The Centralia City Council Monday night agreed to move forward with four projects including a grant request for new sidewalks, a new low-interest loan program for businesses, Bistro lighting on two blocks of East Broadway, and a dozen new mobile computers for the police department.
The city council gave a letter of support for a $250,000 grant application through the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Safe Route to School program. It would help pay for new sidewalks from Jordan School on Airport Road to Edgebrook Lane. The city would be responsible for the rest of the $347,390 cost. City Manager Kory Smith says this is the start of a larger sidewalk improvement program.
“Very exciting project that has been involved with a lot of cooperation with local school districts. We can essentially see a sidewalk spanning from the north side of 161 Country Club all the way to almost ConAgra.”
Smith says additional grant funding will be sought next year.
The council also agreed to make an application to a USDA program that will provide a $1-million loan to the city at 1 percent interest to be loaned out to new or existing businesses for expansion.
“The program will make available loans not to exceed $250,000 at 5% interest rate payable up to a period of 15 years. Loans under the program will not finance over 50% of the total cost of any project.”
A new committee made up of bankers and higher education will review applications and make a recommendation to the city council on if they should be approved.
The council also approved the city manager entering an agreement with building owners in the 100 and 200 blocks of East Broadway to attach anchors and guy wires to their buildings to hold Bistro lighting above the street. Economic Development Director Derek Sherman says the lighting is being paid for through a $37,500 Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development tourism grant.
“These will be able to change colors and also I believe they can chase some sort of pattern you can control with Bluetooth.”
Sherman says the lighting will be used as part of a nighttime Historical Walking Tour being developed for the downtown area.
The council also approved a five-year lease-purchase agreement for the purchase of 12 new mobile data computers for the police department at a cost of $87,850. At the end of five years, the city will be able to purchase the computers for one dollar.
