Arthur Village Board discusses upcoming projects for street and alley, and water and sewer for budget consideration

By ARIANA R. CHERRY
Staff Writer

Arthur Village Board members met recently and discussed some of the projects for street and alley and water and sewer that were planned for budget consideration for the years 2022-2023.

Grant Corum, head of Public Works presented a list of items for board members to consider. Some of the items considered for street and alley projects included:

•The alley by IGA which has been approved and will begin, weather permitting. Labor costs plus concrete are $12,500.

•Village Hall parking and v gutter have already been approved and will begin work with weather permitting. Labor and concrete costs are $25,000.

•Welcome Center bridge replacement (bids for stamped concrete and address drainage)

•Grade school sidewalk along Vine St., eliminating grass area, Post Office curb. The village will advertise for bids.

•Street Grinding, Reshaping, Chip & Oil (mapped area, advertise for bids). The cost for labor was estimated from 2021 bids at $200,000.

•The Vine Street Railroad is currently in the design phase.

•Yard-waste grinding at a cost of $15,000.

•Full depth asphalt patches (S. Walnut to S. Beech loop, Moses St, Lincoln Place, Washington St., Cedar St.)

•Additional Sidewalk work based on survey. The village will be advertising for bids.

The total estimated cost for the street and alley projects is $252,500.

Some of the projects being considered for water and sewer include:

•Hersch Manor Lift Station Rehab which has already been approved. Work will begin March 2022. The cost will be $125,000.

•Sludge Press at WWTP. This has already been approved and work is estimated to begin mid to late summer of 2022. The cost will be $401,000.

•Water tower painting. The village will begin accepting bids March 11 at 10:00 am with work estimated to begin mid to late summer. The cost has been estimated at $650,000.

•Replacement of 6 fire hydrants. Burdick will be working on this and will be for labor only. The cost for hydrants, valves and linestops were estimated at $30,000.

•Water main installation 200-300 block of N. Walnut. Engineering still needs to be completed.

•Water main looping Carriage Court dead end to Chaise Lane. Engineering still needs to be completed.

The total estimated cost for the water and sewer projects is $ 1,206,000.00. The village still needs to make a final decision on what the water tower will look like and what its colors will be. This will be discussed at the next meeting.

Trustee Matt Bernius commented about the planned projects for the future. “It looks like a lot of money, but it is for our future. This is all needed in order to keep Arthur viable. We need to spend the money and keep it upgraded,” he said.

The Treasurer’s Report was presented and a total of $5,212.84 was reported by Treasurer, Mike Hilgenberg.

Police Chief Goodman reported that the department’s 2016 Ford Explorer was taken to Chicago Motors and a check was received for and the title was signed over. After the hiring, Dalton Donalds, Goodman was able to contact Southwest College. Dalton will begin the Police Academy on May 4 and is planned to graduate August 12. His start-date is planned sometime in April. The police department is waiting on bids for upgrades to its interview room. There are a few minor construction issues that are needed to make the upgrades. Goodman hopes to have some bids for the board in early March. The D.A.R.E. Program has started. Goodman is doing two classes at the Arthur Grade School and once class a week at the Atwood-Hammond Grade School. There will be five weeks of D.A.R.E. The graduation is planned for sometime around the end of April or beginning of May.

Other items discussed included an approval for a temporary sign application for “A Gathering on the Prairie. A motion was made and approved to vacate the alley on the west side of the 400 block of South Union Street.