The Marion County Board Tuesday night approved a contract to take core samples on soil underneath the former service station in the 200 block of North Broadway to determine if there would be any limitations on disturbing soil during construction of a county parking lot.
The Illinois EPA will pick up the cost of the testing work out of a special fund set up for governmental units.
County Highway Engineer Mike McCormick is confident any issues that were there when the project started years ago are probably gone now due to the breakdown of any oil products.
If everything comes back good, Building Committee Chair Dr. Creighton Engel says they can move forward on construction, possibly before the end of the year.
“Think as long as we get all approvals done through EPA and the core sample comes back ok, and the basics we have to do with them and they sign off on it, then we are actually able to start getting bids from contractors, looking at prices and start getting a timetable together for when they could do the project.”
Engel says it appears now they can tear up the old concrete.
“It will be a one level parking lot. It will be lit in the evenings for better security and things like that. Overall I think it will be something that the town and the whole county can use.”
Engel says estimates for construction of the new parking lot have been in the range of $500,000. That’s less than half estimates made earlier when the county was seeking a state grant to pay for most of the cost.
Engel says there is money in the budget for building projects, but it is not earmarked specifically for the parking lot. The county board must still approve going out for bids on the actual project.
The board also agreed to spend up to $7,000 to complete renovation of the former county board room on the first floor of the courthouse to a combination meeting room/employee break room. The project includes new flooring, painting, cabinetry, a double sink, refrigerator, and a large screen TV for remote meetings. Supervisor of Assessment Mark Miller is excited about the project.
“Going to have a really nice, professional looking room for attorneys that want to meet, board of review for me which would be great, Gary when he does sales or something, Sheriff’s Department…etc, this room will get a lot of use. A lot of use.”
Sheriff Kevin Cripps received permission to have a desk matching the wood of the courthouse to be constructed as the security desk at the east entrance of the courthouse. He believes he can keep the cost under the $7,000 cost he was earlier given to complete the project.
Cripps also announced the long wait is over for the arrival of materials to repair the east entrance doors and once again make them handicapped assessable.
The county board agreed to asked Ameresco to revise their plans for the first floor women’s restroom to include an outside door. Those using the restroom are not happy with the door less facility. Replacement of the floor in the renovated third floor bathrooms is now underway to use a better easier to clean surface. Ameresco is doing that replacement free of charge.
