Effingham Economic Development Director Todd Hull brought the Thelma Keller Convention Center grant proposal back for discussion with the city council during a meeting on Tuesday. The City of Effingham would grant up to $600,000 to improve parking infrastructure and add 171 more parking spaces at the Thelma Keller Convention Center.
The money would come from the city’s hotel/motel fund since the Convention Center is a major generator of its revenue.
The agreement states that the Thelma Keller Convention Center has to remain a convention center for 10 years after the improvements or the city gets the money back, and the project has to be completed by July 4, 2026.
“This will help clean up that whole parking area. There’s lots of uneven surfaces in that area,” said Hull during an earlier discussion of the proposal. “So we want to make sure that we retain those conventions and events.”
However, City Commissioner Jake Niebrugge believes businesses should not wait until buildings fall into disrepair and need help from the city to start repairing things.
“It’s important that businesses don’t allow things to go into disrepair so the city jumps in and helps,” said Niebrugge.
Hull also took this time to update the council of the Enterprise Zone annexation. During the July 1 city council meeting, Economic Development Specialist Sasha Althoff brought a proposal to the council to expand the Effingham/Effingham County Enterprise Zone so developers have more incentives to construct projects in the area.
There was no opposition during a previous public hearing to expand the Enterprise Zone, so Hull and Altahoff’s next steps are to bring the proposal to an Effingham County’s Tax and Finance meeting later this week.
In other news, Hull informed the council EpLegends Martial Arts is requesting funding assistance through the city’s Downtown/Southtown TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Redevelopment Program. EpLegends Martial Arts aims to beautify the building by pressure washing it and painting it.
The project will cost $8,405, of which the city will reimburse $2,101.25, through the TIF redevelopment program.
“That guy’s crazy busy. He’s got lots and lots of clients and stuff,” said City Commissioner Larry Micenheimer. “Don’t want to make him mad.”
Tourism Director Jodi Thoele requested the council authorize the renewal of a contract with DDI Media for two tourism billboards for the next two years. One billboard is in Brazil, Ind., and the other is in Warrenton, Miss.
Thoele informed the council that the city has had the two billboards for ten years and by signing a two-year contract, the city receives a cheaper price.
“Coming back from St. Louis, it just really stands out, and it’s light,” said City Administrator Steve Miller. “I think that’s a really good one.”
Public Works Director Jeremy Heuerman brought phase one of the 2025 Sidewalk Replacement Program to the council for discussion because the original bid has increased from $298,000 to $446,000.
“We’ve been adding some stuff slowly to help with our water department replace some water mains along Jefferson. They tore up some sidewalks, so we had to have this contractor replace some of those,” said Heuerman. “We also have additional places throughout the city and additional funds to use, so what we’re trying to do is maximize the contract that we currently have with the funds that we have to get the most bang for our buck.”
Heuerman also brought the authorization to accept a bid for the 2025 Concrete Crushing Program from Surmeier & Surmeier for $98,000.
Every year, the city has concrete projects with leftover or previously used concrete that they collect. Every three years or so, the city gets bids to crush the leftover concrete into usable concrete throughout the city.
However, the lower of the two bids – from Surmeier & Surmeier – is about $32,000 over budget, so Heuerman asked the council to take about $10,000 from the Sewer, Street and Water funds.
“By crushing the concrete, we’re probably saving a third,” said Heuerman. “This is a third of the price of actually purchasing straight out from a CA6 company or a rock company, so it’s a significant savings overall.”
Heuerman also informed the council that bids for the Evergreen Avenue Reconstruction Project are scheduled to open on July 29 at 10 a.m.
The project will begin on Willenborg Avenue, travel west on East Evergreen Avenue and stop just before the box culvert near the entrance of North Oceola Street.
The next Effingham City Council meeting is scheduled for August 5 at 5 p.m. in the council chambers.