City officials Monday expressed doubts about taking over maintenance of a one-block subdivision street in the west end of Kewanee.
Mayor Gary Moore said the city has received a request from the owners of the Westgate Estates subdivision to take over its street.
The subdivision, with eight building lots, is on Dodge Street just west of the Kewanee Care nursing home. It was created some years ago by Petersen Health Care, but only one house was ever built there.
Moore said he doesn’t feel taking over the street would “serve any advantage to the city whatsoever.”
He said the street is in “relatively good condition.” But City Manager Gary Bradley said he has visited the subdivision and he has concerns about that.
“It does have some buckling and heaving that you wouldn’t expect on a street that has only one house,” he said.
In another discussion-only matter, the council was lukewarm on the idea of having a noon whistle in the city again.
For many years, the Kewanee Boiler Corp. sounded the whistle at noon. Moore said a resident asked if, for reasons of nostalgia, the city could bring the noon whistle back.
While he said he feels bringing the whistle back could be “kinda cool,” the mayor said it would have no practical purpose other than the nostalgia factor.
Perhaps some organization in the community would like to bring the noon whistle back, Moore suggested.
Also Monday:
— The council approved a special use permit for Robert and Ruth Barns for a vehicle storage lot at 1047 N. Main St.
Moore pointed out that the Moores have built a fence around the property, which hides the vehicles being stored there.
— A resolution extending the agreement between the city and the Kewanee Community Fire Protection District for ambulance service was approved.
The community district consists of the rural area surrounding Kewanee. The agreement will increase the fees the city charges the district for the service.
— The council extended the city’s agreement with the Henry County Humane Society for maintaining and operating its animal control facility.
