Council hears options for sports complex
The council promised to have an answer for Louis Curl of Curl and Associates at the first board meeting in April on the exact elements they wish to include in phase one of the Pinckneyville Sports Complex.
Curl updated the council on his progress so far. He said the wetlands report for IDNR is complete and the archaeological survey by SIU is underway. Both of those reports must be submitted to IDNR.
The project cannot move forward without a permit from the Corps of Engineers. The Corps told Curl that the original plan to fill in a ravine would delay the permitting process by a year. He rearranged the original elements of the plan, losing none, to avoid the ravine.
The revised plan could be approved by the Corps of Engineers within 60 days of submission.
The city has received an $400,000 50/50 matching OSLAD grant for the project. The council voted to pay their share of the project with TIF funds and set aside $400,000.
However, the city will have to pay the full $800,000 on the project and wait for reimbursement from the state for half of the cost.
The total cost of the sports complex as originally planned is $1.28 million.
Curl offered alternatives. The first area where cuts can be made is in parking. The original plan called for 250 paved parking places. He suggested cutting parking to 179 spaces and paving only half of it. The other parking would still be in place and would be covered with grass. Paving that portion could be done at a later date.
There will be seven or eight concrete parking spots to satisfy the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. ADA also requires sidewalks leading to each field.
Another cost-cutting option is to not install the drainage system under the soccer fields. Drainage can also be added at a later date.
The elimination of paved parking and drainage means the price, including engineering is just over $800,000.
Curl also asked the council to decide whether or not to install a fishing pond. If they opt not to have a fishing pond, then the area will be a detention pond. The detention pond is more than is needed for the first phase of the complex, but would help with general drainage in the area because the box culvert under Mildred Drive has an erosion problem. Cost of the pond is approximately $50,000.
The pond could be added later, as well.
The final item for consideration is whether or not to purchase the goal posts, scoreboards and backstops. Curl suggested re-using the old ones or asking the soccer parents who spearheaded the project to raise funds for them. The posts and equipment are budgeted at $62,000.
Mayor August Kellerman said corporate sponsorship for scoreboards may also be an option.
In other business, the council:
• approved spending a maximum of $11,200 for property ownership research and easements needed to apply for a construction grant to replace a sewer line running to the sewer plant. Commissioner David Stone said the line is in very poor condition and is causing a bottleneck situations. "We could install new sewers all over town and it wouldn't help anything because this needs to be done first," he said. The easements, EPA permit and income surveys must be completed before the June 2 deadline for the grant. The state has given the city a grant for the engineering portion of the project. Jesse Maynard of H.M.&G. said the line in question zigzags all over multiple properties instead of running along property lines. The council will also have to make a decision on how much to spend for their share of the 75/25 grant. Maynard said the city could get $600,000 worth of sewer work for only $150,000. The maximum grant is $450,000.
• agreed to purchase $8,793 worth of chemicals for the municipal swimming pool.
• approved a $28,000 project to update the Western Auto Store on Walnut Street. The project includes an awning, new windows and door and new roofing. The city would pay $14,000 of the project from the Business District Fund. Owner, Charlie Curt, would pay the other half.
• agreed to make the area near 407 S. Douglas Street a one-way traffic area from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 for a pantry event at Least of the Brethren. George Culley said the food pantry is expecting to place food in 200 vehicles in two hours.