Benton’s mayor has high hopes for the city in 2018.

Fred Kondritz told the Southern Illinoisan he has a list of six properties on Main Street he is hoping to see some movement on this year.

The city announced last week a new Sonic will be built on the former City Hall property on West Main. Kondritz is also eyeing the former Jumpin’ Jimmy’s gas station for developing saying he has been talking with a bank in Missouri about getting serious about selling the property.

Kondritz also wants the city to invest in solar energy to power city owned properties, which he says will save taxpayers money. He also would like to provide solar power to residents too.

The city is currently talking to an unnamed company about going solar. The first property that will go solar is the new wastewater treatment plant being built on Petroff Road. That is expected to happen in the next 12 to 16 months.

Kondritz says going solar will not cost taxpayers anything. The company will put up solar arrays and lease the land from the city allowing the city to reap the benefits and sell the rest to one of the larger power companies in the state.