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Beecher Village Board July 13 highlights  Share
At its Monday meeting, Beecher Village Board Trustees heard reports and made motions to continue with its activities. -Capital Bill According to Board President Paul Lohmann and Village Administrator Bob Barber the state budget and the capital bill were approved on Monday. If the information received is accurate, Beecher will receive $125,000 for general infrastructure. Neither individual was able to say what this amount is for, since information was not provided by the state. The trustees were advised not to feel free to spend any of this money until it is received by the village and explained by the state. -Church Road Resurfacing A motion to approve the sending of bids for this project was approved by a 5 yes to 1 nay vote. The motion did not approve any bids, but rather just the sending of bid specifications for bid by various companies. Bid letting would be in late August, with bids due by mid-September.
-Traffic Signal Update on traffic signal at Chestnut and Dixie Highway: According to Barber, IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) has estimated the cost of this project has increased from $290,000 to $360,000. Therefore, the village's cost will increase from $57,095 to $71,558. According to IDOT, the project will be delayed until the spring 2010. This project was originally designed in 2007, but with the state delays, costs are increasing. -Public Works Facility The trustees approved the payment of fills related to this project in the amount of $40,942.81. The money will be paid from the Bond Redemption Account. The trustees considered a change order in an amount not to exceed $9,469.75 for underground plumbing in the unfinished rooms of the Public Works Facility. A motion was made and seconded to approve the change order. During the discussion, Trustee Brian Cleary questioned the need for the underground plumbing, saying the village could always dig trenches in the concrete floor to put in the plumbing at a later date. ''I think this is not worth the money at this time,'' said Cleary. Barber said the change order would not increase the cost of the building, as it was still $1,317.75 under budget. The vote to approve the motion passed 4 to 3, with Lohmann voting in favor of the motion. -Report of the Village Engineer The village engineer reported on the many items that still need to be resolved by various housing developments in the village. -Old Downtown Area The village's economic development coordinator Marcy Meyer met with owners of businesses in the Beecher Old Downtown area to receive their concerns. Some of the concerns related to location, advertising, developing a plan for increased activity, and business. The businesses also expressed a desire to keep the village hall in the center of town. The trustees advised Meyer to continue to meet with the businesses to get a plan of action for the village to consider. Meyer said: ''There is a desire to attract more people to the downtown area without costing a lot of money.'' More discussions will take place, and Meyer will keep the board informed. -Next board meeting The trustees voted unanimously to cancel the July 27 board meeting due to lack of items for the agenda. The next village board meeting will be on August 10, at 7 p.m., in the Washington Township Center on Indiana Avenue. Terry Gatlin is a reporter for Russell Publications.
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