The saga of the Hathaway Homes subsidized housing subdivision in Taylorville, proposed by Christian County Intergrated Community Services, took 2 more steps Monday night.

The Taylorville Planning Commission held a special meeting at City Hall, to review, and ultimately recommend to the Taylorville City Council, both the construction plan and final plat. Planning Commission members did add to their recommendation, that the funds C-C-I-C-S would use to build a sidewalk along Elm Street, be escrowed until whenever the city widens the road and builds sidewalk from West Avenue to Briarcliff Road.

During the Taylorville City Council’s special meeting held immediately after the Planning Commission’s special meeting, the only item on the agenda was considering the Planning Commission’s recommendation.

Several aldermen expressed their feelings, positive and negative, about the project. Alderman Ray Koonce said he felt forced to vote yes.

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Alderman Martin Vota said that he had concerns about drywall touching concrete in the Birkshire development also owned by C-C-I-C-S allegedly exposing residents to mold, and had statements from residents and an independent inspection showing mold had grown in certain apartments there.

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And, Alderman Bruce Jones said the issue should have never gotten out of hand.

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The final vote for approving the project’s construction plan and final plat, was 4 yes votes, and aldermen Rob Heberling, Martin Vota, and Ray Koonce abstaining from voting. Under parliamentary rules, the votes to abstain go with the majority, so the final vote was 7 to nothing. Alderman Shawn Burtle was absent due to illness.

Regional Radio News asked Taylorville Mayor Greg Brotherton after the meeting, if attorneys for both sides had come to an agreement so that if the city voted to accept the construction plans and final plat, that the law suit the C-C-I-C-S filed would be dismissed. He said that was not the case.

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When asked after the City Council meeting whether C-C-I-C-S would not drop its law suit, executive director Jeff Copley said it was in the hands of the attorneys for both sides.