This is tonight’s Mayor’s Report:
The meeting I called with the Illinois Department of Transportation was very disappointing. They described a “Perfect Storm” which will keep them from resurfacing work on Main and Delaware until at least 2023. Curb and ramp work will be bid in June, 2022 for construction in late next summer. I called Senator Darren Bailey to register my extreme disappointment.
Libby and I were a part of the FCHS College and Career Day and heard students complain they did not have a “gathering spot” in town. They also said they wanted places to play pickleball. We signed up 50 students to comprise a youth advisory council which will have its first meeting in January.
This morning I hosted the first meeting of a Business District Committee which discussed potential projects should the city choose to create such a district. It was a very positive meeting and we agreed to the committee working on a project list for discussion at our next gathering on December 14th.
We are in the middle of a good year at our Municipal Airport. According to Travis, our net profit from sales is at $44,502 for six months. The airport also collected $11,535 in hangar rent, $25,800 in crop sales, and $998 in oil income. Local operations for October totaled 39. Travis also reports we have an opportunity for a $750,000 grant by combining an airfield drainage project with ramp expansion. Our local match will only be $12,000.
I have collaborated with Daryl Donjon of Wayne White Co-op to author a letter which will be sent to all city residents concerning the handoff of the operation and maintenance of our electric grid starting on January 1st. That letter should be sent next week. The letter will include a number for residents to call in case of an outage and the separation of the electric bill from the city’s gas, water, sewer and trash bill. Residents will also get a letter from Wayne-White Electric in January explaining payment options. We are all trying to anticipate glitches in the process.
