THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: The Vermilion County Board’s February meeting from the Joseph G. Cannon County Administration Building went live for the first time on the county government’s You Tube channel Tuesday night.
The Vermilion County Board had a test run Tuesday night of its first live-streamed meeting.
Vermilion County Information Technology Director Brian Talbott announced the new technology and explained the microphones at the seats of county board members.
The public can access the Vermilion County Local Government’s YouTube channel. There’s also a link on the county’s website.
During COVID-19, the county board had people call into meetings. There also have continued to be microphone and echoing issues and technology challenges in hearing everyone at meetings through the years.
In business items, the board heard presentations from Vermilion Advantage’s Mike Marron and Vermilion County Trustee Director Mike Levin about a Blighted Structure Demolition Program to further remove blight in which current programs don’t offer enough funding and assistance.
Villages, townships and cities would apply for funding.
The program seeks a one-time funding start of $400,000 from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The board also heard from the Vermilion County Museum’s Sue Richter and former Vermilion County Board Chairman Todd Lee about seeking $25,000 from the county for Vermilion County’s 200th Anniversary Celebration in 2026. The year-long celebration will have banners, school displays and activities to highlight the county’s heritage. There will be a push for residents to appreciate what the county has, including the county’s historical sites, and letting everyone in the county know what’s happening in each community.
The two funding requests will come back for action at later date.
The board also received a Bresee Tower and former Vermilion County Courthouse Annex demolition schedule. The county has now removed remaining records, documents from the annex.
The board also received a Bresee Tower and former Vermilion County Courthouse Annex demolition schedule. The county has now removed remaining records, documents from the annex.
A pre-demolition meeting was last week. Permitting and regulatory approvals will continue through Feb. 18. Demolition mobilization will start Wednesday and continue through Feb. 18.
Utility disconnection is projected from Feb. 19-March 4.
Courthouse annex asbestos abatement is expected over 15 days, Feb. 19 to March 11. Bresee Tower asbestos abatement is expected over 24 days, March 12-April 14.
Traffic control deployment is expected from April 8 to April 14.
The courthouse annex demolition is expected to take 35 days, March 12 to April 29.
Bresee Tower’s demolition is expected over 70 days, April 15 through July 21.
Then there will be backfilling, grading and topsoil placement, sidewalk and pavement restoration, landscaping and seeding, and the final site inspection expected by Aug. 25.
Vermilion County Board Chairman Steve Miller said he’s impressed with contractor and by what the city has done with the demolition plans.
“This is obviously a significant project for the city and county,” Miller said, adding that a lot of thought has been put into it.
