BY CAROL HICKS
HOOPESTON — City council members voted 6-1 Tuesday to allow Allied Waste to distribute trash receptacles to residents for mechanical pick up for the next 15 months until their contract with the city expires.
"Residents can use them or not use them," Mayor Bill Crusinberry said. "Allied Waste will still pick up garbage bags and furniture until the contract expires in 15 months and we renegotiate with them. Everyone will have a container supplied to them. Just try them."
In other business:
-- The city approved purchasing two garlands with wreaths for Main and Market Streets in conjunction with a local organization possibly purchasing and placing a 25-foot tree downtown.
-- Approved the annexation of 1103 South Second Avenue, Dice Addition, into the city.
-- Heard an announcement the council would work on an ordinance limiting the number of garage sales per person in Hoopeston to eliminate the continuous garage sales in some areas.
"Consignment shops in Hoopeston pay taxes to sell used items," said Alderwoman Sue Comstock, "and continuous garage sales do not and that is why we are considering limiting the garage sales."
Crusinberry added, "In the commercial property ordinance, there is no open storage of goods on commercial property. Continuous garage sales can’t be set up in commercial zoning."
-- Learned the city plans to detour semi truck traffic coming into the city on South Market to 6th Avenue on Oct. 27 away from the Downtown Spooktacular event scheduled from 5-7 p.m. The 200 and 300 blocks of East Main Street will be blocked for the Halloween event that evening.
-- Heard from Amy Marchant, CEO of CRIS Senior Services, about the Corn Cruiser from Hoopeston to Danville that recently started its service. The service is to help people without transportation be able to get to jobs in Danville and Champaign via the Danville Mass Transit service, as well as seniors and disabled to have transportation to Danville for appointments, shopping or a day out.
The Department of Transportation grant to CRIS Senior Services made this bus possible, according to Marchant. It leaves at 6:45 a.m. from the MultiAgency to Danville with three trips during the day and has 14 stops along the way in Hoopeston, Rossville, Bismarck and Danville to the Danville Mass Transit with transfers to areas in Danville. The last trip for the day departs the pick up locations at 5:15 and arrives back in Hoopeston at 6:15 p.m.
"If you don’t use it, you will use it," said Marchant. She added, ""Because you live in Hoopeston, you can go anywhere that Amtrak can go with this transportation."
It also was announced that Hoopeston along with Danville received the Governor’s Award for Unique Achievement, which recognizes groups, individuals and programs that make a positive impact on the lives of seniors in the state. The awardees were nominated by Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state.
The Maturing of Vermilion County Team was nominated by East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging. The team assessed the county’s preparedness and identified three winnable issues to foster livable communities for all ages: economic development, health and human services, and housing. The city of Danville initiated a Renaissance program to rehabilitate and restore exist-ing housing in the West Downtown neighborhood and Hoopeston is working with the Illinois Housing Development Authority and private developers to build 25 units of new affordable single-family housing beginning next spring.
-- Jean Minick added that the tax credits had been sold and has to be approved by the Illinois Housing Authority.
"It was too late for the October agenda," Minick said. "It will be on the November agenda and should be finalized by December 31st."
WHAT’S NEXT
The Hoopeston council meeting will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at City Hall, 301 W. Main St.
