Charleston City Council approved a concept and site plan for a boarding kennel and pet daycare facility on Wednesday.

The facility will be located on the northeast corner of Deerpath Road and Illinois Route 16. The staff recommendation was to waive the layover period and go ahead with approving the plans.

Jamie Pogue of Charleston will purchase the property now that the plan is approved, and plans to build a 1-story pole barn style building, approximately 4,000 square feet in size with an approximately 10,000 square foot parking lot.

The council approved the first resolution to authorize the trade-in of the City of Charleston’s 2019 CASE Backhoe for a new 2020 CASE Backhoe.

The new backhoe cost $6,100 after the trade-in.

The city initially planned to buy a 2020 backhoe in April, but the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shut down the CASE plant in Iowa which would have produced the machine.At that point, the city accepted a new 2019 backhoe until the plant was up and running again.

Now that the new machine is available, the city will trade in the old one and purchase a new one through Birkey’s Construction Equipment.

Charleston Mayor Brandon Combs also declared that the city is in a state of emergency in response to a new spike in cases from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the city is in this state of emergency, the mayor can execute greater authority as laid out in the Illinois Municipal Code, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act and Ordinance 20-O-7.

City Council also approved a raffle license for the Hank Haney Cancer Benefit on December 5th.

Luke Taylor can be reached 581-2812 or at [email protected].