[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6280903,"mediaKeyId","2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed","parentId",2609103,"title","Resident urges residential rehab grants; council moves community-improvement line and potential residential program to budget discussions","audioSeconds",1014,"startMs",585000,"endMs",1599000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed&start=585&end=1599","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed/thumbnail_585000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6280903/Lincoln/Logan-County/Illinois/Resident-urges-residential-rehab-grants-council-moves-community-improvement-line-and-potential-residential-program-to-budget-discussions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280903-c53fd527da36408c0480703b75f55384/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187240&Signature=fo0K8dwVlSHraaVj9kYnHNthPrewsPrzBkV~T6jQTfTXxJ9PcnULYVrVoiDgyY6JPgdS8FQq51QAJIURNk-AtCqE3qbF8VOpzNOGo1fb6vsZJhenqzOPuqZbAYiKNAsx3G6tqJpCt9kRUEl9cp7JnuHEvDHtuo9Cv9qMZpN5zCi8b6GMA7hJ-YORj1ZCXUizxCBqGw7Q819THeGHqELzOXtoNortDLDFuBYs24PDVHF4LfJWxDGwyXuqwpWxIkUd66J49XTC6DGBJ64iqOYiWr0QoWVjMBfAJaQcSH91X5t5BJGYqe-0EWWj~3~SsVIDmZdyq2jr-yKyvYROo1lirw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Lincoln, IL","date","2025-03-13T21:50:47.613Z","article","Retired carpenter Jeff Nelson urged the city to pursue residential rehabilitation grants that would help low-income seniors and people with disabilities pay for repairs such as wheelchair ramps, furnaces and electrical upgrades.

The request matters because residents with fixed incomes and persons with disabilities may lack resources to bring older houses up to code, and a city-coordinated grant effort could use outside funding and certified contractors to accomplish repairs while stimulating local business.

“I'm Jeff Nelson. I'm a retired carpenter...A lot of people that are on fixed incomes, as well as a lot of people with disabilities, like building wheelchair ramps and things like that,” Nelson said, describing work he performed in neighboring cities that used bundled weatherization, lead-abatement and forgivable grants. Nelson told council staff he had discussed cooperation with Springfield and Decatur and offered to share job documentation.

City staff said Ashley (identified in the meeting as the city grants coordinator) already handles grant coordination and staff would follow up with Springfield and Decatur to streamline applications. Council members agreed the Economic Development Grant Commission could administer or advise on a residential program modeled on its commercial grant processes. Alderman Parrot asked about city financial responsibility; staff said they expected the city would likely reimburse contractors and be reimbursed by grant funds, but that staff would research exact program requirements.

Separately, staff proposed a community improvement line in the budget to cover downtown benches, trash cans, lighting and other small capital improvements. Alderman Robles pointed out a $35,000 figure in a memo; staff said that number referred to an existing community improvement line. Council agreed to place the residential-grant discussion and a community improvement line item on the budget and regular agendas for further action.

No formal grant award or ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff will follow up with Springfield and Decatur staff and prepare policy guidelines for council and Economic Development Grant Commission review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee of the Whole Meeting March 11th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Retired carpenter Jeff Nelson urged the city to pursue residential rehabilitation grants that would help low-income seniors and people with disabilities pay for repairs such as wheelchair ramps, furnaces and electrical upgrades.","taxTitle","Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois","taxId",62037,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280908,"Council reviews resurfacing targets, authorizes item for next agenda after debate over Union Street scope",732,1877000,2609000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed&start=1877&end=2609","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed/thumbnail_1877000.jpg","/articles/6280908/Lincoln/Logan-County/Illinois/Council-reviews-resurfacing-targets-authorizes-item-for-next-agenda-after-debate-over-Union-Street-scope","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280908-4a8fae4a5ee65a9de28a85f512d7c5de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187240&Signature=Dx1WwzgSnAu7BguRUEO37H760azuOmm-jBMYSkEUjKjpbTqKh6s79Eait0755a4qzeNSYLTv1NL9gUgvgx-RpbKDgt-tT-Ixsrgrj9J1VdLUAQbAgfkung1XdK2zVSe~QmRZzNZLJGQkCaeVgvYGi9DHUjpV33GbELrp51ktmFeBEZoBTw82GPBPqVZ2jcMEm0uIRUthD-~XSKN8dJjSmCOCWvKYDV6PxvEdSiHd9-CsglAMugFZNtykzwt9Xv~RaAo8WLQC2qRPkZn23UkmghEGZjq9bwqtf7n2xKom0Tus0X~nK871sYq613wCjptWdPS-HUp2omh3b2xG63vX4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff asked the council to authorize additional resurfacing targets and to place the authorization on the regular agenda after describing available funding and pending bid dates.

