Galesburg City Council took care of a few items at their regularly scheduled meeting last night.
Aldermen voted 5-0 in favor of approving $206,000 in TIF incentive money for MAK properties.
The subsidy, used to entice businesses, will pair with the $950,000 renovation of the old Wells Fargo Building. Owner Mark Kleine is working with the Knox County YMCA to incorporate a new roughly 10,000 sq. ft. downtown fitness center to go in the first floor of the building.
Council also rejected an $18,000 agreement to clean up bid documents for a proposed new city Street Department building and sign shop. Ward 3 Alderman Russell Fleming was one of three “no” votes.
“I think the city has enough buildings to take care of already,” Fleming said.
City Manager Todd Thompson mentioned funding the overall project has “been a challenge.”
In other news, Mayor John Pritchard read a proclamation recognizing the Orpheum Theatre’s centennial this year. He noted ticket prices ranged between five and 10 cents when the theater first opened in 1916.
Orpheum Executive Director Kevin Maynard thanked the community for their support over the past 100 years.
“Our patrons, they don’t just come see a show they make a night of it, they make a weekend of it, they eat at our restaurants, they stay at our hotels, they shop at our stores,” Maynard said.
Maynard says the theatre brought in around 30,000 guests last year and had an economic impact in Galesburg of more than $1 million.
