South Central Reporter

Macoupin County Board Economic Development Committee met July 3.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

I. CALL TO ORDER

PRESENT: Armour, Starr, Blank, Kilduff, Klausing, Payne, Duncan, Stayton, Fisher

ABSENT: Rosentreter

II. AGENDA ITEMS

1. Energy Grant Decision on Projects

Kilduff discussed that there had been two public hearings to get comments from the public regarding the grant and what it should be spent on. There was one in Gillespie and one in Carlinville that were joint meetings with the City of Gillespie and Village of Dorchester. In terms of the county, the most significant request was to look at trying to create an office or staff for grant management and economic development. Other ideas had been discussed.

After some discussion the committee came up for the following recommendation: $10,000 for assistance in completing this grant application $150,479 for a potential grant administration and economic development office with other districts

$20,000 as a donation to the Macoupin CEO program

$50,000 for engineering costs for Reinken Road improvements

$94,000 for the replacement of faded road signs throughout the county.

Motion by Kilduff, seconded by Klausing to recommend to the full Board that plan for the grant funding.

RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS] 

MOVER: Ryan Kilduff, Member 

SECONDER: Holly Klausing, Member 

AYES: Armour, Starr, Blank, Kilduff, Klausing, Payne 

ABSENT: Rosentreter

2. Fairground Lease with Fair Board

Cindy Stayton, the Fair Board Treasurer, said she was representing the Board regarding the lease for the fairgrounds. It is coming up soon and there were some things they would like to consider for the next lease. They have made some significant improvements they've done to the buildings on the ground. They also have numerous events happening throughout the year besides just the fair. They also allow many non-profit groups to use the area throughout the year for their events. Stayton said that there with 68 different cities that people bought tickets for the fair concert this year. The reason they were coming was to see if they could have part of the farmland the county owns north of the fairgrounds added to their lease for additional parking. The farm lease on that property is currently $227 an acre.

Motion by Kilduff, seconded by Blank to table the topic and discuss it at next month's economic development committee meeting.

RESULT: TABLED [UNANIMOUS] 

MOVER: Ryan Kilduff, Member 

SECONDER: John Blank, Member 

AYES: Armour, Starr, Blank, Kilduff, Klausing, Payne 

ABSENT: Rosentreter

3. Solar Building Permit Ordinance

Garrison said that a state bill regarding building permits had removed the option of the county having a solar panel building permit as an option. So the county would either take no action and let state statute govern solar projects in the county or would need to adopt a siting permit ordinance like the wind ordinance. This could be discussed next month. Duncan also said the committee would need to decide what to do with the mining rights agreement that the solar company interested in the area near Virden had presented at next month's meeting.

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