The council voted 7-0 authorizing execution of contract with Ameren Energy Marketing for October 2011-12.

This will be the third year the city has used Ameren for electrical services.

City Council approved the expenditure of various tourism funds to cover expenses relating to the Embarrass Valley Film Festival (EVFF) on November 6-13.

This is a $1,200 grant that will be given. The festival is co-sponsored by Eastern’s College of Arts and Humanities and the Coles County Arts Council.

Every year the EVFF honors someone or a theme that relates to Embarrass Valley. This year, Oscar Micheaux was chosen.

Presentations will be given by some of Eastern’s faculty with two performances by Stace England and the Salt Kings.

After Tuesday night’s meeting parking will no longer be allowed along E. West Vine Street, Tyler Avenue and Meadowlake Drive between Grant Avenue and Ashby Drive.

All three streets will be placed on file for two weeks if there are concerns about the changes.

“I’ve been through all three of those areas and I don’t see any reason why we would allow parking in those areas since it’s pretty tight through them,” Mayor John Inyart said.

Good news was brought to the council Tuesday night.

Dorothy M. Best, a resident of Charleston, is donating one and a half acres to the city, and the council approved.

The land is located adjacent to the Laffite Nature Center.

The Bests would like to see the area located behind their residence preserved as part of the center.

A Tiered Approach to Corrective-Action Objectives (TACO) was approved regarding the property.

“These are traditionally properties that have been cleaned up by the state through a fund or in some cases through the property owners expense,” Inyart said.

In these cases there is generally some evidence of needed remediation underneath the streets.

Rather than digging up the streets, they would like to leave it to let it dissipate over the years.

Paradigm Properties, Inc. owns the property and would not be responsible for handling the dirt if it had to be dug out.

The amendment of the fire alarm registrations and prohibitions of false alarm activation was approved.

The purpose of the ordinance is to encourage owners and fire alarm business to properly use and maintain their fire alarm system.

“This is not for places with multiple alarms because they burnt a pizza in the oven or the toast burnt itself, these are actual malfunctions with the system that are not related to an issue,” Inyart said.

The registration of an alarm will remain the same but an extra $25 will be put in place for previous false alarms fees.

Allison Twaits can be reached at 581-7942 or altwaits@eiu.edu.

Mayor John Inyart talks about authorizing the contract with Ameren Energy Marketing from October 2011 to 2012 at the City Council meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. (Audrey Sawyer

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