By Clint Wolf - November 5th 2024
SOUTH BELOIT
Most vehicles in the South Beloit streets and public works department will soon be under one roof after a building purchase was approved by the city council Monday.
The council voted. 4 — 1 approving the purchase of the former Walnut Creek property at 851 Doner Drive. Council member Brian Hedrington voted against the purchase.
The cost of the building is $495,000. The city plans to close on the property Friday.
Currently, streets and public works vehicles are stored at two locations — The Public Works building at 225 Perry Ave. and the Streets Department building at 624 Eastern Ave.
“The old facility on Eastern Avenue is in sad shape,” said Mayor Tom Fitzgerald.
He said the office has mold and the buildings on site are deteriorating. Some structures at the Eastern Avenue site may be demolished.
City Administrator Sonya Hoppes said city officials had to face the decision of either spending money to upgrade the old facility or buy a new property that could accommodate storage of city equipment. She said the facility on Doner Drive will accommodate all vehicle storage with the exception of an 11-foot loader.
The city earlier this year had considered purchasing a building on Gardner Street owned by the Regal-Rexnord. That building would have been big enough not only to store city vehicles, but it could accommodate City Hall staff, the police department and possibly be a new location for a city library. However, the city and Regal-Rexnord could not come to an agreement on a price for the property.
Hoppes said city officials were waiting on an environmental study of the property before finalizing the deal.
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