Mattoon council to consider hosting AmeriCorps workers for Lake Paradise trail construction

The Mattoon City Council is scheduled during its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, in City Hall, 208 N 19th St, to consider allocating $9,000 to house these trail workers. In addition, the council will consider allocating $47,500 for designing a sanitary sewer system for the planned Emerald Acres Sports Connection athletic facilities at Interstate 57 and Illinois 16.

Regarding Lake Paradise, the housing expense resolution reports that the city aims to enhance the trail system there to improve access and recreational opportunities for the community. The city would carry out this goal with the help of AmeriCorps NCCC, which offers dedicated teams to support community projects across the nation.

“The city desires to host an AmeriCorps NCCC team to aid in building trail systems at Lake Paradise from Sept. 15-Nov. 7,” the resolution states. “Camp New Hope has been identified as a suitable housing location for the eight-12 AmeriCorps NCCC members during their service period.”

Camp New Hope, located along nearby Lake Mattoon, offers year-around recreational experiences, including summer camp-style lodging, for those ages 8 years and older with developmental and physical disabilities. The resolution states that the $9,000 in lodging expenses for the trail building team would be covered by city video gambling revenue funds.

Regarding Emerald Acres, the council will consider hiring Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. for designing the sanitary sewer system that will serve this complex and connect it to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

“A sanitary pump station is being constructed as part of the sports complex development. Our role is to provide an outlet for the pump station that also helps to serve the long-term needs of the area,” said city Public Works Director Dean Barber in his council decision request, adding that this design contract will be paid from city sewer revenue funds. 

Barber said the Upchurch Group, Inc. will perform the survey work for the sewer system under a separate contract. He said they also anticipate that the cost of any needed easements will be paid from the $100,000 budgeted for city sewer work at Emerald Acres. He said the construction cost will be paid from the bonds for the sports complex.

Ground was ceremonially broken on Wednesday for the construction of 110-acre Emerald Acres Sports at the southwest corner of I-57 and Route 16. The indoor sports facility with basketball and volleyball courts is set to open in 2024, followed by the outdoor facilities with baseball, softball and soccer fields in 2025.

In other matters, the council will consider hiring Bartels Construction for $175,000 from the city’s sales tax revenue-backed capital funds to make sidewalk improvements on Lafayette Avenue from Logan Street to Crestview Subdivision. The council also will acknowledge the recent retirement of Kevin Hamilton with more than 35 years of service with the Mattoon Public Works Department and consider promoting Alexander Fuqua to this position.

The full agenda for the meeting and information on attending the meeting remotely are posted at https://mattoon.illinois.gov/download/city-council-meeting-2023-06-06/.