The Oregon City Council approved a bid of $36,780 Tuesday night to demolish a home one block south of the city’s commercial district to increase parking.

Commissioners voted unanimously to award the bid to demolish the two-story home at 131 S. Third St. to Steve Benesh and Sons of Oregon.

City Manager Darin DeHaan said the city had received two bids for the work – one from Benesh and one from Martin & Co., also of Oregon.

“Martin was a couple thousand more,” said DeHaan.

The council bought the home in July for $62,000 in a move to provide more parking near the downtown.

The Oregon Fire Department had used the vacant home for some training sessions, DeHaan said.

“Why didn’t we just let the fire department finish the job,” quipped Commissioner Tim Krug.

DeHaan replied that the fire department was not in the demolition business.

In other action, the council approved $40,000 for a drainage analysis for East Oregon, the portion of the city located east of the Illinois 64 bridge.

DeHaan said a study of drainage issues in that area of town was conducted 15 years ago and needed to be updated.

“I think we need a fresh analysis to look into the drainage issues there,” DeHaan said. “This will help us plan.”

The analysis will be conducted by Fehr Graham.

Oregon Mayor Ken Williams said the analysis would only be a starting point.

“It won’t cover the entire project, but we need to start somewhere,” Williams said.