Month: April 2011

Adams County launches new website

Posted by mhopf – April 28, 2011

Adams County launched its new website Thursday morning.

While the old site worked fine, the new site does make it easier to navigate. New features can be added later as different departments look to increase online presence.

I spoke with Nancy Bluhm, administrator of the Adams County Health Department, last week briefly about the McDonough County Health Department posting restaurant inspection scores online. While a similar plan is not in the works at the county level, the new site could be added to the site.

It will be interesting to see what is added in the future.

Also, you can now become a fan of Adams County on Facebook, which is attached to the county’s homepage.

 

The county's new website

This is what visitors saw earlier in the week.

This is what visitors saw in 2000 when they visited the county website. Thanks to the Internet Archive.

Vahlkamp receives sendoff from 6th Ward

Posted by mhopf – April 26, 2011

Three Quincy aldermen attended their final evening meeting Monday night. Next Monday afternoon, the City Council will hold their last meeting to close out the fiscal year before new members are sworn in.

Alderman Raymond “Skip” Vahlkamp, D-6,  is retiring after 28 years on the council, and Aldermen Ben Bumbry, D-1, and  Rich Reis, D-7, did not win re-election after two terms and five terms respectivly.

Vahlkamp received a surprise from fellow 6th Ward Alderman Dan Brink and multiple residents of the ward who donated to the effort.

Brink brought in Vahlkamp’s family and presented them gifts. Vahlkamp had said he didn’t want any gifts, but his children received framed mementos from his aldermanic career, and his grandchildren each received a fishing pole. His wife Teresa received a pair of tickets to a Chicago Bears game.

The City Council also:

• Approved an ordinance increasing the amount of rental spaces in city parking lot H from 18 to 25. Last week the Finance Committee approved a request that would allow a Skokie developer to lease 15 spaces from a city-owned parking lot to help obtain financing to redevelop the Newcomb Hotel across the street.

• Approved an ordinance allowing the rezoning of 529 N. 48th from limited local commercial to commercial to allow the construction of a tunnel car wash bay on the north side of the existing car wash.

• Concurred with the Traffic Commission to deny a request to modify existing parking on North 13th between Chestnut and Cherry.

• Approved a revocable permit for encroachment on city right-of-way to allow Full Service Roofing to place an overhead sign on the building at 822 Hampshire.

• Approved a request by Y101 to block multiple streets between 5-10 p.m. Friday for the Dogwood Festival block parties.

• Approved raffle permits and waived the bond requirements for Good Samaritan Home of Quincy through June 15 and the Liberty Education Foundation through Sept. 10.

Lobbying to save local government funds is picking up

Posted by mhopf – April 25, 2011

The fight to prevent a $300 million cut to local government shared revenues is starting to pick up.

The Illinois Municipal League is gearing up to prevent the cut bringing the per capita rate of return to Illinois cities and counties to $49.91 down from the estimated $76.75 for the current budget year and $73.00 for next year’s budget. The state is estimated to pay $948 million from the local government distributive fund in the 2012 fiscal year down from the $1.181 billion in fiscal year 2008.

The cut is expected to cost Quincy $944,564.40. IML put a calculator on its website computing the amount cut to communities across the state if the reduction is approved. Expect them to fight any cuts in Springfield as the House reconvenes this week and the Senate starts up next week.

Budget for the Quincy Civic Center Authority

Posted by mhopf – April 21, 2011

The Quincy Civic Center Authority approved its budget Wednesday afternoon for the fiscal year that starts May 1.

Overall, including the Quincy Gems‘ budget, the authority budgeted $1.715 million for revenues and $1.701 million for expenditures, down around $39,000 from last year. The Oakley Lindsay Center is budgeted to collect $1.434 million in revenue, down $20,000 from the previous year, and spend $1,433 million, down almost $60,000 from the previous year.

Quincy Civic Center Authority budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year

 

City’s response to FERC

Posted by mhopf – April 21, 2011

Here is the response from the city of Quincy to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, one day after the agency asked the city for a copy of the letter of intent with the Canadian-based Coastal Hydropower Corp and other documents relating to management and ownership of the proposed hydropower facility at Lock and Dam 21.

There has not been any hint on when FERC will rule on the city’s appeal.

City’s response to FERC

Other items from Monday’s City Council meeting

Posted by mhopf – April 19, 2011

The agenda seemed packed at Monday’s City Council meeting, but that included a whole page of petitions, which the council approves weekly without discussion.

Four of the six petitions approved Monday night were from the Quincy Historic Business District. Executive Director Travis Brown lightly teased the media in attendance that he was keeping us busy. In reality, he was knocking out many of the business district’s event requests in one quick swoop.

The City Council approved requests:

• Granting permission to the Quincy Notre Dame cross country team to hold the 10th annual Running Raider Classic at 7:30 a.m. June 25 beginning at 10th and Jackson, heading east on Jackson to 12th, south to R.J. Peters Drive, through South Park, west on R.J. Peters Drive to Gardner Expressway, east through Indian Mounds Park, north on Fifth, west on Jackson to Gardner Expressway, and heading back the same route finishing at 10th and Jackson. The team requested to close Jackson between Eighth and 12th from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. to accommodate the start of the race. Auxiliary officers were requested to help direct traffic at the various intersections. Barriers were also requested.

