Effingham residents and officials discussed several ideas for improving the city’s retirement communities, the community overall, recycling programs and the Heartville and Lake Sara areas during the most recent Focus Group meeting. The suggestions made during the meeting will be brought up to the Steering Committee in early March.
The meeting for Effingham’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan saw representation from the Lake Sara area, Effingham residents, the Steering Committee and St. John’s Lutheran Church.
According to the Comprehensive Plan survey results, over 75% of respondents said the recycling program is either poor or very poor. Thirty two percent of respondents said it’s very poor. The previous Comprehensive plan had ideas for a recycling program, if they were feasible through a local organization or corporation.
However, the plans fell through because they weren’t economically sound. Those doing recycling programs were getting items that weren’t recyclable, and it wasn’t worth the cost.
“You don’t get enough out of it to even cover the transportation cost to the places to even cover the transportation cost to the places to recycle them,” said City Planner Greg Koester. “Entities and private individuals, churches, whatever, they can only handle that so long before it just gets to be a drain on their resources.”
However, Koester believes everyone in the community would like to see a better recycling program, and that starts with education, reducing, reusing and recycling.
One example discussed at the meeting was that in Canada, Walmart eliminated its single-use plastic bags; customers are required to bring their own.
“Something like that would help tremendously with the waste, and you don’t have the plastic bags in the trash or in the fence row or out in the field or anything like that,” said Koester.
About 30% of respondents said the city should spend more money and resources on programs for seniors, while about 50% believe they should spend the same amount of funds and resources.
Currently, ETrax, Effingham’s bus route, doesn’t have a designated route in the south end of town because of the railroad tracks, but people may call ahead to request a ride.
Some transportation goals include making sure its network meets seniors’ needs, continues to meet them and improve upon it when possible. Another goal is making people aware of the Senior Center of Effingham County so seniors are able to enjoy it. The center includes multiple activities including bingo, luncheons, health fairs and exercise programs.
“We don’t want Effingham to be a retirement community, but we want Effingham to be a retirement-friendly community,” said Koester.
Tiny homes, only 900-1,000 square feet, for seniors was another idea brought up during the meeting because according to Koester, there have been discussions about them over previous years. This sparked the conversation about zero entry, which means no steps or thresholds that seniors have to get into their house from the garage, driveway, sidewalk or front porch.
Both the Heartville and Lake Sara areas are vital to the City of Effingham. Lake Sara has a plethora of amenities for lake goers, which attracts workers to the area. Heartville is a good location for residential expansion. The City of Effingham supplies water to both.
The Heartville and Lake Sara areas are hoping to switch from private sewage disposal systems to either an IEPA private system or a public system and more convenient access to the City of Effingham.
Down the line, the communities wish to switch to either an IEPA permitted private sewer system or a public system rather than private sewage disposals. Older systems with leach fields can empty water to the surface or the groundwater. Newer systems discharge the septic tank to a treatment plant or facility to remove things from the water or treat it.
Koester hopes that Effingham County finishes the Evergreen extension and the Fayette extension to connect the two communities to the City of Effingham. However, these extensions are expected to take ten to 20 years. The city also hopes to improve roads like Dutch Lane and Old Watson Road to keep up with traffic standards.
“I really like the Comprehensive Plan they put together and really want community participation,” said Effingham Rumpke President Brian Hayes. “I mean, that’s what it’s all about. Community participation’s a big part of it.”
The next Focus Group meeting will cover businesses, industry development, workforce, childcare and more. It is scheduled for Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Effingham City Hall.