A public hearing will be held tonight at 7 p.m. in the Charleston City Council Chambers for the proposed bond issue for a new water treatment plant and Utility Department building.

At the council meeting at 7:30 p.m., council members will discuss awarding the bid to replace the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) in the filters at the Water Treatment Plant to Calgon Carbon Corporation for $22,579.20.

“The GAC is used to help reduce the taste and odor problems,” Mayor Dan Cougill said.

The water treatment plant will cost $8.5 million, which includes $400,000 for a Utility Department shed. The earlier estimates for the project was $7 to $7.5 million, but went up due to a redesign.

The Environmental Protection Agency mandated that Charleston improve the condition of its water by 2000; however, they city was granted an extension until 2003. The original plant was built in 1964.

The council will also proclaim March 2002 as American Red Cross Month. This is a nationwide event.

“(The Red Cross) contacted us and asked us to proclaim it,” Cougill said.

The council will table authorizing the change of two parking places along the square at the corner of Seventh and Jackson and Seventh and Monroe to handicap parking spaces.

In other business, it will look at restricting parking on Yearling Court and Deer Run Trail in the Deer Run Subdivision. Cougill said this was a request by several residents from the subdivision. There will be no parking on the north side of Deer Run Trail.

The council will also discuss allowing the Coles County Master Gardners to raise funds for their “Idea Garden” that is to be built.