City approves financial support of Elgin Chamber

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By Dennis Morgan

Co-Publisher

The Elgin City Council approved sales tax funds to be given to the Elgin Chamber/Community Club (ECC) to support community activities during 2023.

Having been approached by club members Gary Hoefer and Dean Schrage at recent meetings, detailing how the club was struggling financially to provide activities beneficial to all of Elgin, the council approved a one-time contribution of $5,000 which will come from sales tax funds.

City Clerk Kristin Childers told the council that, according to the city attorney, the funds could be designated to the ECC as long as they were used for community betterment.

“So you understand,” Mayor Mike Schmitt told ECC members at the meeting, “we’re here to help you.”

Club members will likely make a similar request for 2024 to be included in the city budget. 

Their request, according to Childers, should be made in July when city officials begin preparing the 2023/24 Fiscal Year Budget which must be approved in September.

That was just one of several items involving the ECC at the meeting. The others were:

• Closing of streets — The council approved an ECC request to close streets to allow for a carnival to set up for the annual Vetch Days celebration which will be held June 2-4. The carnival will be located where it has been the past several years.

• Liquor license — As one of the events associated with Vetch Days, the lot behind Boomerangs will be used for a putt putt/corn hole event on Friday, June 2. 

As part of that, Hoefer requested a special designated liquor license to serve beverages at the location. 

The license request was approved 4-0.

• The council approved a request for the ECC to hold their end-of-the-summer steak fry at Elgin City Park.

For more information on actions taken at the council meeting, see this week’s Elgin Review.