Quincy officials held a press conference Monday morning to declare a state of emergency in the city.
This was the second time this year that a state of emergency has been declared. The city and county declared a state of emergency during the Feb. 1 snowstorm.
Let’s hope the cleanup is smooth.
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Here is the map that the Redistricting Committee forwarded to the Quincy City Council.
We will likely see an amendment from Alderman Dan Brink, R-6, to swap Indian Hills and Hilltop areas from the 7th Ward back to the 6th Ward in exchange for a portion of the northwest side of the 6th Ward.
This is the proposed map that the Redistricting Committee forwarded to the full City Council late Tuesday afternoon. The stars represent where aldermen live.
Here is the current ward map.
The Quincy Finance Committee received a copy of a chart to document the number of hours they work a week to see if new aldermen qualify to be a part of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.
Aldermen on the committee will note how much time they spend a week in meetings, whether full council, committee or with staff and constituents. They must also document how much time they spend in the office, prepping for meeting and at any conferences they attend. They are not allowed to include travel time.
City Comptroller Ann Scott told the committee that IMRF requires that they document the number of hours, which would be used if the pension agency audited the city.
The requirement does not include current aldermen.
The council previously approved to continue IMRF contributions for future elected mayors, treasurers and city clerks who are full-time employees. Last summer, aldermen approved a resolution increasing the minimum amount of hours needed to receive pension contributions from 600 hours to 1,000 hours annually.
The Finance Committee also heard about a proposal to sell two pieces of city owned property to a resident who would like to turn the properties into a flower bed and garden.
Chuck Bevelheimer, director of planning and development, said the two lots at 826 and 836 N. 10th, which are not connected, are too narrow to construct a residence on it. The properties previously were advertised for sale in March.
The committee forwarded the proposal to council pending a conversation with the bidder to make sure the property is maintained. The committee approved a sale price of $550 for 826 North 10th and $275 for 836 North 10th.
The city is maintaining both lots.
The committee also approved a request to have a barn demolished at 326 Chestnut. A salvager offered to demolish the barn at no cost to the city.
During the full City Council meeting, aldermen ran through a large amount of petitions and resolutions.
The council:
• Approved a resolution allowing the Police Department to apply for a $20,735 Justice Authority Grant along with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department.
• Approved a resolution allowing Supreme Electric Company to proceed with up to $5,000 in emergency repairs on traffic lights at the intersection of 12th and State.
• Concurred with the Plan Commission’s recommendation to allow the construction of a cell phone tower near 36th and Locust in the Marx Business Park.
• Concurred with the Plan Commission’s recommendation to allow a three-lot subdivision of McClelland’s 1st Addition located on the northside of the 4600 block of State.
• Concurred with the Plan Commission’s recommendation to approve a one-lot subdivision in the Wismann Ridge Business Park to allow Ruedebusch Development and Construction of Madison, Wis. to build a warehouse.
• Concurred with the recommendation of the Plan Commission to approve a special permit for a planned development at 520 S. 21st so Gretchen McDonald may operate a beauty salon. The permit must be drafted into an ordinance.
• Concurred with the recommendation of the Plan Commission to rezone 2130 Harrison neighborhood residential to complete the campus plan of the Good Samaritan Home.
• Confirmed the mayor’s appointment of John Basinger to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Greg Davis to the Plan Commission, Kristin Hoxie to the Washington Theater Commission and Paula Bristol, Eze Emeka and Renae Douglas to the Human Rights Commission.
• Heard the first presentation of an ordinance making the intersection of Fifth and Vermont a four-way stop.
• Approved an ordinance adopting an identity protection policy as required by state law.
• Approved a request by The Blind Pig, 900 North 12th, to sell and allow open liquor outside the building for events on July 30 and Aug. 27 that would feature live music from 12 to 10 p.m. with the events ending at 1 a.m.
• Approved a request by the Quincy Police Department to stand at 18th and State and 24th and Harrison on July 20 to collect “Spare Change for Real Change,” a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. The collection would be in the morning and again in the late afternoon with signage at the intersections so motorists know what they are doing and who will benefit.
• Approved a request by Martinis at 515 to close the south end of Parking Lot G from 3 p.m. June 26 until 3 a.m. June 27 for a wedding reception hosted by the business. The council also agreed to allow the sale of alcohol outside the building and that noise level restrictions be waived from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
• Approved firework displays on July 3 for the Quincy Country Club, 24th and State, and July 4 for the Quincy Broadcasting Company at the Illinois Veterans Home.
