Aldermen in the Maple City approved a pair of rehabilitation grants for businesses in the city’s Downtown Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District.
The two businesses are Meks on Main and Tin Cup, both are located on Main Street in Monmouth. Tin Cup was awarded $2,111 while Meks on Main was awarded over $17,095.
City Administrator Lew Steinbrecher tells WGIL that the grants are for the structural or core systems in a building.
“Something to do with tuck-pointing to preserve the bricks or replacing the roof, replacing a furnace or a new electrical system to upgrade the building. Those are the types of structural or core system costs that are eligible under that program.”
Other action by the city council Monday included approving a resolution accepting $124,400 from the Illinois Housing Development Authority for the demolition of dilapidated residences.
The City plans to use the money to demolish several dilapidated homes in the city, according to Steinbrecher.
“When we submitted that application we had identified 17 properties and we requested $250,000. What we received was $124,400 and we estimate that there are seven of those 17 properties that we can address with these grant funds.”
Alderman also approved Mayor Rod Davies’ appointment of former Monmouth Fire Chief Jim Conard to fill a vacancy left by the passing of Bob Wells last year.
Conard has over 28 years in local government and community service including serving on the Warren County Crimestoppers Board and the Warren County 911 Board.
He will serve for the last two years of Wells’ term.
