CLINTON—Tour DeWitt, a resurrected bike tour of the county, was deemed an overwhelming success, and Mayor Ed Wollet honored its organizers at Monday’s City Council meeting, bestowing his Mayor’s Community Partners Award upon them.

The bike tour, held in July, attracted 122 riders, 35 of them from Clinton, indicating many came from around the state and thus, boosting tourism. “It’s tourism in Clinton and DeWitt County at its very best,” Wollet said.

The majority of participants were in the 51-60 age group. Funds raised support the city’s 175th anniversary next year, and will be held during that celebration in June.

Stan Watkins, one of the organizers, said their success was based on “terrific support from the community,” and he promised the event would be “even bigger next year.”

Also on the Council agenda was an agreement with MACTEC, an Atlanta, Ga., based engineering firm, for an evaluation of the city’s sewer system that will include flow metering through the spring rains. The study will include recommendations and cost estimates. Commissioner Tom Edmunds said it was important to note a previous sewer project was to take care of overflow; this study will identify problem areas in the sewer system. The agreement was placed on file for a vote at the next Council meeting, Aug. 17.



In other City Council news, John Wood, acting CEO of the Dr. John Warner Hospital, reported that two doctors have been hired. David Gregory is in family practice and will join the hospital staff on Monday; Lee Still is in internal medicine and will arrive Sept. 14.

The Council also learned from Police Chief Mike Reidy that paver bricks for a monument in Downey Park honoring police, fire, emergency response and dispatch personnel would soon be available for $30. There will be statues of a police officer and a fire fighter Those honored do not have to be from Clinton or DeWitt County. The monument will be in the north east corner of the park, and concrete work may begin as soon as next week. Displays of the monument may be seen at City Hall and the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.



In unfinished business, the Council approved

• an engineering agreement with Farnsworth Group for engineering studies in preparation for the future repair/repaving of Washington Street, and

• an ordinance to sell a 1997 Chevrolet utility truck used by the water department.

In new business, the Council placed on file:

• an intergovernmental agreement with Clinton Unit 15 School District for a marquee that would serve to promote school activities, but also activities in Mariah Park, the business area around Kelli Court across the street from the Clinton High School, among them the Clintonia Eagle theater, and any future businesses.

• the purchase of four Dell Computers, three for the police department not to exceed

$2,400, an done for the street department not to exceed 1,000.

• an agreement with MACTEC, an Atlanta, Ga., based engineering firm, for an evaluation of the city’s sewer system that will include flow metering through the spring rains. The study will include recommendations and cost estimates.