• Approved a request by the West Central Illinois Center for Independent Living to place a banner at Fifth and Maine promoting the annual Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration held on July 6 in Washington Park.
• Approved a raffle permit and waived the bond requirement for Meals Plus Seniors through June 23.
Hydro Green Energy LLC announced Tuesday that it is moving its corporate headquarters from Houston to Westmont, a suburb of Chicago. The company also said it is beginning the process to obtain federal approval to install and operate seven hydropower projects on the Mississippi River.
The company currently has the preliminary permits to develop hydropower facilities at Lock and Dam 20 in Canton and Lock and Dam 22 in Saverton.
Hydro Green has also expressed interest in developing at Lock and Dam 21 in Quincy where the city was looking to build its own facility, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dismissed both the preliminary and licensing applications.
From Hydro Green:
WESTMONT, IL – JUNE 14, 2011 – Hydro Green Energy, LLC (HGE), a renewable energy company with proprietary hydropower technology, today announced that it has moved its corporate headquarters from Houston, TX to Westmont, IL. The company also announced that it has officially begun the process to obtain federal approval to install and operate seven hydropower projects on the Mississippi River.
“Hydro Green Energy is excited to move its headquarters to the Chicago area,” said Michael P. Maley, President & CEO of HGE. “The Chicago area has much to offer in terms of workforce talent and ease of travel to our projects and customers. Illinois is also home to a number of key policymakers on Capitol Hill, including the President of the United States. We look forward to working with those individuals to ensure that hydropower’s great value to U.S. energy strategy is fully realized.”
The seven hydropower projects HGE has begun to develop are located on the Mississippi River at United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Locks and Dams. All of the projects, initially totaling 56 MW of green power, are located within the Midwest Independent System Operator service territory (MISO). MISO ensures the reliable, efficient and sustainable delivery of electricity in 12 states in the Midwest. Before installing and operating its hydropower projects, HGE must receive an operating license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). HGE’s seven projects will initially deliver enough annual power for approximately 35,000 homes.
“HGE’s first hydro project was on the upper Mississippi River at a USACE facility,” said Mr. Maley. “We look forward to returning to the region of our first success and to working with all stakeholders to ensure a thorough and expedient licensing process. We are particularly excited to partner again with the United States Army Corps of Engineers so we can bring clean and reliable power to thousands of electricity consumers in the Midwest without impacting the Corps’ primary mission.”
Hydro Green Energy is a privately held company. Hydro Green Energy’s patented hydropower technologies are deployed at existing infrastructure to create cost-effective, renewable electricity in an environmentally-responsible manner. HGE is presently developing 30 “low-head” hydropower projects at existing non-powered dams in 15 states.
Hydro Green Energy holds preliminary permits for the development of 350 MW of new hydropower capacity, enough annual power for approximately 210,000 homes, and has permits processing on another 125 MW of capacity. Many of the sites under the development of HGE can be expanded after initial development. For more information, please visit our website.
A proposal to study installing wireless Internet on Amtrak trains in Illinois is in the works, according to a story by the Lee Enterprises State Capitol Bureau.
The Department of Transportation is expecting bids back soon. Internet service is available on some lines on the East and West coasts.
No word on costs yet or when it might be implemented.
I’ve taken the train to Chicago once since moving to Quincy to visit my parents. It was an adventure involving a freight train derailment requiring a bus ride to all the stops. The way back was uneventful. I popped a DVD in my laptop. Since they ask passengers to refrain from streaming movies which could slow the service, I will probably continue to do that.
Thoughts?
We learned last week that the city of Quincy pulled out of negotiations with United Kingdom-based i3 America to install a fiber-optic network throughout the city.
The company contacted local media outlets Tuesday with its response, saying the project was not feasible with the demands from the city.
Quincy officials said the company asked the city to allow it to micro trench streets, alleys and easements to access residential homes to bring the fiber-optic cable to the home and businesses.
