BLOOMINGTON - The possibility of a tight city budget for next year has the City Council reconsidering a new canopy for the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. | Interactive graphic: Coliseum attendance, revenues, events

In a related item, the council will consider its annual property tax levy for the coming fiscal year. The city is asking for about $21.7 million, up slightly from the $21 million levied for last year.

The majority of the increase will go to fund police and fire pensions.

For the Coliseum alterations, the city received one bid - $112,000 from Johnston Contractors - for the project to put a canopy over the exterior ticket windows at the city-owned building. There is $150,000 in the city budget for the project.

The council will consider rejecting the bid at its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Bloomington City Hall.

The bid was opened at the Oct. 13 council meeting, but no action was taken. At that meeting, several aldermen said the issue should be reconsidered because of a recent report that next year's budget likely won't be able to cover new initiatives.

In an unrelated item, the council will consider a contract with the Farnsworth Group to hire Ed Grower, a law-yer with experience in transportation law, to represent the city before the Illinois Commerce Commission. The city is trying to get an at-grade crossing over the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks to extend Hamilton Road.

Although the city has a legal staff, Grower has more expertise in handling transportation cases.

City Engineer Doug Grovesteen said in his report to the council that Grower served 12 years as chief counsel for the Illinois Department of Transportation and has previous experience with ICC petitions involving at-grade crossings.

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Council session

What: Bloomington City Council considers its property tax levy and a bid for exterior canopy for U.S. Cellular Coliseum

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Bloomington City Hall, 109 E. Olive St.