Carlyle City Council approves revolving loan fund application

    The Carlyle City Council approved a revolving loan fund application from Michelle Scott for $100,000 during its meeting on Monday, Aug. 25.
    Scott is the owner of Carlyle Animal Hospital. The hospital is currently located at 1211 Ridge Street in Carlyle. Scott said she is relocating the hospital and building a new facility in Carlyle.
    The $100,000 revolving loan was for equipment for the new facility.
    A revolving loan fund (RLF) is a gap financing measure primarily used for development and expansion of small businesses. Proceeds from loan repayments flow back into the fund and become available to lend again.
    During her mayor's report, Judy Smith said the Carlyle Street Fair is Sept. 5-6. Anyone interested in volunteering or any businesses wanting to donate or do a sponsorship can call Kayla Heimann at Carlyle City Hall at 618-594-2468. Smith said quite a few businesses have already donated items for the street fair. Carlyle Walmart is providing volunteers for both days of the fair.
    During his city administrator report, Brad Myers said oiling and chipping ended on Monday, Aug. 25. He said this year was about as close to flawless as possible. There were no equipment breakdowns and no traffic incidents. Myers said it was applied so well that there was some left over and they did the road out at the Lagoons.
    Myers also discussed water rate increases in the city. The city had a survey done by Illinois Rural Water (IRW) on their water rates. They suggested the consumption rates the city charges be increased from $2.89 for 1,000 gallons to $3.40 for 1,000 gallons. There also is a 51 cent increase for everyone who lives outside of city limits from $3.61 to $4.12. The other change IRW suggested was convert the sewer billing from every 2,000 gallons to 1,000 gallons. Myers said they are relatively minor increases.
    Myers said this year the city's funding was adequate, but in the future years it will not be adequate for increases in maintenance on the water plant and for sewer distribution. Since all of the American Rescue Plan Act money has been used, it is now entirely the city funds that will supply to the sewer department. If the city is going to continue to do sewer lining and replacing mains, they need to get more revenue for that.
    Myers said the influent rates had dropped to where the city does not need to build a sewer plant right now. But Myers said in the next 10 years, the city is going to have to build a sewer plant.
    "This is all to prep us for the future," Myers said.
    Myers said the water rate increase will be in an ordinance format at the next city council meeting.
    The next Carlyle City Council meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at Case-Halstead Public Library.