The Galesburg City Council will consider a revision to how the city inspects rental properties.
City administration is recommending the establishment of a Rental Licensing Program that they say work in harmony with a more pro-active method of inspecting rental units.
Currently units are inspected only when they are first registered or when a complaint is filed.
Under the program being considered all units would be inspected every five years.
Council documents say that this type of approach prevents tenants from not filing a complaint for fear of eviction, despite unsafe living conditions.
Rental units could still be inspected as a result of a complaint or random inspecting.
Also more broadly the council will consider the first update to the city’s Minimum Housing Standards since 1969, which apply to all owner occupied and rental dwellings.
A change for example would be requiring all sleeping rooms to have a primary and secondary means of escape, unless a bedroom is attached to a door leading outside or has an approved sprinkler system.
Both items are only on first reading.
Aldermen are expected to approve funding for external agencies, or certain non-profits for the year.
$94,250 is being approved for 17 different Galesburg area organizations, about $100 under what was budgeted for the year.
No agencies would receive more than last year and in some cases less, like the Galesburg Motorcycle Club that was denied a $5,000 request after receiving city funds for several years.
Typically at this meeting council will invite representatives from agencies to pitch why the council should reconsider their funding request.
The Salvation Army and KCCDD are two new agencies receiving money this year.
Also council could approve a bid to complete the second phase of replacing Galesburg’s lead water service lines with a totally forgivable loan from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The first phase replaced 410 and this one is expected to do another 475.
J.C. Dillon Inc. is the recommended bid which came in at $3,502 per line, 16 less per line than the first phase.
Council will meet at Galesburg City Hall at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
