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Galesburg Council considering giving library eminent domain authority

Galesburg City Council will discuss Monday night an ordinance to grant the Board of Trustees for the Galesburg Public Library authority to use eminent domain to acquire properties populating the site of the future library.

It would be giving the library authority to acquire six properties remaining on the block.

Council documents say that the library will continue to negotiate with owners of the respective properties but they’ve requested this ordinance in the case that negotiations are unfruitful.

The Library has purchased some properties on the space already, such as what was Crazy 8’s bar.

The ordinance is only on first reading.

Illinois law allows a Library Board to have eminent domain authority, but only after it’s approved by the city council.

Aldermen may also approve a transfer of TIF funds, related to unforeseen costs repairing 120 E. Main St.

The downtown property was donated to the city in the summer of 2019.

The council was told at that time $290,000 would be needed to repair the roof and stabilize a wall that leans toward Park Plaza.

Still, they approved a $361,000 bid from Hein Construction in September for the repair of the wall and roof joists as needed.

After work started more repairs were required than initially thought, to the tune of $158,000.

Also because of cold winter temperatures, it was necessary to heat the exterior of the building in order to cure the masonry for an estimated additional cost of $33,000.

City Manager Todd Thompson last year that demolishing the building would be more expensive than repairs, one of the reasons given for making them.

Now more has been spent than the high end of what the city thought demo costs would be.

Council’s vote Monday night will be on a transfer of around $192,000.

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