Each fall brings with it the parade season in Charleston. The Charleston City Council will begin preparing for this season’s parades at today’s meeting.

The Council will vote on authorizing street closures in the city for three parades in September and October. Charleston High School will hold its annual Homecoming parade on Sept. 21, while Eastern will host its parade on Oct. 21. Jefferson Grade School will also host a Halloween parade on Oct. 31.

The Council will also continue the process of sidewalk and road repairs. It will present the bid award for the overlaying of asphalt on Harrison Avenue from Route 130 to Route 16.

The Council will also vote to authorize an agreement with Consolidated Services, Inc. for the widening and resurfacing of Fourth Street from Madison Avenue to Polk Avenue.

“It’s a pretty long stretch of road and it’s one of the areas where it is still narrow,” said Mayor John Inyart.

The project will help fix this problem and will also add sidewalks to the area.

The Council will also vote to appropriate Motor Fuel Tax funds for the widening and resurfacing of Division Street from State Avenue to Harrison Avenue.

“It will really improve that corner,” said Inyart regarding the corner of Division Street and Madison Avenue, near Dairy Queen. “That corner is a mess.”

Citizens looking at a copy of the Council’s agenda will also notice something different this week. At the bottom of the agenda, there are guidelines for public presentations, petitions and guidelines, as in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

According to Inyart, this was added to remind citizens they have the right to address the Council.

“We’ve always done this,” he said. “This is just a way of reminding people they will always have a chance to talk at the end of a meeting.”

The Council will meet at 7:30 p.m., today, in the Council Chamber room in City Hall.