City discusses sidewalk repair
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By BETH ZUMWALT
As spring approaches and more people are out walking, Pittsfield City Officials want to make sure sidewalks are in good shape. The matter was discussed at the March 7 meeting.
“Sidewalks are broken due to building or remodeling projects,” Tom Rinehardt said. “I’ve checked around and most places ask the homeowner to pay for repairs.”
New sidewalks must be handicap accessible, meaning they should be four feet wide instead of three.
The city also discussed solar energy first as it applies to private property owners.
“It’s becoming more popular,” Reinhardt said. “I only did three permits when I did it, Kenny has already had three or four this year.”
While the city has discussed setbacks and other requirements for making solar energy efficient and safe, a recent ruling by the Illinois Fire Institute says solar panels on a rooftop should leave two feet on all sides, except the bottom where a one foot margin is required.
“It is to give access for firefighters and general maintenance,” Reinhardt said.
The city also addressed using solar for its own needs.
“Last year our electric bill was $188,000,” Gary Mendenhall, mayor, said. “Our two biggest users are the wells and the sewer plant. There is not enough land to place solar panels to those facilities, but we are looking into some of our smaller electrical services.”
Problems are also surfacing at the brush pile, which the city maintains for residents to take tree clippings, brush and lawn clippings.
“It is being abused in that people are dumping whole trees out there,” Reinhardt said. “It takes days to burn those and then we still end up having to have them hauled away.”
Mendenhall said he didn’t think it was the residents abusing the brush pile.
“What was a perk for our residents has turned into abuses by contractors,” he said.
The entrance to the brush pile clearly states nothing more than 16 feet in diameter.
“But, people can’t read,” Mendenhall said.
In other action:
• The city hired Eric Naughton to fill a vacancy in the gas and water department;
• Agreed to look at the possibilities of stop signs at both the intersections of Madison and Kellogg and examine the need for a stop sign on Walnut at the corner of Walnut and Grant;
• Passed a list of 22 rules and regulations to follow when using the Pittsfield City Lake. Examples include: Dog and cats on leashes, no firearms, no vending or advertising, golf carts, ATVs, etc require a city sticker, no swimming, camping only in campgrounds;
• Discussed replacing Higbee Street with the help of grants toward the $2.4 million project.