Moon Towers to get $122,750 fence
Tenants requested barrier to curtail trespassing, improve security
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
GALESBURG - The Knox County Housing Authority board approved a bid from Classic Gutter Company Inc., Melrose Park, to construct a fence around Moon Towers, 255 W. Tompkins St.The bid of $122,750 was accepted at the board's regular meeting Tuesday.
The fence was a request from tenants who have had run-ins with trespassers cutting through the property. Some vehicles in the parking lot have been vandalized, as well.
Gerald Lambert, a resident of Moon Towers who attended the meeting, said the fence will be a great improvement.
"I wish it had been up 10 years ago," he told the board after the vote. "We definitely need it."
He said people walk through the property at all times of the day and night.
Dale Parsons, a board member and resident of Moon Towers, said people have become afraid to be outside at certain times and worry about the security of their cars. He said the fence, which will be 4 feet high, should be higher, but it will help.
"We need some more lights and a policeman or something," he said.
Lomac Payton, chairman of the board, said the fence's approval is evidence the board is listening to the concerns of the residents.
The fence is expected to take 90 days to complete, so it could be done by Christmas. The KCHA had hoped to get a variance from the city that would allow the fence to go to the four corners of the property. The variance was not approved, so the fence will be angled across each corner to not disrupt the view for traffic.
In other business, the board told Margie Hulick, executive director of KCHA, to seek bids to eliminate the termite presence at Brentwood, 900 W. Dayton St. Three of the 72 apartments at the building have been left vacant because of the problem.
Members discussed briefly the possibility that the termites were already in the property when it was bought from Knox College in January 2006 and wondered if some relief could come from the school.
"We purchased these in good faith," said Parsons.
But proving when the termites first arrived would prove impossible, board members decided, so the KCHA will foot the entire bill of removing them.
Hulick told the board she and Payton will appear on WGIL Radio Monday morning to discuss the role of the housing authority. Payton said one goal is to dispel rumors that the authority is buying properties and filling them with people from Chicago.
"These are lies. They are not rumors," Payton said.
Board members received an e-mail from an unnamed member of the City Council recently chastising them for this practice. Payton, who is also a member of the council, said his colleague should have known better.
Part of the rumor has it that the Prairieland Animal Shelter is overrun with abandoned dogs because people bring them here from Chicago and leave the animals behind when they return to the Windy City.
Parsons said the same rumor is rampant in Moon Towers.
"It makes you so mad you could just ..." he said, not finishing his thought.
KCHA has planned a publicity campaign to improve the understanding of its role within the community. This radio appearance is part of that plan.
Also, the KCHA has created a Web site. It can be found at www.knoxhousing.org.
