Altamont amends solar avoided cost rate
Mar. 17—The Altamont City Council has approved an ordinance amending the city's solar avoided cost rate.
Under the amendment, the city's solar avoided cost rate is 0.1007 cents per kilowatt hour per the recommendation of the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association.
"We're going to put our first customer on the avoided cost rate," Altamont City Clerk and Treasurer Sarah Stephen said.
Stephen said when residents who use solar receive their normal electric bill, it will include credits for the energy produced by their solar unit or units.
After hearing the police activity report during the meeting Monday, Altamont City Commissioner Tayler Polk asked Altamont Police Chief Alan Heiens for an update regarding the city's plans to crack down on drivers illegally using Wurl Lane.
In a January meeting, an Altamont resident addressed the council and expressed her concern regarding vehicle activity at Wurl Lane.
The resident, Becky Turner, complained about non-residential drivers going through her yard and driveway as they try to make their way down the road, which is closed to through traffic.
"Have we made any more progress on it?" Polk asked.
"We wrote one ticket," Heiens replied.
"Hopefully that changes the behavior," Altamont City Commissioner Michael Walker said.
Meanwhile, the council authorized a Tax Increment Financing agreement with Valerie Behl and Eric Behl for roofing repairs and improvements at Cuts By Us, which is located at 109 N. 2nd St.
"Their roof recently has failed, so they're going to have to do some work to repair that," Mayor Jason Rippetoe said.
"That's probably a 100 year old building, pretty close to it."
The city will cover nearly half of the cost of the $24,220 project.
"The city will reimburse up to $10,000 of that cost," Rippetoe said.
Also during the meeting, the council awarded mowing bids to Precision Lawn Care and John Berg.
Bids were awarded to both and divided into 5 separate groups. Bids for groups 1 through 3, which includes Union Cemetery, Gilbert Park, Klitzing Park and Schmidt Park, were awarded to Precision Lawn Care. Bids for groups 4 through 5, which includes Frog Pond, the Altamont Municipal Building, the triangle, and the north & south sewer lagoons, were awarded to John Berg.
The council also approved a payment request from Kieffer Bros Construction for $157,100.09 for the city's Northwest Sanitary Project.
In other matters, council members approved an ordinance authorizing the side yard and rear setback at 308 South 3rd Street for the construction of a garage.
Additionally, the council approved a request from the Altamont VFW to conduct a National Poppy Day Roadside Fundraiser on Friday, May 12 with Friday, May 19 designated as a rain date.
Nick Taylor can be reached at nick.taylor@effinghamdailynews.com.
