A packet of signatures were handed to City Clerk Kelli Bennewitz at Monday night’s Galesburg City Council meeting.
Retired District 205 educator Jim Jacobs handed over the petitions after addressing the council, saying the petitions were filled with signatures of residents in support of renaming the Farnham Street Bridge after resident Aleine Shotts.
Jacobs says he had already spoken with Mayor John Pritchard about the renaming.
Shotts for many years lived in Ward 2 in Galesburg, running a store at the corner of Arnold Street and East Losey.
More than that thought, Jacobs says she was forever concerned about the safety of children crossing the bridge and lobbied for years to have the Farnham Street Bridge replaced when it was made of wood.
“Mrs. Shots finally had a meeting in Springfield with then Governor Dan Walker and was able to, along with others, get that bridge replaced with the one that is currently being worked on,” Jacobs said to Aldermen.
The Farnham Street Bridge is currently closed for reconstruction and is expected to be reopened by November.
Once the meeting got underway Galesburg Aldermen approved new asphalt surfaces for a handful of city roadways.
Two contracts were approved, both going to Brandt Construction for a total of about $308,000 .
Parkview Road, from Brentwood to Dayton Drive and Parkview Circle will be resurfaced, as will Heritage Drive and Patterson Drives.
Concrete curbs and gutters will be replaced on Heritage and Patterson as need as well.
Also Aldermen authorized another $2 million from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to do another big group of lead service line replacements.
The totally forgivable loan comes from the Public Water Supply Loan Program and the city will be reimbursed as costs are incurred.
Council also settled litigation against AECOM, a company that was performed planning and design services for the Oquawka Water Treatment Facility.
The city is dropping their litigation in exchange for about $74,000.
