Washington’s City Council took the necessary steps to move ahead with a proposed market-based apartment complex on the city’s east side. The middle income apartments will help the city’s efforts to meet the 1000 homes that economists project Daviess County will need within the next ten years. Monday night the Council approved resolutions declaring the area behind Casey’s as an economic revitalization area, and approving a 5 year tax abatement on real property in the area. The Council also approved an ordinance authorizing economic development revenue bonds to assist with infrastructure in the area. In other action, the Council passed an ordinance allocating a little more than $2,893,000 from the ARP Coronovirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. The money was made available by the Federal and State governments to assist local communities. The City will look at the federal guidelines and determine where the funds will do the most good.
The Board of Public Works and Safety met after the Council and heard Richard Burch of Midwestern Engineers say that Washington’s Waste Water Treatment Plant needs some immediate work. Burch said the main electric line into the plant needs upgrading, one unit is not working, and some of the plant’s controls are over twenty years old,outdated, and need replaced. Burch said that while the different projects could be done separately, the nearly year-long lead time to get the necessary parts makes taking action imperative. Total cost to upgrade the plant is estimated at around $1.6 million. Burch also told the Council that because of Washington’s growth, especially on the east side, it was time to begin planning for a second waste water treatment plant on the east side of town, the current plant is nearing capacity and a new plant would relieve the load on the existing system. In other business the Board of Works awarded the city’s sidewalk-replacement contract to the low bidder, Hardrock Concrete.