The Du Quoin City Council Monday night discussed putting the lion’s share of a 13-year payback of monies owed th city by Du Quoin Community Unit District 300 into a restricted fund that will grow to $300,000 over the next 12 years.
The district last year began repaying Du Quoin $39,026 in annual installments. The first two installments went into the city’s swimming pool renovation fund.
The upcoming payment will be earmarked for parks and recreation projects. In subsequent years, the Du Quoin Park board will get the first $14,000 of every payment to help fund its programs. The $25,000 balance and any residue from park board spending will go into the restricted fund.
Consulting city engineer Doug Bishop and Mayor Guy Alongi have been communicating with a company called General Acrylics about renovating the well-traveled tennis courts in Keyes City Park.
The capital project would begin next spring or summer with the resurfacing of the courts, followed by four years of annual maintenance.
The recommendations from the Mount Vernon, Ill. contractor are as follows:
2017--Power wash, grind off the tops of cracks as needed, then clean and fill the cracks with a mixture of sand, cement and patch binder. Then, apply a three-coat color system with striping. $11,800.
2018--Inspect and touch up as needed (minimal maintenance). $1,000.
2019--Inspect and repair cracks and surface as needed. $2,000.
2020--Power wash, clea, repair and fill cracks and apply one coat of color. $5,000
2021--Inspect and touch up as needed. $1,200.
Total of five-year program--$21,000.
An alternative proposal to essentially tear out the courts and start over at a cost of $50,000 was rejected.
Now-retired Du Quoin dentist Richard Weinberg donated the money several years ago to renovate the courts during the last major capital refurbishing of the facility.
