The Guthrie Center City Council met on Monday night in regular session.

The Council approved its annual insurance renewal with an increase in both its coverage and rates, allowing the fire department to have its financials audited like the City’s financial records are every year and the Council confirmed that since the fire department has its own non-profit status recognized by the Department of Internal Revenue, that they can have their own liquor license for their annual casino night fundraiser on November 1st.

The Council also approved to pay 100% of all contingency items for the Downtown Facade Grant program.  City Administrator Laura Immerman talks about the surprise move by the Council to help pay for any added extra costs.

“I think the Council is giving back to those property owners that got on board early with this program and allowed us to apply for $500,000 grant that we got.  The property owners put their faith into the program and so my take from the meeting was the Council is putting their faith back into the building and the property owners in return.”

The Council has also set October 13th to learn more about a Main Street Commercial District Tax Increment Financing options for the City.