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City of Lincoln
Lincoln Council reviews sewer project, recreation improvements and
economic development grants
[June 25, 2026]
All members of the Lincoln City
Council were present for the Committee of the Whole meeting on June
23 at Lincoln City Hall. Mayor Tracy Welch opened the meeting by
asking for a moment of silence in memory of former City Council
Secretary Risa Riggs, who served the city from 1999 until her
retirement in 2018.
There was no public participation. Council members then moved
through a series of infrastructure, financial and economic
development items that will advance to the regular council meeting
for formal action.
One of the evening's most significant discussions centered on the
Campus View Drive sewer project, as Wastewater Project Manager
Andrew Bowns outlined a plan designed to keep the long-awaited
project moving while reducing delays during the administrative
process.
Bowns asked the council to authorize several actions simultaneously,
including allowing the mayor to execute project documents once
easements are secured, permitting the city attorney to negotiate
agreements with affected homeowners, authorizing Crawford, Murphy &
Tilly to advertise the project for bids and allowing the mayor to
award the contract to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder
after bids are received.
A major component of the proposal would establish a $250,000
revolving fund through the city's sewer enterprise fund to assist
homeowners with the cost of connecting their homes to the new sewer
line.
"We are proposing a quarter million dollar fund be allocated to this
project that will have a repayment structure with every individual
house that wants to take advantage of it, that way they do not have
to shoulder the full cost burden at once," Bowns said.
Rather than requiring residents to
secure private financing or pay the entire cost upfront, homeowners
would have the option of repaying the city over time. Bowns said
using the contractor already mobilized for the project should also
reduce individual connection costs.
Council members asked several questions regarding how the repayment
program would work, estimated connection costs and homeowner
responsibilities.
Bowns said the city does not anticipate borrowing money to establish
the fund because it would come from the sewer enterprise fund. He
also recommended charging homeowners an interest rate comparable to
what the city currently earns on certificates of deposit so the fund
remains financially neutral.
Alderman Tim Becke asked whether participation would be optional.
Bowns explained homeowners could either finance the work through the
city's program, arrange their own financing or pay the costs
outright, though choosing not to connect would not be advisable. He
estimated the average connection cost would likely be slightly
higher than $10,000 but noted each property would vary depending on
its circumstances.
Alderman Kevin Bateman explained that some homes could require more
extensive work because existing sewer lines leave homes from
different sides depending on whether they have basements, crawl
spaces or slab foundations. He said coordinating the private
connections while the contractor is already onsite would help reduce
costs for residents.
Mayor Welch also reminded the council that affected homeowners may
be eligible for assistance through the city's existing sewer rebate
program, which has already been used by several residents.
Although one remaining issue still needs to be resolved before
construction can proceed, city officials said they are trying to
complete as much of the administrative work as possible so the
project can move quickly once all required agreements are finalized.
The committee also reviewed the city's annual Motor Fuel Tax
resurfacing program. Street and Alley Superintendent Walt Landers
explained the resolution will allow the city to use Motor Fuel Tax
funds for this year's resurfacing work.
Landers said the proposal includes several blocks of Clinton Street
and two blocks of Walnut Street, though the final scope will depend
on construction costs once bids are received.
Council members discussed an
engineering agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly for this year's
curb and sidewalk improvement program. Landers described the
agreement as the engineering contract needed for the annual project
before the committee advanced it for consideration by the full
council.
The committee then reviewed
recommendations from the Lincoln Economic Development Commission
which approved four structural improvement grants under the city’s
economic development program.
The recommended grants include up to $7,500 for the Lincoln Arts
Institute for roof repairs, up to $6,500 for tuckpointing work at
the Oasis Senior Center, up to $7,500 for a roof replacement at
property owner John Roche's building and up to $5,314.54 for a
garage door replacement at a commercial property owned by Katie
Davis.
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During discussion,
council members clarified that while applicants may request up
to $7,500, grants are awarded only up to the accepted project
bid amount and are distributed as reimbursements after work has
been completed and inspected.
Treasurer Chuck Conzo also presented the first amendment to the
city's current appropriation ordinance.
Conzo explained the amendment primarily transfers money between
budget line items within existing funds to remain in compliance
with Illinois law after certain expenditures exceeded their
original line-item appropriations.
"State law enables us to address that by transferring money in
the appropriation lines within that sub fund," Conzo said.
He noted that departments remained within their total
appropriated fund amounts and said a second, shorter amendment
will be presented at the next council meeting.
Conzo also presented a walk-on financial item involving a
certificate of deposit within the city's sewer operation and
maintenance fund. With the seven-month certificate maturing June
28, he recommended renewing it for another seven months at a
3.47% promotional interest rate offered by Tremont First
National Bank. Because the certificate matures before the next
regular council meeting, Conzo sought the committee's consensus
before moving forward, and council members voiced no objections.
During walk-on business, Welch informed the council that the
city has been offered a $25,000 community improvement grant from
the Woods Foundation.
City officials initially considered several possible projects
for the funding, including resurfacing the City Hall parking lot
and purchasing the property behind the Route 66 museum to create
additional green space. After reviewing the proposals, officials
selected additional playground equipment for the Eighth Street
recreational area.
The proposed project includes a zip-line style playground
feature with an estimated total cost of approximately $33,700,
leaving the city responsible for the remaining amount beyond the
grant award. Welch said the city already has funds available
within its community improvements budget and asked the council
to support contributing up to $10,000 toward the project,
contingent upon receiving the grant.
Welch noted the playground addition would complement the city's
broader vision for the Eighth Street recreation area, which
includes a new pavilion, dog park and the master planning effort
currently being developed in partnership with Lincoln Memorial
Hospital. The committee expressed support for moving the
proposal to the regular council meeting.
During announcements, City Engineer Shane Remmert provided an
update on construction of the pavilion at the Eighth Street
recreational area. He said recent rainfall has delayed concrete
work and installation of the steel structure, but the contractor
remains within the overall construction schedule, with final
completion expected by the end of August.
Council members highlighted several
recent community events, including Third Fridays, the Hunt for
Foundation's Juneteenth celebration, the Lincoln Fire Department's
second annual 5K fundraiser and Work Camp for Lincoln 2026, which
brought approximately 270 high school volunteers and more than 30
adult mentors from across the country to complete home improvement
projects for residents throughout Logan County.
Welch shared updates on several downtown tourism projects. He
announced that the city's historic covered wagon has been relocated
to its new home, though one of the wagon's wheels will require
significant restoration after rot was discovered. Work will continue
on new sidewalks, relocating the large "Lincoln" letters and
installing updated wayfinding signage to improve accessibility and
create a more unified tourism destination. Welch highlighted the
completion of a new mural across from the Route 66 museum as another
enhancement to the downtown corridor.
Street and Alley Superintendent Walt
Landers concluded the meeting with construction updates, reporting
that paving has been completed on Fifth Street Road, with crews now
working on driveways and intersections. He said the road could
reopen to traffic within the next couple of weeks while remaining an
active construction zone. Landers announced that a pre-construction
meeting for the Tremont Street project is scheduled this week and
said city crews continue responding to repeated rounds of storm
cleanup throughout the community.
[Sophia Larimore
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