Anna City Council moves forward with plans to abate five public nuisance properties

The Anna City Council is moving forward with plans to demolish five properties which are deemed to be public nuisances.

The project was on the agenda at last week’s regular meeting of the city council.

The meeting was Tuesday evening, Jan. 7, at Anna City Hall.

The city council last week approved five resolutions which declared the properties to be public nuisances.

The resolutions also called for structures at the properties to be abated/removed.

The city has received a $32,000 Illinois Housing Development Authority grant to fund the work at the properties.

The properties are located at 306 N. Green St., 208 E. Vienna St., 112 Fowler St., 413 W. High St. and 103 B Fair Ground.

Legal work remains to be completed as part of the process leading to the work at the locations.

In other business at last week’s council meeting, the city council approved an ordinance to adopt a new purchasing policy.

During discussion about the matter, representatives of several businesses voiced concerns about what they said was a lack of local purchases by the city.

Mayor Steve Hartline said that as the city moves forward, it will be looking for equal treatment and purchases from local businesses.

“We need to do business locally,” the mayor stated. “We want our business to stay in Anna.”

Also at last week’s meeting, the city council approved a three-year pledge in the amount of $3,000 to support the Union County CEO program.

The program gives Union County high school students an opportunity to develop and grow a business while learning entrepreneurial skills.