Alton Votes 4-3 To Force Ameren Powerline Relocation
Problematic powerlines set to be relocated after several years following Alton City Council’s narrow approval to enforce Ameren agreement.
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ALTON – Alton city officials narrowly voted on Wednesday to force Ameren Illinois to relocate powerlines a local business owner has consistently called a public safety hazard.
City Council members voted 4-3 to pass a resolution invoking Section 4.2 of the city’s Franchise Agreement with Ameren to “relocate Electric Facilities for Public Safety.” Aldermen Chris Bohn, Martha Pfister, Michael Velloff, and John Meehan voted in favor of the item, while Aldermen Rosetta Brown, Stephanie Elliott, and Patricia Ford voted against it.
Erin Frew, owner of the historic Snyder Block building at 301 Piasa Street, returned once more to the podium at Alton City Hall to ask aldermen to finally address what she has described as a public safety hazard of over 15 years. Frew has repeatedly called for the bare overhead powerlines running less than six feet from her building facade to be permanently relocated, and says the city’s agreement requires Ameren to move them at the company’s expense given the public safety concern.
Frew also clarified several points from Monday’s Commitee of the Whole meeting, including a claim from Corporation Counselor Heidi Eckert that Frew denied an earlier proposal from Ameren to relocate the powerlines.
Frew said Ameren’s prior proposal was to install temporary 10-foot extenders to allow some time for building maintenance before the powerlines would be permanently reinstalled in their original position at an estimated $93,000 cost to Frew. With the cost of permanent powerline relocation estimated at $156,000, Frew noted the relatively minor cost difference between a short-term or long-term solution at the site.
Frew also pushed back against Eckert’s previous claim that enforcing the agreement would result in the city filing a lawsuit against Ameren on Frew’s behalf; Frew said this could not be the case because she does not own the public right-of-way where the electric facilities are located. She further emphasized that this resolution merely calls for the city’s existing agreement with Ameren to be enforced as written.
“My goal has always been clarity, accuracy, and public safety,” Frew said. “I hope tonight, unanimously, this council can agree to move forward and pass this resolution to require Ameren to relocate those powerlines at their expense.”
City Council members did not discuss the item any further, though the 4-3 vote tally was considerably different from Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. At that prior meeting, committee members voted 5-1 to pass the resolution, with Alderwoman Patricia Ford casting the only vote against the item.
A full recording of the Dec. 10, 2025 Alton City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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