Grafton City Council nixes idea of new city building;
will look at renovation
By Jill Boomer
The Jersey County Star
GRAFTON - Despite noting that the Grafton City Hall needs renovation, the Grafton City Council Tuesday agreed that the proposal made by developer Bruce Jackson was not something they could afford to do at this time.

At the last city council meeting, Jackson proposed to the council to purchase the land he owns on Route 3 to build a municipal center which would house city offices, council chambers, police station and possibly the U.S. Post Office.

Jackson again went over his ideas for helping with the “image of Grafton”.

A new building, he said, “would give people an image that the city is looking forward”.

“I am aware of the city’s finances,” he continued, “but there is the sale of the present city building and possible TIF funds available.”

Alderman Linda Tolle expressed the opinion of the council noting that “our plate is pretty full”.

However, later in the meeting Grafton Police Chief and Project Coordinator Rob Hedger responded to a question about the mold issue in the present building they are using for the police department.

“It’s bad,” Hedger told the council, “but it is not flood related.”

Hedger said that when they moved into the building, they were aware of the problem and tried to correct it themselves.

According to Hedger, the mold problem has spread and the officers do not spend much time in the building and have brought some of their equipment over to city hall.

Alderman Betsy Puent said the present city hall needs renovation so that all the city offices could be under one roof.

“We should explore that,” she said.  “This building isn’t perfect but I know people want to keep it (city hall) on Main Street.”

Hedger told the council that if significant improvements are made, since it is in the floodplain, it would have to be elevated.

He said he would look into the rules and regulations regarding renovation of buildings in a flood plain.

The city council voted to approve a Teamster’s contract with the city’s Public Works Department.

Personnel committee chairman Alderman Steve Hayes initially asked the council not to approve the contract, but the council voted against that motion. They then voted for the union contract. (Voting for the contract: Tolle, Puent and Alderman Joe Carey).

Hayes’ stumbling block which created discussion was job description of Supervisor of Public Works Jerry Nairn who was part of the contract negotiating team.

From reading the Illinois Municipal League manual, Hayes said, a supervisor cannot be on a negotiating committee.

City attorney Jim Schrempf said that a person can have some supervisory tasks and be a member of the union.

Hedger reported that a 11-person crew from Job Center has been working on the city’s clean up since the flood waters receded.

Volunteers and this crew have been working on Grove Memorial Park and it is coming along. He also said that the playground equipment has been disinfected.

“Now is a good time to get the city back to normal,” he said.

Hedger said they will have the crew up to six months and they are paid for by a grant, not by the city.