Washington city officials got the answer Monday to a question asked almost every day in the community.
When will the $8 million Tangled Roots brewpub/restaurant under construction on the downtown square open?
The answer, delivered during a presentation at a special city council meeting that preceded the council's monthly committee of the whole meeting, was twofold.
"The brewpub should be done in August," said Nick Fox, vice president of construction development for LaSalle-based CL Red Real Estate Development, who is overseeing the project.
"Then we'll continue to wait for supply chain issues to resolve themselves," Fox quickly added.
Specifically, the wait will continue for a switchgear, a device that has electrical disconnect switches, fuses and circuit breakers that control, protect and isolate electrical equipment.
Brewpub project construction manager Carmen Gratace, president of construction and development for Oak Brook-based Global Builders, said the wait for a switchgear can be as long as 52 weeks, but he's trying to expedite that process.
Gratace said water, gas and power infrastructure that were causing issues at the brewpub site have been relocated, and he expects structural steel and cranes to be on the site in 30-40 days.
Youth teams honored with their own weeks
The council proclaimed Jan. 15-20 as "St. Patrick School 7th Grade Girls and 8th Grade Girls Basketball Recognition Week" and Jan. 22-27 as "Central Intermediate School's Olives and Macaroni Recognition Week."
The girls basketball teams were honored for winning 2023 Illinois Elementary School Association Class 1A state championships. The seventh-grade team finished 28-0 and the eighth-grade team finished 27-0.
Olives and Macaroni took first place for technical merit and third place for community favorite in the post-season playoffs of the national Youth Coding League.
Sixth-graders Olivia Mercer, Olivia Bahnick and Mackenzie Sondag made up the coding team, which was coached by Nicolette Kennedy.
All three teams attended the meeting.
Chamber of Commerce asks for payment increase
The Washington Chamber of Commerce is asking the city for a $5,000 increase in its annual payment to the chamber for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which begins May 1.
As part of the agreement, the city would pay the chamber $30,000 for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which ends April 30, the same amount it paid for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Several internal issues delayed the chamber's request for the 2022-23 city payment.
In exchange for the city's payment, the chamber promotes and markets Washington, and plans, executes and coordinates annual city events including Good Neighbor Days, the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast and Small Business Saturday.
The council will vote on the agreement at a future meeting.