• For the Historic Quincy Business District to close Maine between Fifth and Sixth between Vermont and Hampshire from 3 p.m. Aug. 27 to 1 a.m. Aug. 28 for the TNT Action Sports Parrothead Bike Nite Street Dance. The district also requested that Parking Lot G be closed from 12 p.m. Aug. 27 until 11 a.m. Aug 28 to allow time to have the flatbed truck storage removed. The organization requested permission to drop off Port-a-Potties and trash containers Aug. 26 along Maine Street, which will be picked up Aug. 29. The council also approved the request to allow open liquor during the event and allow unnecessary noise from 5 p.m. until midnight Aug. 27.

• Granting permission to the Historic Quincy Business District and the Pink Pass It on in The District for a 5K walk fundraiser for Blessing Hospital’s Breast Center. Walkers will assemble at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 22 at Fifth and Maine. The walk will start at 10 a.m. and head east on Maine to 24th Street on the sidewalks, turn around, and walk back to Fifth and Maine.

• Issuing a revocable permit for encroachment of city right-of-way to Jacob McGuire, coordinator of the Midsummer Arts Faire, to block parking stalls on the north and south side and half of the stalls on the east side of Washington Park, from noon to 3 p.m. on June 24 for artist unloading. On June 25, no more than five stalls will be blocked to accommodate both the fair and the Farmers Market and will be removed by the 10 a.m. fair opening. During the hours of  the “Taste of Quincy” food court, four space on the south side of Fourth Street will be reserved for vendors June 24-26.

• Issuing a revocable permit for encroachment of city right-of-way by the Historic Quincy Business District to place tables on sidewalks for the “Anuual Sidewalk Sales” from Front to 12th and Broadway to State from July 21-23.

• Issuing a revocable permit application for encroachment of city right-of-way by the Historic Quincy Business District to hold the farmer’s market from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays from May 14 through Oct. 29. The district requested permission to set up tables and trucks along the 100 block of North Fifth and the 400 blocks of Maine and Hampshire all on the Washington Park side.

Live Blog: The Quincy City Council budget meeting

Posted by mhopf – April 14, 2011

The Quincy City Council will hear from each of the department heads on the proposed $30.1 million general budget Thursday.

Come back at 6 p.m. Thursday to hear what aldermen and city officials have to say.

The hydropower letter writing campaign continues

Posted by mhopf – April 12, 2011

Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Mark Kirk are becoming quite familiar with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff.

The two senators have sent two letters in support of a rehearing, following FERC’s Feb. 17 order dismissing the city of Quincy’s preliminary permit and licensing applications to develop a hydropower facility at Lock and Dam No. 21 in Quincy.

Following the senators’ March 24 letter, Wellinghoff responded April 7, saying their comments will be put in the record and that they will be considered in the Commission’s decision making process.

“In your letter, you request that the Commission grant the city of Quincy’s request for expedited rehearing,” Wellinghoff said. “I can assure you that we are processing the request as expeditiously as possible.”

Wellinghoff responded to an initial Feb. 23 letter on March 14. He said the Commission couldn’t move forward on the appeal because it had yet to be filed. It was filed March 18.

The deadline for FERC to act on the filing is Monday, though the commission could extend that. The next scheduled FERC meeting is April 21.  The agenda for the meeting would be available on FERC’s website by Thursday.

Response to Durbin

Response to Kirk

Order giving Cape Air four-year contract at Quincy Regional Airport

Posted by mhopf – April 11, 2011

The U.S. Department of Transportation posted the order giving Cape Air a four-year contract to provide passenger air service out of Quincy Regional Airport on Monday.

Cape Air will receive an annual subsidy of $1.96 million through the Essential Air Service Program during the contract, which starts Dec. 1. The airline receives $1.95 in its current contract.

The order also awarded Cape Air the contract to provide air servie from Marion, Ill. and Cape Girardeau, Mo.

U.S. Department of Transportation order

Wind energy bill approved in Illinois Senate

Posted by mhopf – April 10, 2011

Legislation that would allow communities without a zoning ordinance to restrict wind development within a mile-and-a-half of their borders has cleared the Illinois Senate.

In a 46-4 vote Friday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 167 proposed by Sen. John Sullivan, D-Sullivan.

No House member has signed on to sponsor the bill yet, but most likely will get one when General Assembly returns to Springfield on Monday.

Update: State Rep. Jil Tracy, R-Mount Sterling, has signed on to sponsor the bill in the House.

Current law approved in 2007 allows communities to ban development in its “zoning jurisdiction,” though there are conflicting opinions on what constitutes a zoning jurisdiction.

Golden village trustees approved a 1.5-mile wind buffer in December even though it did not have a zoning ordinance.