Here it the company’s full response:
Fiber networks technology specialist, i3 Group, which is in talks with 40 U.S. cities, has confirmed that it has pulled out of the planned Fibercity™ installation in Quincy, Illinois. The decision was taken following increasing demands from the City Council which made the project commercially unviable, according to i3 Group Global Partnership Director, Anne Campbell.
i3 Group has developed a suite of patented leading-edge technologies which enable fiber to be laid through existing conduits such as sewers and water pipes and minimally disruptive ‘micro trenching’. These allow fibre optic cables, capable of carrying broadband speeds in excess of 100 mbps, to be laid in a few hours rather than days, delivering savings of around 60 per cent and reducing deployment times by a half.
Quincy, Illinois, had hoped to become the first Fibercity in the U.S. and a pilot project of 1,300 feet of cable was approved in September 2010. The aim was to deploy fiber to all of the city’s 18,000 residences with no cost to the taxpayer or the City. Unfortunately, agreement could not be reached on the best use of the i3 technologies.
“We always planned to use a mix of technologies in the deployment of fiber to Quincy’s homes,” says Anne Campbell. “However, the City Council has imposed a number of charges and constraints which means the project no longer makes commercial sense for investors.”
“We’re disappointed not to be able to continue with Quincy, but discussions are well-advanced with numerous other cities who have been unsuccessful in securing Google FTTH initiative.”
The agenda for Monday night’s City Council meeting was pretty packed with nearly a dozen petitions. Since May’s Plan Commission meeting, the council has gradually been trudging through ordinances from that meeting.
This month’s Plan Commission also appears to be a pretty busy one as well with five petitions sent to the council.
The City Council:
• Approved an ordinance that would rezone 2224, 2234, 2302, 2304, 2308, 2312, and 2316 Harrison and 1510 S. 24th neighborhood residential.
• Approved an ordinance rezoning 2030 Cherry neighborhood residential.
• Approved two ordinances granting a special use permit for 936 N. Sixth and 1511 Oak.
• Approved an ordinance rezoning 1429 N. 12th commercial.
• Heard the second reading of an ordinance to grant a special use permit for a planned development at 4721 Payson Road to allow a dental lab business to operate out of the residence.
• Approved an ordinance increasing the speed limit from 30 mph to 35 mph on Harrison between 39th and 48th streets.
• Heard the first reading of an ordinance that would remove the traffic lights at Eighth and Payson and install stop signs.
• Heard the first reading of an ordinance that would reduce the frontage requirement from 60 feet to 43.25 feet for the four lots replatted from five existing lots at 1613, 1615, 1617, 1621, and 1623 N. Fifth.
• Sent a request by the Good Samaritan Home to rezone 2130 Harrison neighborhood residential to the Plan Commission.
• Sent a request by Gretchen McDonald seeking a special permit for planned development to operate a beauty salon at 520 S. 21st currently zoned single-family residential to the Plan Commission.
• Sent a request by Ruedebusch Development and Construction of Madison, Wis. to divide Lot 9 of the Wismann Ridge Business Park, currently zoned light industrial, into two under the “small tracts” provision of the subdivision of the subdivision ordinance to the Plan Commission.
• Sent a request by Louis and Diana McClelland to create a three-lot subdivision of McClelland’s 1st Addition, 4600 block of State, currently zoned limited local commercial and commercial to the Plan Commission.
• Sent a request by USCOG of Central Illinois, LLC for a special permit to lease property at 3807 N. Marx, currently zoned light industrial, to locate a 150-foot monopole cell tower to the Plan Commission.
• Approved a revocable permit for encroachment of city right-of-way by Dollar General Store, 600 Maine, to partially block the sidewalks adjacent and two parking stalls on the west side of the west side of the property for storage PODS and/or dumpsters to help facilitate the remodeling of the interior of the store from June 7 to 17.
• Approved a request by the Quincy-Adams County Volunteer Emergency Corps to close the alley that runs from Second and Third streets between Locust and Maple from 12 p.m. July 23 to 8 a.m. July 25 for a benefit at Stubbs Tavern on July 24.
• Approved a request by Prince Agri Products to block major intersections for a 5k walk/run to benefit the United Way of Adams County at 8 a.m. July 9. The route will start and end at the Quincy University Health and Fitness Center at 18th and Oak. The route for the race is Oak to 22nd, 22nd to Maple, Maple to 20th, 20th to Locust, Locust to 18th, 18th to Seminary, Seminary to 17th, 17th to Maple, Maple to 16th, and 16th to Oak. Police presence to control traffic also was requested.
• Approved a request by Firehouse Tavern, 1700 N. 12th, to allow open liquor to leave the licensed premises to have a picnic and to watch fireworks at the Illinois Veterans Home from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on July 4.
