Published: November 18, 2008 10:57 pm         

EPA promises loan for water project

HOOPESTON — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency notified Hoopeston that its public water supply loan project will appear in the Agency’s Intended Use Plan for the year 2009 in the amount of $1,250,000 to be dispersed by March 31, 2009.

“What this means is that the IEPA is reserving the funds for this project,” Alderman Bill Crusinberry told the city council Tuesday night, “but we still must complete the loan application schedule. We need to move along at their pace and cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s, then we will receive the money.”

The water department project will include the water tower update, painting, new

aerators, fix the problems with the ground water tank, and looking into building a separate tank with an aerator on top.

There is still a lot of work to be completed on the application, according to Crusinberry, which Roth Engineering of Champaign is completing for the city and gathering all the documentation for the application. Nothing can be done by the city until the completion of the application schedule and the IEPA awards a construction contract, Crusinberry added.

Once approved, the city would repay the loan by possibly adding approximately $2 to each water bill.

“Water service fees go to nothing else but the water/sewer department,” Crusinberry said. The loan would help improve and keep the city water safe for its residents.

In other business, the council:

-- Learned that the parks department purchased two baby swans for the park lagoon.

-- Heard that there was still lots of homework to be done on the engineered barrier

for the new motel.

“It’s going to wait another day in order to know where the barrier will be,” said Alderman Bill Goodwin. He added that the city can still receive a conditional no further remediation letter, however. The developer doesn’t plan to break ground until the spring anyway, Goodwine added.

-- Heard Alderman Ed Lotz ask about the status of golf carts being used by residents during the warmer months instead of vehicles. Goodwine noted that since the price of gas had dropped, use of golf carts had been set aside.

“There is still an interest in using the golf carts,” Lotz said.

-- Learned that Hoopeston Main Street and Chamber of Commerce are planning a Breakfast with Santa and photos with Santa during his arrival in Hoopeston on Nov. 29. The breakfast will run from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. and photos with Santa will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 403 E. Main St. Tickets for the breakfast are $5 each with children age 5 and younger free. Tickets can be purchased at the Chamber office, 301 W. Main St., or at the door the day of the breakfast. Photos with Santa are $3.



WHAT’S NEXT

The Hoopeston City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Dec. 2, at the Hoopeston Municipal Building, 301 W. Main St.