Barricades are in place on South Elm Street east of Central School in preparation for a major upgrade of Elm and Lyle streets. Mayor Gary Moore said at Monday’s City Council meeting that the project is to start Wednesday on Elm Street from Central Boulevard to Lyle Street and on Lyle from Elm to Main Street. The work will include repaving the streets and installing new sidewalks, curbs and storm sewers. It is expected to take 10 weeks to complete. [Photo by Michael Berry]

An upgrade of Kewanee’s storm warning system was approved by the City Council Monday.

The council accepted the bid of Sheboygan Warning Systems of Sheboygan, Wis., to remove two sirens and upgrade others for $67,234.

The Sheboygan firm will remove sirens on West College Street and downtown on West Third Street, and replace a motor in the siren on Emmons Avenue.

The siren on West Fifth Street will also be upgraded.

Also Monday, the council approved a resolution authorizing applying for a second state grant for infrastructure improvements in downtown Kewanee.

The city has received a $3 million grant that will affect about half of the downtown; the second grant would complete the job.

City Clerk Kasey Mitchell told the council that the city must pay $300,000, or 10 percent, in local matching funds for the existing grant. The match for the second grant would be 25 percent — possibly as much as $1 million.

Mitchell said federal grant funds might be available for some of the matching funds.

City officials have said engineering plans are still being drawn up for the first phase of the downtown upgrade, and they hope construction can begin next year.