road from Summit to Legion Road will soon begin.
At the Washington City Council meeting Dec. 5, the council voted to adopt the city’s estimated financial obligation to the Illinois Department of Transportation for $337,525 and appropriate said funds to meet its associated financial obligations for the project.
The actual financial obligation to IDOT is yet to be determined and will be adjusted according to firm bid prices and final quantities.
The council waived the second reading and adopted the ordinance after IDOT requested to expedite the process.
The project is set to be bid in early 2012.
According to the agreement, the construction will cover approximately 4.6 miles between Summit and Legion by “reconstructing the existing roadway, providing two 12-foot through traffic lanes in each direction, 12-foot and variable-width right turn lanes by constructing curb and gutter, a multi-purpose pathway (sidewalk for pedestrians and bicycles), traffic signal modernization at School Street and a storm sewer system for highway drainage...”
The total cost for the project is estimated at $14,807,850 with the state covering $3,705,945 and the Federal Highway Association picking up the remaining $10,759,320.
In other items, the council:
• Approved the renewal of the city’s workers compensation policy with Bituminous Insurance as the carrier with Winter Insurance as the agent.
City Controller Janie Baxter said there is no requirement to bid out services such as insurance plans, but last year the Finance and Personnel Committee agreed to seek competitive proposals every three to five years after agreeing to go with Bituminous and Winter.
The preliminary and estimated premium for renewal in 2012 is $222,393.
• Heard a first reading to reduce the tax levy for three alternate revenue and general obligation bonds of South Cummings Road, Cummings and Cruger roads and Five Points Community Center.
According to the memorandum, “While the city has previously levied a tax for annual payment of principal and interest on these bonds, the city has determined to pay the debt service of these bond issues from sales tax and other sources, rather than through real estate taxes.”
Adoption of the ordinances is scheduled for Dec. 19 and will serve to notify the county not to levy the tax totaling $653,246.50.
• Heard a first reading on adopting an ordinance to redistrict the four city’s wards. Due to the results of the 2010 Census, Planning and Development Director Jon Oliphant recommends redistricting to “ensure that the population within each ward is substantially equal.
Even though construction along Illinois Route 8 and Summit Drive in Sunnyland just wrapped up for the extension of Summit Drive, the next phase of construction on a stretch of road from Summit to Legion Road will soon begin.
At the Washington City Council meeting Dec. 5, the council voted to adopt the city’s estimated financial obligation to the Illinois Department of Transportation for $337,525 and appropriate said funds to meet its associated financial obligations for the project.
The actual financial obligation to IDOT is yet to be determined and will be adjusted according to firm bid prices and final quantities.
The council waived the second reading and adopted the ordinance after IDOT requested to expedite the process.
The project is set to be bid in early 2012.
According to the agreement, the construction will cover approximately 4.6 miles between Summit and Legion by “reconstructing the existing roadway, providing two 12-foot through traffic lanes in each direction, 12-foot and variable-width right turn lanes by constructing curb and gutter, a multi-purpose pathway (sidewalk for pedestrians and bicycles), traffic signal modernization at School Street and a storm sewer system for highway drainage...”
The total cost for the project is estimated at $14,807,850 with the state covering $3,705,945 and the Federal Highway Association picking up the remaining $10,759,320.
In other items, the council:
• Approved the renewal of the city’s workers compensation policy with Bituminous Insurance as the carrier with Winter Insurance as the agent.
City Controller Janie Baxter said there is no requirement to bid out services such as insurance plans, but last year the Finance and Personnel Committee agreed to seek competitive proposals every three to five years after agreeing to go with Bituminous and Winter.
The preliminary and estimated premium for renewal in 2012 is $222,393.
• Heard a first reading to reduce the tax levy for three alternate revenue and general obligation bonds of South Cummings Road, Cummings and Cruger roads and Five Points Community Center.
According to the memorandum, “While the city has previously levied a tax for annual payment of principal and interest on these bonds, the city has determined to pay the debt service of these bond issues from sales tax and other sources, rather than through real estate taxes.”
Adoption of the ordinances is scheduled for Dec. 19 and will serve to notify the county not to levy the tax totaling $653,246.50.
• Heard a first reading on adopting an ordinance to redistrict the four city’s wards. Due to the results of the 2010 Census, Planning and Development Director Jon Oliphant recommends redistricting to “ensure that the population within each ward is substantially equal.
“Each ward would have a population variation of less than 1 percent from the target population of 3,783.”
While an Illinois Municipal Code states that once a federal census population of a city reaches more than 15,000 inhabitants, the city must have 10 aldermen and five wards. With Washington’s population at 15,154 according to the 2010 Census, on June 6 the city adopted a resolution to keep the numbers of both the wards and aldermen the same due to a statute allowing cities to use their own discretion on the matter.
• Approved the agreement with East Peoria on the new boundary between the two cities. The boundary agreement is basically a renewal of the previous agreement with only a few changes, mainly “discrepancies each city has abided by for 14 years.”
The new agreement is effective for 20 years.
• Heard from resident and Washington Preservation Commission member Walter Ruppman, which voted to landmark the Bayler property a few weeks ago.
He said that had the home not been demolished in late November, the council would have been voting on an ordinance which would have landmarked the property.
Ruppman said he wasn’t there to address the council to ask whether or not they would have landmarked the property, but instead to bring to the council’s attention a “shortcoming within the ordinance” that could have saved the Bayler home and future landmarks from being demolished before a council is allowed the chance to vote on it.
Mayor Gary Manier said the issue will be addressed at a future Committee of the Whole meeting.
