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Businesses share interest in admittance to enterprise zone
The steering committee for a new
ethanol plant has continued looking for a local site to build.
Illini BioEnergy is planning to build an $87 million coal-fired
plant that will make corn into ethanol. Brian Wrage informed the
council that a site at the northern city limits is looking
promising. ["Lincoln
possibly top choice for ethanol plant now"]
Wrage said the company would be
interested in annexing into the city if they chose that location.
The company would be encouraged to locate here if the city could
offer enterprise zone or TIFF district tax relief or other
incentives.
Phil Mahler from the Regional Planning
Commission was on hand on behalf of another business requesting
entrance into the enterprise zone. His Precious Little Ones, located
at 2002 N. Kickapoo St., will be doing extensive remodeling. Mahler
said, "There are 7 square miles left to be used for enterprise
zone." While he does want to have a long-term goal and plan, he said
that there is room to add His Precious Little Ones.
And then Mahler suggested that this
could easily be expanded to include the acreage that Illini
BioEnergy is looking at. "It is as much work to add 640 acres as to
add one-half an acre," he said. "We've got 620 acres times seven to
use for the enterprise zone yet. We might as well use it."
The
undetermined fate of "the telephone booth"
Derrick Crane, chairman of grounds,
buildings and improvements, has scheduled a committee meeting to
determine the future location for the City Hall telephone booth. The
committee will discuss it at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 27.
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this article]
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Newer
guns
The police department will be getting
new handguns. The fourteen-year-old guns have been in for repairs a
lot lately, Chief Richard Montcalm said. New guns cost $850. The
used guns that the department will be getting cost only $360. With a
$150 trade-in value, the end cost will be $66 each. The department
will need to purchase new magazines also. The expense will come out
of the drug and alcohol account.
No "no
parking" signs
Lincoln Speedway co-owner Gary Baugh
put forth a request to post "no parking" signs on Jefferson and
Short Eighth streets surrounding the fairgrounds.
Benny Huskins said he feels that
posting these signs would put a hardship on residents of the area
when they have visitors. He will not be present when it is voted on
next week but wanted his opinion known.
Huskins added that they sure put on a
nice Fourth of July display. The mayor and other aldermen agreed.
Glenn Shelton observed that this
measure would affect the other big events at the fairgrounds also,
such as the balloon fest and the county fair.
Alderman David Armbrust said that from
talking with them he believes that the fairgrounds association is
not in favor of this either.
It will be
voted on Monday (July 18).
[Jan
Youngquist]
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