(The following story by Eric Timmons appeared on The Register-Mail website on December 1.)
GALESBURG, Ill. — City officials are hoping to net $120,000 in federal and state funds for a planned expansion of Galesburg’s Amtrak Depot.
The Galesburg City Council on Monday approved the plan, in which the city will apply for the funds to cover architect and engineering fees to design an expansion at the station, which would provide additional space for an intercity bus passenger ticket counter and waiting area.
Half of the money will be used to pay for improvements to the parking lot at the station, with the city hoping to add space for an intercity bus loading and unloading area.
City Manager Dane Bragg said he was confident the city’s application for the funds, which will come through the Illinois Department of Transportation, would be successful.
In another matter, the Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association will present a new contract for the city’s approval at the Dec. 15 council meeting, according to Bragg.
GREDA is hoping to renew its $75,000 annual agreement with the city, and has offered a re-worked performance based contract to the city, as a way of answering critics who have hammered the group for a perceived failure to bring jobs to the region.
Several aldermen have criticized GREDA for not keeping the council abreast of the group’s work. But GREDA officials say the new deal will remedy this problem by providing aldermen with detailed monthly reports.
The Knox County Board last week voted to accept a similar performance based contract with GREDA. GREDA member Kit Wilcox, a local Realtor, said at Monday’s City Council meeting that he also plans to give the council monthly oral reports on the group’s progress.