City purchasing properties for Garfield Park improvements

Jennifer Bailey, Commercial-News, Danville, Ill.
·2 min read

May 10—DANVILLE — The Danville City Council's Public Works Committee Tuesday night will act on purchasing properties surrounding Garfield Park for a park overhaul, using about $12 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the park and pool.

The committee meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at city hall, 17 W. Main St.

The committee will consider approving the purchase of properties at: 1108 E. Fairchild St. for $45,000 from Stonehearth LLC, of SE Mercer Island, Wash.; 1120 E. Fairchild St. for $20,000 from Greg Filicsky of Sidell; 1122 E. Fairchild St. for $45,000 from Nightmare LLC of Hoopeston; and 1126 E. Fairchild St. for $40,000 from Kendall S. Carter of that address.

The committee also will consider approving purchasing 7 and 11 E. Second St. for $45,000 from Richard L. Speich of Potomac.

Also Tuesday, the committee will hear a Vermilion County Trail Alliance presentation and a Westside Trails Master Plan presentation.

In other business, the committee will consider approving:

* Road maintenance contracts: $241,321 for crack sealing with Denler Inc.; $632,116 for seal coat with Daniel L. Ribbe Trucking; $1.9 million for cape seal with A.C. Pavement Striping; $454,663 for concrete patching with Feutz Contractors; $324,981 for Columbia Street reconstruction (Vermilion to Walnut streets) with A & A Concrete; $432,400 for Beard Street reconstruction (Main to Grove streets) with Stark Excavating Inc.; and $150,433 for miscellaneous concrete improvement with Big O Services. The city is using motor fuel tax funds for the work.

* Purchasing a fare vending machine for $86,739 from SPX Genfare for Danville Mass Transit's downtown transfer center. This will offer another location to purchase bus tickets in addition to the administrative building at 101 N. Jackson St. Debit and credit cards are not compatible with on-bus fareboxes. Some customers prefer to get tickets, and use credit or debit cards, instead of using cash. In other DMT news, masks are no longer required on buses; DMT has six driver positions, one full-time utility employee and one logistics specialist position open; and it is expected to receive four new buses by June 1.

* Authorizing repair of a storm sewer under Old Ottawa Road for $32,175 with Cross Construction.

* Authorizing an agreement with Vermilion County Trail Alliance.

* Amending the fiscal year 2022-2023 Illinois Housing Development Authority's (IDHA) Abandoned Property Program fund budget and Stronger Communities Program budget by $18,068.

* Amending the IDHA blight reduction program and community reinvestment budgets. Due to missed reimbursement submittals by the city to IHDA for 15 demolitions costing $186,437 (the city only later received partial payment of $99,415 for four demolitions), the city's Blight Reduction Program fund had a negative cash balance of $98,785. The city will transfer funds from the Community Reinvestment Fund to cover those costs.