MENDOTA – The Mendota City Council awarded a bid for a construction project and heard a report on the Walkability Academy Action Plan at its Sept. 3 regular meeting.
ALDERMANIC REPORTS
Alderman Jim Fitzpatrick said three bids were received for the Raymond Drive concrete replacement project. The low bid of $163,471 from Opperman Construction Co. of Pontiac was accepted. The engineer’s estimate for the project was $237,000.
Fitzpatrick announced that bids are now being accepted for Phase I of the waste water treatment plant project. Bid packets are available on the city’s website.
Alderman John Holland presented a resolution for the city’ support and commitment for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement grant application, which was approved by the rest of the council.
Holland announced that a Finance Committee meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 prior to the regular council meeting.
WALKABILITY ACADEMY
Amy Brewer and Jani Kidd gave a report about the Active People, Healthy Nation Illinois Walkability Virtual Academy. Seventeen participants gave their time, energy and expertise in participating in the academy from June 5-July 30. They attended many hours of training to learn from state and national experts to best determine the activities for better mobility in the city of Mendota.
Mendota was one of four communities in the state of Illinois chosen to be a part of the Academy sponsored by the CDC. Mendota was recognized for having one of the largest groups of participants and was complimented for its engagement, presentations and thorough work plan. As part of the Academy, each participating group was to develop an action plan to include a minimum of at least two specific overarching policy, system or environmental goals.
During the 20-hour online course, Brewer said “we learned about many things to consider, the importance of the way towns are set up for walking and moving, and wrote a well-informed plan for Mendota that will be useful and that really impressed the project director from the CDC.”
Brewer added that the group has developed a well-written plan that can fit into the city’s comprehensive plan, the group is grant-ready when a grant becomes available, and that it has good ideas about making Mendota more walkable.
“The end goal was to create a plan for walkability to make things better for people of all ages living in Mendota,” stated Brewer.
Participants in the Walkability Academy were: (city staff) Ali Braboy, Annie Short, Emily McConville, Maria Arteaga, Nick Stremlau, Tim Kimrey; (community members) Alexia Gross, Aliza Salinas-Cervantes, Amy Brewer, Denise Aughenbaugh, Jani Kidd, Moises Carlos, Sam Setchell, Sarah Henkel, Shasta Hladovcak, Steve Donnell, Vicki Johnson.
OTHER ITEMS
Mayor David Boelk recognized City Clerk Emily McConville, whom he appointed to the position 20 years ago.
The next regular meeting of the Mendota City Council will be Monday, Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m.
