Parades were the main item of discussion at Tuesday’s Charleston City Council meeting.

The council passed three separate resolutions to close city streets for the Charleston High School Homecoming Parade, EIU’s Homecoming Parade, and the Jefferson Elementary Grade School Halloween Parade.

Usually when a street is closed for a parade, once the parade passes through a street it is immediately reopened, said Charleston Mayor John Inyart.

But EIU’s Homecoming Parade is different because all the roads will be closed for the duration of the event.

“Any chance we could combine all three parades and just close off the whole town?” said council member Lorelei Sims with a laugh.

“We could just close off all the streets for a month,” Inyart joked back.

The council also authorized a resolution to install a traffic light at the intersection of West Polk Avenue and Park Hills.

They also approved a motion to add a transformer traffic light pole at the intersection of State and C Streets. By adding a transformer, the city does not have to pay for the pole.

The meeting closed with Inyart’s announcement of this year’s Halloween trick-or-treat hours.

“I found out when I took this job that one of the very few things – if any other thing – that a mayor gets to do without the council voting on is to set the trick-or-treat hours,” Inyart said.

Inyart announced that the trick-or-treat hours this year will be from 5 to 8 p.m.

In addition, raffle permits were approved for the Fox Ridge Foundation at St. Charles Borromeo to be held on Sept. 15, and the Coles County Habitat for Humanity on September 29.

City Council meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. and are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

Closure locations for Parades:

Charleston High School Homecoming

When: Oct. 11 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Where: 15th Street south of Harrison Avenue to Smith Drive; Harrison Avenue west to 7th Street; 7th Street north to Monroe Avenue; Monroe Avenue west to 6th Street; 6th Street south to Harrison Avenue; Harrison Avenue east to 15th Street; 15th Street south to Smith Drive

EIU Homecoming Parade:

When: October 20 from 3 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: 7th Street from Monroe Avenue to Lincoln Avenue; 6th Street from Monroe Avenue to Lincoln Avenue; Monroe Avenue from 6th Street to 7th Street; Jackson Avenue from 6th Street to 7th Street; Grant Avenue from 7th Street to 9th Street; Hayes Avenue from 7th Street to 9th Street; Roosevelt Avenue from 4th Street to 9th Street

Jefferson Elementary Grade School Halloween Parade:

When: October 31 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: 8th Street from Jefferson Avenue to Monroe Avenue; Monroe Avenue from 8th Street to 6th Street; 6th Street from Monroe Avenue to Jackson Avenue; Jackson Avenue from 6th Street to 7th Street; 7th Street from Jackson Avenue to Monroe Avenue