Attorney: signing memorandum could clear hold on brick-road project; Lamar hearings suggested for July 20

City attorney Rocky updated the Taylorville City Council on June 15 about several pending matters affecting city projects.

Rocky said the brick-roadway project has been held up since last October because the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois EPA raised concerns related to historic-district impacts. He reported that the University of Illinois has returned its report and that the city could move forward if council members give the mayor authority to sign a memorandum of agreement; that MOU would then be forwarded to IDNR to secure their signature and clear the hold. He cautioned the council that the MOU requires immediate stop-work obligations if human remains or other historic resources are encountered during excavation.

Rocky also said he had been in contact with Lamar Advertising's attorney and suggested scheduling a variance public hearing and a special-use hearing for the Lamar project on July 20. He said the Templeton airport agreement remains delayed because the airport layout-plan modification must be completed and funded.

Rocky recommended that council members individually authorize the mayor to sign the MOU and ratify that action at the next council meeting so the brick project can proceed prior to an October review by state agencies.