By: Alli Harlan
The Urbana City Council met in regular session on Tuesday evening.
The council had a public hearing over the Amendment to Sections 1339.99 and 1149.03 of the Codified Ordinances. This is a way of restructuring the flow of meetings. Next, the topic was enacting Chapter 1303 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Urbana, entitled Property Maintenance Code. This allows the city to identify gaps between the nuisance and zoning codes. They went on to approve the minutes from their last meeting held on March 5th.
The following was passed at the meeting:
- Purchase order to Public Entities Pool for over $231,000 for one year to cover the cost of property and causality insurance. This is a 10% increase over the 2023 premium, will be charged to departmental insurance accounts, and is in the 2024 budget.
- Purchase order to Tom’s Construction Inc. for the Railroad Street Storm Project in the amount not to exceed $931,786 which includes a 5% contingency on the total bid price but excludes the grant administered through Champaign County. Tom’s Construction was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder at $1,335,034.
- Increase purchase order number 2024-00562 to R. B. Jergens Contractors Inc. for $252,275 for pending change orders related to the South High Street project. This is charged to the OPWC Loan.
- Ordinance 4601-24
- Ordinance 4602-24
- Ordinance 4603-24
- Ordinance 4606-24
- Resolution 2688-24 which accepts the report of the Tax Incentive Review Council from their meeting discussing the Enterprise Zone and Community Reinvestment Area agreements.
Tyler Bumbalough, Urbana City Engineer, talks about the Railroad Street Storm Project:
The council went into miscellaneous business which included very positive remarks from the Sutphen Corporation Grand Opening that was held Tuesday morning.
Council member Mrs. Truelove asked why there were no tornado sirens in the city when tornado warnings were in place. It was mentioned that the sirens have been removed as it was getting costly. Residents are asked to sign up through the EMA Champaign County website for code red alerts. Code red calls/texts the number you provide for emergency alerts such as tornados. Audra Bean, City Council Member at Large, talks about the importance of code red:
It was also mentioned that weather radar radios are available for purchase and to wear shoes in the event of severe weather conditions.
If you would like to come to the next meeting, it will be on April 2nd, at 6 p.m. located at 205 South Main Street in Urbana. Meetings are held on the third floor of the Municipal Building.
