Ater three years of effort, the Marseilles City Council on Wednesday completed the annexation corridor north of the city toward Interstate 80 that is has been seeking to create .

The corridor runs along the east side of Rutland Street (County Highway 15) from the city's general north boundary about a mile and a half to the Morris Blacktop (County Highway 4).

The corridor will allow the city to extend its water and sewer lines north to serve commercial development near the I-80 interchange.

The final link in the corridor was the annexation of the home of Owen and JoEllen Fuller at 2856 E. 24th Road. JoEllen Fuller is the superintendent of the Marseilles Elementary School District.

"It's a big step," said Mayor Jim Trager. "It started under the last administration. They worked on it for a couple of years, and then we've been working on it ever since we've been elected. So, it's been a long, drawn-out process but we finally made it. I'm very happy about it."

The process started in October of 2006, with a public meeting at the Local Labor Union 393 hall across the street from City Hall.

"I think everybody that has lived here for any amount of time realizes that we have to go north if we're going to go at all," said then-Mayor Don Bolatto.

"That's the way to go. Everybody around here's going to 80. Ottawa's doing it. La Salle's doing it."

Trager said when the economy recovers there will be interest in developing the I-80 area.

"Hopefully, we can get something going."

In Other Business:

• Preliminary steps were taken to annex the old Dog Wash Inn at 2676 E. 2575th Road now being rented by the Pet Project animal shelter. The property is owned by the First National Bank of Ottawa. Trager said the land, now zoned agricultural, will be brought into the city with business zoning. Final action is scheduled for the next City Council meeting.
• Preliminary steps also were taken to issue $220,000 in bonds for road work. The bonds replace some that are about to retire. Officials said there would be no tax increase to cover the cost. Final action will come at a future City Council meeting.
• A resolution was approved for the issuance of a $2 million contract to Whittaker Construction and Excavation of Earlville to install new radium treatment facilities. The project will be coordinated with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.