The matter is consequential because the road work affects daily travel and long-standing promises to neighborhoods where utility work required later reconstruction. Staff said a mix of grant and local funds would cover most work but that some streets and sidewalk repairs may require separate projects.

Shane Rimmer (city project lead) told the council that two resurfacing contracts previously awarded to PH Broughton included local funds ($670,000) and Rebuild Illinois grant funds ($430,000), and that additional targets estimated at $462,000 would be submitted to contractors for bid. “With all of those, we're estimating, a cost of, dollars 462,000. And ultimately we're asking for, an authorization to expend up to 487,000,” Rimmer said, citing a $25,000 contingency.

Council members pressed to accelerate work on Union Street, where prior utility trenches had left a bumpy surface and residents had been promised a replacement. Alderman Bateman urged the city not to delay: “We promised these people when we dug a 10 foot wide trench down the middle of the road, we promise these people a new street once everything's settled,” he said. Staff replied that the sewer construction line carries roughly $525,000 that can offset the cost of rehabbing the portion of Union Street already under contract, but doing the full length would be considerably more and could wait until Tremont Street project work clarifies grades.

Staff also said IDOT environmental sign-off had delayed the Rebuild Illinois-funded work; final approvals and plan reviews were completed in late February and the bid opening for that package was scheduled for March 19. Rimmer said PH Broughton had indicated willingness to hold unit prices if additional quantities were added to the contract.

The council agreed to place the resurfacing targets and the requested authorization on the regular agenda for formal action and to consider inclusion in the upcoming budget process; staff will return with bid results.

No final contract authorization or roll-call vote was recorded during the meeting.","City staff outlined additional resurfacing targets and requested authorization to expend up to $487,000. Councilors debated whether to expand the Union Street project to include adjacent segments and sidewalks; staff said some funds from the sewer construction line would offset costs and that final contractor bids were due March 19.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280913,"Council debates ground-mounted solar rules, refers ordinance and committee plan to next agenda",1412,2769000,4181000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed&start=2769&end=4181","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed/thumbnail_2769000.jpg","/articles/6280913/Lincoln/Logan-County/Illinois/Council-debates-ground-mounted-solar-rules-refers-ordinance-and-committee-plan-to-next-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280913-8211daa7bf9fb845e3128b72c0c1f3c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187240&Signature=Big4-SSyjL7HHDtFe5Jnm-RcibKQoccA1Oy91GxptOvtxMsLf1Mut3UycY4cPivZuBD93FJXJmHQBGUwLzah4ey8FfPO5Wkr2ZgY-vYTpab1Q0Q2wly-NS062Ys-aL1hiyCWp3rL3EksXvuGBpPLZ4HxpwCwT5yBFnF3nNe5TfFCdW6sGJZaDCobKPYW8UU9lVkKeZKddAC5ZRgzly1XhXkHUs7aisyDyCHCT-olJfHQN8lBOuKuITPENrd8TbrqO2M8tuWnxWFjiGoasOOz7v41Fsj1tNrVUTZJtAQvElVJaE88evXvXXghA6Kw0dlWK9yhkl16XEfDuN5GiCwDvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A prolonged debate over ground-mounted solar regulations ended with the council agreeing to place a revised ordinance on the regular agenda and to form a committee to draft technical standards for residential and commercial installations.

The discussion matters because city officials and residents are weighing how to allow renewable energy while limiting visual impacts, safety concerns and ad hoc installations near homes. Council members disagreed on whether every ground-mounted application should come before the full council or be reviewed administratively or by an advisory committee.

Alderman Bateman said he opposed routing every application to the council, arguing staff should have authority. “No. I I don't agree with it at all. Why I feel like it's gonna be why we have to be in control of all of this. We pay Wes. This is his job is to do these kinds of things,” he said, referring to a staff reviewer named Wes. Alderman Sanders pushed the opposite approach: “Put rules in place...we don't need them to come to the city council for approval. That's Wes' job,” Sanders said, urging precise standards in the code rather than vague language.

