Pinckneyville Annexes Cooper B-Line
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Pinckneyville City Council voted unanimously to annex the Cooper B-Line factory in preparation for road, water and sewer line improvements. The factory property encompasses just over 22 acres, bordered by the Missouri Pacific Railroad on the north, Longspur Road on the west, Snowy Owl Road on the south and several private properties on the east.
Mayor Joe Holder said that Cooper B-Line told him they would remain in Pinckneyville at the present site if the factory was able to connect to the city's water and sewer lines and the road and entrance to the factory were widened to accommodate larger trucks. The fire suppression system requires access to the city's water lines to function properly.
Holder pursued job retention grants from several state agencies and received funding for each phase of the project.
The Council approved the acceptance of the low bid for the sanitary sewer extension project at Cooper B-Line. Amerent of Chester was the low bidder with a price of $49,198. The engineer's estimate on the project was about $65,000.
"The excess funds can be used for another part of the project," Holder said. "In case all of the bids aren't so favorable for us."
The Council also approved construction documents and authorization to bid the water main extension and road improvements for Cooper B-Line. The water main extension project is paid for through a Delta Regional Authority grant and is contingent upon an IEPA water main permit and an IDOT utility crossing permit. The road improvements are contingent upon approval from the Perry County Highway Department and IDOT.
Economic Development Coordinator Carrie Ford said there have been some delays in the shopping center project on the south side of town. Kellerman's Feed Store, JC's Air Conditioning and Best One Tire are working together to build a new shopping area. The project is waiting for an EPA permit and Rural Development has added additional conditions for the funding. The city is working to get grants to improve Brown Street and install larger water lines to meet the needs of the fire suppression system for the shopping center. The line will be increased from four inches to eight inches and two additional hydrants will be installed, said project engineer Gary Fulton.
The Council approved the Brown Street construction documents and authorized bids upon receipt of approval from Rural Development and an IEPA water main permit. Approximately 250 feet of curb and gutter will be improved in addition to 600 feet water line and hydrants being installed.
Mayor Holder was authorized to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement with Perry County for an easement through the Health Department's parking lot for installation of utility lines for the project.
The council also approved the use of $35,000 in business redevelopment funds in the purchase of approximately $130,000 of property for the Brown Street project. Rural Development is furnishing $99,000 for the project.
In other business, the Council:
Approved the construction contract with Kellerman Brothers for work on the parking lot which will provide access to city-owned property in the business district and connect with the parking lot in front of McDaniel's Furniture Store, which now occupies the former Illinois Fish Farmer's Co-op building. Kellerman Brothers' bid was $87,632.
Passed a resolution authorizing a service agreement with Cynthia Heisner for management of Bender Pool. Heisner will earn $12 per hour.
Approved the purchase of four new Opti Plex 360 Dell computer stations with 22 inch monitors for the City Clerk's office. Finance Commissioner Auggie Kellerman was given authorization to spend $550 to upgrade the computers at the last meeting, but said that the computers are over eight years old and must be replaced instead of updated. Total cost for the computers and installation will be $5,500.
Passed a resolution to restrict the parking on the south side of Laurel Street to mobile imaging equipment only, at the hospital's request. Signs will be installed to mark the restricted parking area.