City council grants Union Block $100,000 from TIF

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

As it nears its fund-raising goal of $3.4 million to renovate the Union Block Building, Main Street Mt. Pleasant received a $100,000 boost from the Mt. Pleasant City Council.

City leaders, during their regular meeting Wednesday night, approved giving a $100,000 from tax increment financing funds (TIF) from the district to Main Street to be used to make exterior improvements to the Union Block Building.

Lisa Oetken, Main Street director, says the grant brings the project within $278,000 of its $3.4 million goal.

Oetken said the top two floors of the building have to be completed by June 30. ?Five windows are in (on the top two floors) and they have two-and-one-half weeks to get the rest of them in,? she noted.

Mt. Pleasant Mayor Steve Brimhall said it is imperative that the project be completed, noting that the building ? which occupies three building fronts ? is a centerpiece of the square area.

?You are now $278,000 away,? Brimhall said. ?Hopefully, the response by the council will get other people thinking about donating and getting the money down to zero. I want to thank you for all your work. I know it has been a struggle, you are almost there.

?When you are just $278,000 short in a $3.4 million project, that is pretty incredible,? Brimhall continued. ?When you get this done, and with the park project, we are one step closer to getting the downtown the way we want it to look.?

In 2012 the council provided a $150,000 loan guarantee to the project, enabling Main Street to receive a $500,000 I-JOBS grant from the state.

Josh Maher, Main Street Mt. Pleasant president, in a letter to the council said the requirements of the grant have been met, ?thus the City of Mt. Pleasant is absolved of responsibilities associated with the new guarantee.

?Thanks to the confidence shown by the city council, we have achieved or are working toward the following construction goals: Exterior brick restoration, window construction, roof replacement, elevator installation, interior demolition, wall and ceiling repair and replacement, lighting, plumbing and HVAC,? Maher wrote.

Council members also approved hiring Jviation of Jefferson City, Mo., to conduct an independent audit of the engineering services agreement (ESA) to write the airport master plan. Jviation will be paid a fee not to exceed $2,000.

The audit is needed because cost for the ESA to McClure Engineering exceeds $100,000. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) rules and regulations specify that any amount exceeding $100,000 requires an audit, City Administrator Brent Schleisman said. However, the FAA would pay for 90 percent of the audit cost.

Brimhall said improvements to the airport have nearly been completed. About the only item remaining on the ?wish list? is lengthening of the runway to accommodate jets. ?For those of you who have not been to the airport, it is worth the while. It is a fabulous looking place.?

Approval was given for use of McMillan Park Saturday, June 28, for a Bacon, Brews and BBQ Festival, a fund-raiser hosted by Main Street Mt. Pleasant and Henry County Tourism. Holly Jones, county tourism director, said the even will be a fund-raiser for Main Street Mt. Pleasant and include a 5K fun run (participants will be provided bacon treats along the route) and other events throughout the evening. The run begins at 4:30 p.m. and the group was granted permission to have a beer tent.

Acting on a recommendation from the personnel committee, the council approved a change in the city?s life insurance carrier from Dearborn National to the Lincoln Financial Group.

The change not only will save the city $21.18 in annual premium savings but allow an increase in the benefit amount from $30,000 to $50,000.

Final action had the council:

? Setting Wednesday, May 28, at 5:30 p.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on an amendment to the fiscal 2014 budget.

? Passed the third reading and adopted an ordinance increasing sanitary sewer flow fees.

? Passed the third reading and adopted an ordinance increasing the monthly solid waste administrative fee.

Council members meet again in regular session Wednesday, May 28, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.