Council members and staff described competing goals: give staff authority to approve routine or small arrays while retaining council review for large or novel projects that could affect nearby residences. Several members cited the bank property on Fourth Street as an example of commercial panels visible from neighboring homes; councilors said the proposed draft sets a 12-foot maximum height for panels in commercial zones and 6 feet in residential zones, with the fence height tied to the tallest point of the array.

Councilors repeatedly asked for clarity on height limits and fence rules. “Yeah. It says 12 feet in the code,” one council member observed during debate. Others suggested a committee of council members, staff and a citizen representative should develop consistent, unambiguous standards — for example, a single maximum height figure — so applicants cannot exploit ambiguous wording.

Mayor and other council members asked staff to revise Mr. Woodhall's draft language to reference a committee process. City staff said the committee would review both commercial and residential ground-mounted solar and forward a recommendation to the council. The council voted to place the ordinance on the regular agenda for next week, contingent on edits that explicitly create the advisory review committee and clarify height and fencing standards.

The action preserves council oversight while creating an advisory review process intended to establish predictable technical rules for future applications. The council did not adopt final numeric standards during the meeting; members asked the committee and staff to firm up recommendations and report back so the ordinance can be finalized.

The ordinance and the committee plan will return to the council on the regular agenda for formal consideration.","Lincoln aldermen spent over an hour debating a proposed ordinance that would require plans and approvals for ground-mounted solar arrays. Council agreed to place a revised ordinance on the regular agenda and to form a committee to develop technical standards and recommendations for both residential and commercial ground-mounted systems.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280898,"Volunteer plans April 26 Project Trash cleanup; city offers logistical support",328,1075000,1403000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed&start=1075&end=1403","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609103-0467af069bd1f66492b6e28245333aed/thumbnail_1075000.jpg","/articles/6280898/Lincoln/Logan-County/Illinois/Volunteer-plans-April-26-Project-Trash-cleanup-city-offers-logistical-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280898-3e461629948f21eece4fc64c542c7a74/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187240&Signature=S4YDRMaFncjsX3vaYrQrvkcrC0cawSlov3ahV8QHXCDIWVz50ViWz~5BAOOK9J80~e5Skiq2UOQzdHRcGGXn3bkk31d3-mCIc4ADvbpEU2xULK21cQnOHp2RW92SMG~Wjt4piJAsWE2iM0hLlv53QgmQ4xpL9WP311qr03hZQRDLqj2C-3SzMz8iw8RZKWU3j2dEpUXEtHM-wGxCWBXyPkusVpzSOotOO1enC6ZMIRqt~-JBDVlQKV56j3W9L26MKfpj36MQAEp259M2FVhEONfw6gje7mmbjHpo8nI1loJyz2usYNXHAmn4J09EiXenvm7LCCm6tXfWhbqLrHzC6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Resident Taylor Lyon asked the council to promote and support a volunteer cleanup she plans for April 26, tentatively at 10 a.m., with a focus on downtown, the railroad corridor and neighborhood parks.

The event matters as a neighborhood-led effort to reduce litter in parks, streets and the railroad corridor ahead of spring and summer events. Lyon said she has coordinated similar cleanups before, collected donated supplies and would like city assistance on vests and logistics.

\"I'm just kind of, like, taking that initiative on now...Tentative time at 10AM,\" Lyon said, inviting public participation and noting she had a modest survey response and would divide volunteers by ward if needed. Council staff cautioned volunteers to stay outside railroad right-of-way fencing and to coordinate where tracks are adjacent to cleanup areas.

City staff said vests could be located and that the city would work with Lyon on event logistics and public-safety guidance. The council noted the city could help with leader recruitment, sign-up sheets and traffic-safety support where volunteers will work near roadways.

No formal city funding commitment was made; staff indicated practical support and possible equipment loans, and the event will proceed as a volunteer-led cleanup with staff coordination as needed.","Resident Taylor Lyon invited volunteers to a community trash cleanup tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. April 26, focusing on downtown, railroad corridors and neighborhood parks. Councilors agreed to help with safety vests and event logistics; the city noted rail right-of-way safety requirements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges residential rehab grants; council moves community-improvement line and potential residential program to budget discussions

Council reviews resurfacing targets, authorizes item for next agenda after debate over Union Street scope

Council debates ground-mounted solar rules, refers ordinance and committee plan to next agenda

Volunteer plans April 26 Project Trash cleanup; city offers logistical support