Council OKs TIF support, discusses outdoor liquor

Six days after asking other local taxing entities to give their support for the extension of one of Vandalia’s Tax Increment Financing districts, the Vandalia City Council made its support official.
The council voted unanimously on Tuesday to have Mayor Rick Gottman sign a letter of support for the extension of the city’s TIF 1 district.
The current TIF 1 is set to expire at the end of 2022, and the city is seeking a 12-year extension.
The importance of such an extension was discussed after Octochem asked city officials to confirm their support of the company’s latest expansion project.
However, Mayor Rick Gottman pointed out at Tuesday’s council meeting that the extension and Octochem project are not tied together.
“This has nothing to do with the project,” Gottman said. “TIF 1 is the downtown area, the original. That’s where people are getting confused.
“Will the project have a benefit from this? Yes,” Gottman said. “But this does not have anything to do with the project.
“We have to separate the project versus the extension of the TIF for the betterment of the community.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council had the first reading of a request for a liquor license related to the revitalization of Copper Penny.
Owner Amy Gaffney has submitted the request for the business at 125 S. Fourth St. that she hopes to be open by November. She operated that business at that location until about three years ago, and recently purchased that building with plans to reopen that business.
Asked by Alderman Russ Stunkel to explain what she plans to do at the business, Gaffney said the new Copper Penny will be much like the original version, but with a smaller menu.
She said that he wants to work with the city down the road to be able to serve alcohol on the adjacent Charters Patio, and Mayor Rick Gottman said that she already is able to do so, and also do so at sidewalk tables.
Gaffney asked how that differs from her currently being required to obtain a catering license.
City Attorney Ryan Connor said that the city had changed the city ordinance to allow some open alcohol in specific cases and that he could work on revisions of the ordinance to expand that.
Gottman said that he, as the city’s liquor commissioner, needs to sit down with Connor to discuss the issue.
Also at the meeting:
• It was reported that city operations are hampered somewhat by the crash of a server, as is the city’s ability to serve local residents.
City Administrator LaTisha Paslay announced at Tuesday’s council meeting that with the server crash, the city is unable to receive or send emails.
Also, she said, that server crash has affected the server the city uses for water billing. Thus, she said, the city is unable to enter payments, check amounts owed or performed other actions related to water bills.
Paslay said repairs to the system will likely be made later in the week.
• The council approved the transfer of Vandalia Lake lot No. 102 from Rodney and Brenda Hunt of Ramsey to Cody Robbins of Vandalia.
• The council approved a resolution asking the Illinois Department of Transportation to allow the closure of Gallatin Street from Third Street to Sixth Street from 1-10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, for Olde Tyme Christmas.
• The council approved maintenance agreements with Vandevanter Engineering for wastewater pumps.
• The council approved a letter of support for the Coffeen Power Plant.
Vistra Energy recently announced plans to close four Illinois Power plants by the end of this year, including the one at Coffeen.
Closure of the plant would result in the loss of 95 jobs.
The resolution asks the state to do whatever it can prevent the closure of the Coffeen plant.
• Alderman Ken Hubler asked for direction regarding trash containers for multiple apartments in an apartment building.
Currently, the city charges the full rate of $14.38 for a container, then $8 for each additional container at that location.
Hubler said he was approached by the owner of an apartment building about charging the reduced rate for additional containers at that location.
Aldermen agreed, however, that the full rate should be charged for each apartment occupant.