TIF request approved for S.A.M.’S Sales and Services

Cheese vendor needed for annual Cheese Festival

By ARIANA R. CHERRY
Staff Writer

The Arthur Village Board approved a TIF grant request submitted by S.A.M.’S Sales & Service at their meeting held on March 20. Sharon Miller, owner, has put a new tanning salon inside the building located at 118 S. Vine, the former Dicks Pharmacy location. Miller states she has been staying busy and still has a lot of work to do with the building, including her intention to get the old soda fountain running again. The request was for $30,000 for the improvement of the building.

Other news discussed included the approval of expenditures which were $56,796.37 which included a bond payment of $38,220.00. Comptroller Erica Carter informed the board that the balance of February’s bank statement was $48,174.55.

A bid to grade and rock a portion of village owned property on the west side of the 100 block of South Vine Street south of the railroad in the amount of $3,050 was approved. The property is between Singer Insurance and the railroad tracks and is 75 x 100 feet. Sod will be removed and taken down a couple inches and rock will be hauled in and then topped with gravel.

In other action the board approved the purchase of GIS mapping equipment from Subsurface Solutions in the amount of $4,747.00. This will allow Arthur to build an entire map of its systems and simplify the process when digging needs to be done for projects.

Mayor Rod Randall also expressed his condolences to the families who have recently lost loved ones. “The past few weeks have not been kind to the community with the passing of too many current and former residents of Arthur. We all feel that sense of loss for those who have gone.”

Towards the end of the meeting a general discussion took place in regards to the former Heartland Deli and Delights building being sold recently at an auction and will no longer be a cheese shop. This proposes some questions for the annual Cheese Festival held every year in regards to festival goers wanting to purchase cheese. The festival committee is looking into some options and a few board members offered some suggestions as well which will be explored going forward. It will be the 50th anniversary of the Cheese Festival to be held September 2-4 in conjunction with Arthur’s Sesquicentennial this year.