The Charleston City Council voted to annex two properties into the Charleston city limits at their meeting Tuesday.

The properties being annexed are the Coles County Council on Aging’s LifeSpan Center and the Coles County Dial-A-Ride vehicle storage garage.

Steve Pamperin, the Charleston city planner, said the annexation of these properties began in 2003.

Pamperin said the city entered an annexation agreement in 2003, stating the properties could use the city’s water and sewer services.

“We’re executing what the city council put in place 13 years ago tonight,” Pamperin said.

Dee Braden, the executive director of the Coles County Council on Aging, said the council has been around since 1974 initially serving adults 60 and older.

Braden said the council has broadened the services over the last 15 years to include people from all age groups.

Braden said the council has been waiting for the properties to become contiguous with the city limits since 2003.

“We are now eligible to be annexed into the city,” Braden said. “Our board has voted to (annex), the Coles County board has already voted to (annex) so this is the final piece.”

Pamperin said the annexation of these properties means they will be included into the city limits, given fire and police protection and the city rates for water and sewage.

The city council also voted to approve two resolutions for the improvement of the traffic signals at the intersection of Loxa road and state Route 16.

The first resolution was approved to use $10,000 of the motor fuel tax funds to pay the city’s share of the construction of traffic signals and highway lighting.

The second resolution approved said the Illinois Department of Transportation would design and construct the traffic signals and lighting, according to the submitted resolution.

The city council voted to approve the application for a raffle license for a fundraiser put on by the Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois, on Sept. 26 at the Coles County Fairgrounds.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois’ goal is to raise funds to help provide services to children who are victims of physical and/or sexual abuse, according to the raffle license application.

A resolution for students at the Lakeview College of Nursing to participate in a ride along with the Charleston Fire Department was also approved by city council.

The city council approved the amendment Offenses by General Public in regards to the Facilitation of Public Consumption.

Other items on the agenda were the proclamation of Fire Prevention week, the approval of the consent agenda including a raffle license for the Court Appointed Special Advocates fundraising event on Sept. 12.

The Mayor also announced the trick or treating hours for Oct. 31 will be 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Mackenzie Freund can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]