Marseilles takes no action, has no new talks on City Hall building purchase

The Marseilles City Council met in closed session at the conclusion of Wednesday’s regular meeting, but it did not take any action on the possible purchase of the former Illinois Valley Cellular building.

There was no discussion or votes on the matter during the meeting Wednesday.

When Mayor Jim Hollenbeck was asked for an update after the meeting, he said the city had nothing to add Wednesday and would have more information at its next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15.

The City Council may meet in closed session to discuss property purchases, per state law. “Purchase of property” and “personnel” were listed as the reasons the City Council met in closed session Wednesday.

The Marseilles City Council affirmed in a previous 3-2 vote that it is willing to borrow up to $2.3 million for the purchase and renovation of the Illinois Valley Cellular building, which is a proposed site for a new city hall and police station.

At the council’s Oct. 18 meeting, Hollenbeck said, the second appraisal requested by the public at one of the city’s open meetings had been delivered, with the value set at $2.26 million.

An earlier appraisal had positioned the value at $1.6 million.

The estimated cost of putting up a new, similar building is close to $4 million, the council said. The building was believed to be in “pretty good shape” with the exception of a few minor repairs, city engineer Mike Etscheid said at the previous meeting.