City to host public hearing on 'hotel issue'
<span>The proposed second hotel idea is still very much alive.</span>
<span>As part of Monday's meeting of the Chester City Council, Mayor Tom Page announced that there will be a public hearing on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. on the "hotel issue" that would involve "vacating a road."</span>
<span>The public hearing notice released by the City of Chester indicated the road in question is a section of Rainbow Drive adjacent to property owned by James and Carol Best and The Chester Hotel Group.</span>
<span>In 2011, James Best was one of a group of partners who aspired to build a Microtel along Route 3 at the site of the then-vacant Hi-3 Motel in Chester's Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district.</span>
<span>The proposal met with considerable community opposition at the time and the project was thought to be abandoned.</span>
<span>The Hi-3 Motel has since been demolished, leaving an empty lot behind.</span>
<span>Now, the newest proposal is not a Microtel, but a Holiday Inn Express according to Page. When approached by the Herald Tribune on Tuesday, James Best politely declined comment until the project is further along.</span>
<span>Social media reaction to the announcement was decidedly positive on the Herald Tribune's Facebook page.</span>
<span>"Yes, Chester does need another choice of motel for new visitors to the area as well as previous residents of the county that comes back to visit on a regular basis and business travelers as well," wrote Vanessa Byer.</span>
<span>Others expressed the hope for new jobs to the area.</span>
<span>"Something being built here in town….I'm all for it," wrote Eric Wright.</span>
<span>Page's announcement highlighted a busy agenda for the council, which also approved a bid of $179,691.11 from Red Dot Construction and Equipment Rentals (the lone bidder) for the turn lane project at the intersection of State and Opdyke streets.</span>
<span>The project, which will be paid partly by Knight Hawk Coal, will be engineered by Resident Engineering Services with Ruzich Engineering.</span>
<span>Page was asked why the city's engineering firm, J.T. Blankinship, wasn't providing services.</span>
<span>"The state wants a separate engineer on this project," Page said.</span>
<span>The council also tabled two items during its session, one for authorizing the publication of bids for the sale of municipal property and the other for paying off the remainder of a zero interest loan for Chester Fire Department's rescue truck.</span>
<span>"We don't have to pay this off for 11 years," said Alderman Dan Ohlau. "There is no motivation in my mind to speed this up."</span>
<span>Chester Fire Chief Marty Bert said roughly $60,000 remains from a $120,000 loan to purchase the vehicle.</span>
<span>Bert also cautioned the council about the need for developing a financial plan to replace the department's 1986 pumper, which could cost in the range of $400,000 to replace.</span>
<span>"We're going to be due for a fire truck in the next couple of years," Bert said.</span>
<span>After meeting briefly in executive session, the council agreed to table the municipal property item to "await further information."</span>
<span>During public comment, Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey presented Barb Holley with a plaque of recognition for her 25 years of service to the department.</span>
<span>"We appreciate her service and we will miss her," Coffey said.</span>
Roundup
<span>The council approved the request of Richard Mueller to plant a spring crop.</span>
<span>The council approved Evelyn Schuwerk to fill a vacancy on the Library Board.</span>
<span>The council approved expanding residency for the fire department.</span>
<span>The council approved a $2,500 bid from Mueller Painting to touch up the mural at Gazebo Park.</span>
<span>The council approved a three-year vendor agreement with Western Egyptian for energy assistance (natural gas) for residents who are part of the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.</span>
<span>The council approved the authorization of paperwork to initiate redemption of debt certificates from 2005.</span>
<span>The council approved the transfer of $85,000 of residual equity from the Natural Gas Fund to the General Fund.</span>
<span>The council approved the transfer of $85,000 of residual equity from the Natural Gas Fund to the Fire Protection Fund.</span>
<span>The council approved the transfer of $600,000 of residual equity from the Natural Gas Fund to the Water/Sewer Fund, which will be used for redeeming the 2005 debt certificates.</span>
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