The Charleston City Council voted to approve authorizing the emergency purchase of a new ozone chiller for the water treatment plant during its Tuesday meeting.

Kurt Buescher, director of public works, said the chillers act as radiators for the ozone at the water treatment plant. The ozone chillers are important because they control the large amount of heat created by the ozone generators.

He said the plant currently has one ozone chiller that was installed in 2013, but the one needing replacement has been around since 2004.

Buescher also said the ozone chillers are used separately per month; one ozone chiller is used for the entirety of a month and then other is used for the next month. The plant currently only has one unit working dependably, which is why the purchase needed to be finalized as soon as possible.

Mayor Brandon Combs said the lowest bid the council received was $32,640 from Simpson’s Heating and Air for the purchase of the unit and installment, and the purchase of the new unit shall not exceed that quote.

The city council also voted to approve all TIF ordinances at the meeting.

In TIF funds for sensible rehabilitation for the buildings in question, $18,900 will go to 504 Monroe Ave.; $18,900 will go to 601, 603 and 605 Monroe Ave.; $9,000 will go to 620 Sixth St.; $8,135 will go to 710 Jackson Ave.

The city council voted to postpone the resolution to approve the power purchase agreement for solar energy supply at the wastewater treatment plant main pump station and the water treatment plant indefinitely until more research has been done.

Combs said Straight Up Solar, the partner the city has been working with in regards to constructing renewable solar energy, notified the city that it switched financial partners on the project.

Now the city is waiting for revised financial documents from Straight Up Solar, which led to Buescher postposing the power purchase agreement indefinitely, Combs said.

The council also voted to approve all street closures for three separate events at the meeting.

Combs said streets will be closed for Habitat for Humanity’s Four on the 4^th: the Four-Mile Foot Race on July 4.

Combs said for the Red, White and Blue days on July 3 and 4 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., streets closed to parking and traffic include Pierce Avenue from Division Street to Second Street; on July 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed streets will include Monroe Avenue from Sixth Street to Seventh Street, Jackson Avenue from Sixth Street to Seventh Street, Seventh Street from Jackson Avenue through Monroe Avenue, Sixth Street from Monroe Avenue to Polk Avenue and Division Street from Polk Avenue to Grant Avenue.

Streets closed to traffic on July 4 from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. include First Street from Polk Avenue to Pierce Avenue.

Streets closed from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on July 4 include Sixth Street from Jackson Avenue to Polk Avenue and Polk Avenue to Sixth Street through Division Street. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 4, closed streets will include Division Street and Pierce Avenue to Lincoln Avenue.

Streets closed to parking on July 4 from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. include Division Street from Pierce Avenue to Lincoln Avenue.

On Aug. 17 from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m., Monroe Avenue to Fifth Street will be closed for the First Christian Church Community Block Party.

City council also voted to approve the bid award for street materials for FY19/20.

The council also voted to approve raffle licenses for the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Charleston Firefighters Local 3200 to raise funds for Local 3200 and for the Charleston Elks Lodge 623 to raise funds for Elks charities, including helping disabled children and veterans on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on Sixth Street.

The council also approved Combs’ announcement, appointing Glenna Starkey to fill the remainder of Blair Lord’s three-year term on the Historic Preservation Commission.

Logan Raschke can be reached at 581-2812 or at lrraschke@eiu.edu.