Marseilles City Council takes step toward funding city projects

Marseilles took a step toward the funding that will help pay for several city projects, including the Broadway Park improvement project.

According to Commissioner of Public Property Jim Buckingham, the park is about 75% complete right now, but the remainder of the work will have to wait until spring when the weather is more temperate.

“There’s the grass to do and some blacktop, including the pickleball court that people are always calling to ask about,” Buckingham said. “When spring gets here, I look for things to get going and it to be ready in the early summer.”

Buckingham added he is interested in seeing what the 360-degree motion-activated video camera will do to deter the late-night vandalism the park has experienced in the past.

The council also approved a payment of $101,860 to Conley Excavating for the Broadway Park project.

Also of concern for the finances for the park project, the council considered a memo from City Engineer Mike Etscheid that outlines the need for Corporate Purpose general obligation bonds.

In it, he said the proposed tax levy of $1,647,000 is an increase of 4.752% over the amount levied in 2024, $1,572,282. The proposed tax rate, however, increased from $2.13404 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, an unusual figure because of county EAV increases, to $2.3394/$100 EAV, a figure more in line with what the city has had since 2019-2020.

Because it is less than a 5% increase, a truth in taxation hearing is not required.

He also proposed the city issue a one-year GO bond in the amount of $400,000 to replace last year’s GO bond that was paid off on Nov. 1. The city had held a public hearing at the start of the meeting regarding the issuance of GO bonds not to exceed $395,000.

That new bond, according to the memo, will help pay for the Broadway Park enhancement project. Though the city has received a $600,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, those funds will help cover the costs of the park improvement effort, which has escalated to over $1 million.

It will help pay for the city’s portion of both the Rutland Street sidewalk project, which is estimated to be more than $100,000, and the Main, Commercial and Broadway intersection project, estimated to be near $200,000.

In other action, the council:

• Approved payments of $79,450 and of $196,823 to Universal Asphalt and Excavating for the 2024 Street Maintenance Program.