The Knoxville City Council met last night covering a range of items from property to personnel. Aldermen got an update on a listed property at 207 East North Street in Knoxville. The City demolished a house at the site and after listing it for sale, has received no bids. Mayor Dennis Mauer has since reached out to Jordan Knight – Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Knox County to see if local Knoxville churches know of a deserving family in town to donate the property to. Mauer informed the council that Habitat’s projects for the current year are filled – so the property wouldn’t get re-developed until 2019. If Habitat wishes to move forward with the project, the council would then decide whether to sell or donate the property to the charity.
Another issue the mayor brought up to the council was a city alderman that is absent for most meetings. First Ward Alderman Jim McGovern hasn’t attended a meeting in several months due to responsibilities related to his work with the railroad. City Attorney Rob McCoy suggested that the council could consider the seat vacant, at which point the mayor could appoint someone to the position – pending a notarized letter of resignation by McGovern. McGovern’s term expires in May of 2019.
A Class D Liquor License was approved 5-2 for the America’s Best Value Inn with Angela Hillier and Toby Myers being the two “no” votes. It was decided that Spring Clean-Up day for the city of Knoxville is slated for the 2nd week of April on residents’ normal trash days.
Lastly, the Illinois Department of Transportation is in the construction phase of the replacement of the existing structure carrying U.S. Route 150 over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway between Galesburg and Knoxville. The project involves closing U.S. Route 150 for structure replacement and roadway realignment. The project has an estimated completion date of November 2018 and Gunther Construction won the contract for over $4.9M dollars. Work will be done to realign U.S. 150 with Knox Road 600 east on the south east side of town. According to the contractor’s schedule, U.S. Route 150 will be closed to through traffic starting on Monday, April 2nd. The overpass is expected to reopen on Tuesday, October 16th. Expected detour routes includes the use of Knox County Highways 9 and 10, Interstate 74, and East Main Street.
