After asking two weeks ago for residents to submit their ideas of what to do with the riverfront property where the former ADM grain elevator stood, the Chillicothe City Council had yet another piece of business with the property at Monday night’s meeting.
“Evidently, the last administration made a motion and paid $100,000 for the ADM building, but come to find out that even though we paid $100,000 for the building we don’t know what we bought because they never asked for a survey for the property,” said Mayor Troy Childers.
The council then unanimously approved instructing city engineer Ken Coulter to survey the property at 10 W. Elm St., draft the plat and file it with the Peoria County Clerk.
With work on that property coming to a close, the riverfront view of next year’s Fourth of July fireworks will be unobstructed.
To pay for the fireworks, various groups put on fundraisers for the 4th of July Committee to help raise the funds.
A motorcycle/golf cart poker run will be Sept. 11, and organizer Jo Ellen Wood requested the council waive the need for tags for the golf carts. Golf carts were recently approved to be used on city streets if street legal and require a sticker from the city through the Chillicothe Police Department.
The council denied her request in a 7-1 vote, with Danny Colwell casting the lone vote. Alderwoman Judy Cantwell said the police/fire committee discussed the request at length, but the consensus was to not waive ordinances on the books.
“I know in the past we’ve just sort of turned our backs … ” said Cantwell. “It’s not fair to the people that go to the expense of making theirs street legal. But, on the other hand, it is the 4th of July Committee. It’s something they do for the whole community.”
In other items, the council:
• accepted the notification of public works employee Dave Sorrenson’s retirement as of Sept. 1. Sorrenson has worked for the city for 33 years, and Childers said will be “sorely missed.”
• concurred with the mayoral appointment of Denise Passage as a deputy Freedom of Information Act officer
• approved four expenditures for the new squad car, mostly paid for by a grant. They are: $11,449.98 to Supreme Radio for the installation of the radio, computer and installation light bar; $940 to Ray O’Herron for the purchase of a siren and controller; $4,900 to Watch Guard for a computer system; and $220 to Blankenship for striping
