Category Archives: City News

Please click the link below to view the Wastena Street Public Meeting video, recorded at City Hall on Monday, August 26, 2019.

8/26/19 Wastena Street Project Public Meeting

On Monday, August 26, 2019, the City of Benton held a public meeting at the Benton City Hall from 4 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. to discuss the Wastena Street Project. City engineers, Crawford and Associates brought with them the plans for the project, and were available to answer the public’s questions.

Dear Valued Benton Water Customer:

During the next few months, you are going to see a lot of activity involving the water meters throughout town. The City is currently in the process of replacing all water meters within the Benton Water and Sewer system.  You may see blue paint marks or flags in your yard or on your water meter. This is to help installers locate the meters. If your meter is located in the basement, please contact the Water Department at 618-439-6131 to set up a time for our crew to replace the meter. Overall, the install will take a few months to complete. We hope to finish the transition by the end of 2018. We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we undergo this change.

The upgrade will be good for the City and our water customers. The new system will allow us to read by the gallon. For example: If you use 3,750 gallons on the current system, you would be charged for 3,000. The remaining 750 gallons would remain unapplied until your next bill. The new metering system will apply the exact 3,750 gallons to your current bill with no rollover. We hope to eventually have all meters read on the same day within a 28 to 30-day cycle.

Again, we sincerely appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this transition.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 618-439-6131.

Sincerely,

Craig Miles

Benton Water and Sewer Superintendent

The City of Benton will be accepting bids for the purchase of property near Lake Hamilton. The lots have been appraised, have a restrictive covenant and require a sealed bid. Please view the pictures below for details on the location and prices. If you have any questions, please contact our Zoning Administrator – David Garavalia, at 618-439-6131 ext. 406.

Please click to enlarge the image below.

Blue Ridge Tractor will host an “open house” this Saturday, April 28th from 10am to 3pm. A special presentation and introductions will be held at noon and the public is invited. There will be door prizes awarded throughout the day. Jake and Alex Gibbs, general managers, will give tours of their new facility and the product lines they offer.

THE GEORGE HARRISON MURAL

The making of the mural from concept to completion as told through pictures and in an interview between Muralist John Cerney and DJ Phlash Phelps on his ’60’s on 6′ Sirius XM Radio Show. Painted in 2017, this mural is 16 feet tall and is located along Interstate 57 in Benton, Illinois. The mural commemorates the first visit by a Beatle to America. Several months ahead of the British rock group’s big splash on US soil in early 1964, George Harrison came to Benton, Illinois to visit his sister Louise and her family. The Beatles were unknown to Americans, despite being at the top of the charts in England, and George was able to remain anonymous during his two week stay. He played with a local band, bought a guitar in a neighboring town, and mostly hung out as a tourist. The Beatles were about to explode on the world stage, and for years to come, folks in Southern Illinois would recall the polite young man with long hair and a funny accent.