• Approved a request by the Midsummer Arts Faire to utilize city right-of-way to post signs throughout Quincy from June 19-26. Approximately 300 signs will be distributed on private property of residences and businesses with volunteers picking up the signs on June 27.
• Approved a request raffle permits and waived the bond requirement for the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois from June 15 to July 23 and the South Side Boat Club Benefit for Sophia Brown through July 31.
Legislation that would alter the way firefighters in Illinois is heading to the governor’s desk after moving through both houses.
House Bill 1576 sets up a statewide firefighter hiring list and makes changes to the testing process as well.
Quincy Mayor John Spring had traveled to Springfield to argue against the legislation with the Illinois Municipal League, though it originally breezed through the House. However, after amending the bill, opposition to the bill was dropped. Amendment language was agreed to by the Illinois Municipal League, the Associated Firefighters Association and regional municipal associations.
“Although we would still have to follow certain procedures that would be a part of this new laws, we can have more stringent (testing),” Spring said. The city would have to meet minimum requirements by the state.
The legislation allows a candidate from the hiring list be selected from the top 5 or 5 percent. It also would allow municipalities to create a preliminary eligibility list that would rank candidates on the written examination and the physical component before candidates would head to other parts of the examinations.
The amendment also allows hiring advertisements to be placed in a newspaper or posted on the Internet and eliminates the testing fee cap of $25.
The Finance Committee met before Monday night’s City Council meeting to discuss pension contributions to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund for elected officials.
The City Council approved a resolution in August that would exclude anybody from IMRF at the city level who works less than 1,000 hours annually. The committee agreed that the mayor, treasurer and city clerk all work the required 1,000 hours annually and forwarded a recommendation to the full council. All three positions are full-time positions.
Aldermen will have to justify that they work 1,000 hours to remain a part of IMRF. Numerous aldermen will have to get together and see if their time at council meetings, committee meetings, constituent services and other tasks performed would amount to 1,000 hours annually.
All employees and officials with IMRF contribute 4.5 percent of their salary to the fund, while the city’s contribution varies year to year.
The committee also agreed to waive a $2,750 lien at 1732 N. 16th dating back to a $7,500 cleanup from 1996. The owner of the property, Walter Sheer, would sell the property to Bill and Gena Awekamp, who would clear the property of the house and some or all trees and shrubs before donating it to the Quincy chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
The council continued to go through ordinances from last month’s Plan Commission.
The council:
• Heard the second reading of an ordinance that would rezone 2224, 2234, 2302, 2304, 2308, 2312, and 2316 Harrison and 1510 S. 24th neighborhood residential.
• Heard the second reading of an ordinance rezoning 2030 Cherry neighborhood residential.
• Heard the second reading of two ordinances granting a special use permit for 936 N. Sixth and 1511 Oak.
• Heard the second reading of an ordinance rezoning 1429 N. 12th commercial. Esther Cress, who lives next door to the property, addressed concerns about a lighting and buffer space she had about the proposal by Niemann Foods to construct a parking lot on the property. Chuck Bevelheimer, director of planning and development for the city, said there were no plans to add any additional lighting and that city regulations require a 15-foot buffer between residential and commercial zoning.
• Heard the first reading of an ordinance to grant a special use permit for a planned development at 4721 Payson Road to allow a dental lab business to operate out of the residence.
• Tabled a request by Prince Agri Products to block major intersections for a 5k walk/run to benefit the United Way of Adams County at 8 a.m. July 9. The route will start and end at the Quincy University Health and Fitness Center at 18th and Oak. The route for the race is Oak to 22nd, 22nd to Maple, Maple to 20th, 20th to Locust, Locust to 18th, 18th to Seminary, Seminary to 17th, 17th to Maple, Maple to 16th, and 16th to Oak. The petition was tabled to allow Prince Agri to meet with the Quincy Police Department.
The Quincy Public Library opened a new and renovated section of the library Tuesday. It was the first time it was open for two weeks as staff and volunteers moved materials into the area. Construction has been ongoing at the library since August.
Thanks to Executive Director Nancy Dolan, who gave a tour of the library. There are a couple things that need to be done in the new section, but overall it looks nice.
The library was pretty busy Monday, and with the kickoff of the summer reading program, it’s likely going to be a busy summer.
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