Watseka Council – Watseka Ford fail to agree on dealership pact

It's back to the drawing board for a dealership agreement between Watseka Ford and the Watseka City Council.

And the failed agreement leaves a mutual disappointment between the two sides.

At issue is the cost of a utilities infrastructure project that'll allow the Bell Holdings Group to develop a new auto dealership on Watseka'a east edge. An earlier agreement called for a sanitary sewer and storm water project for road construction on a10-acre site east of the Watseka Wal-Mart, on Route 24.

A 3-2 vote (Tuesday) by the city council was against the infrastructure project. Some council-members say they're not against the project, but instead against the cost.

The city has been working with Bell Holdings in arranging a sales tax agreement and a revolving loan fund to create a new Ford dealership. The proposal includes a 10-acre split of the property, for the dealership plus other business developments.

Proponents say it means city growth, jobs, and sales tax revenues.

94.1 FM, WGFA