Spring Valley council fast tracks demolition of downtown property

Officials will move forward with repair, demolition at 209 E. St. Paul St.

Five candidates are vying for the opportunity to work at Spring Valley City Hall (seen here) as its next mayor.

The Spring Valley City Council approved a fast-tracked repair and demolition proceeding against a downtown property and committed to a project aimed at safer travel to and from John F. Kennedy Elementary School at its regular meeting Monday.

The council agreed to move forward with repair and demolition proceedings on the property at 209 E. St. Paul St., citing longstanding structural issues that could cause risk to the adjacent properties and exhaustion of options with the owner. Spring Valley Fire Chief Todd Bogatitus implored the council to take decisive action and recommended the same on other properties with similar issues.

Also approved was a resolution of support and commitment of local funds to a proposed sidewalk project to be submitted to the Illinois Department of Transportation for a Safe Routes to School grant. The proposed project would install a six-foot wide sidewalk running from Heather Apartments east to John F. Kennedy Elementary School. The cost estimate for the project is $272,030.

Mayor Melanie Malooley-Thompson appointed Tim Kitts, Lauren Trumpkinski, Brant Baltikuaski and Mike Dergance to the recently-expanded Spring Valley Park Board, and a $6,375 Business Revitalization Grant was finalized to Mean Metal Guns.

Also approved Monday were the city’s purchase of the property at 406 E. Minnesota St. from Bureau County and a petition from Hall High School to host its annual Homecoming Parade, Thursday, Sept. 30.

The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 4.