Month: September 2011

Cape Air set to start new contract on Dec. 1

Posted by mhopf – September 30, 2011

Officials from Cape Air updated members of the Quincy Exchange Club on air service it has provided from Quincy Regional Airport since 2009.

David Terry, a regional director of Cape Air, reviewed many of the details of the company’s four-year contract to provide service to St. Louis from Quincy Regional Airport. The new contract starts Dec. 1.

This includes the opening of a maintenance facility within at Quincy Regional Airport, opening a downtown ticket office and a shuttle in St. Louis to allow passengers transferring to a different flight to avoid going through security again.

Terry also mentioned the airline’s plan to replace its fleet of Cessna 402s, which were last produced in the 1980s.

“Right now, we are working with a couple manufacturers to build a new nine-seat aircraft for us, which will be the future of Cape Air,” he said.

Terry said it was at least two years down the road the airlines began to receive new planes.

When asked whether the airline is pursuing a gate in Chicago at O’Hare International Airport, Terry said it was explored, but it would create a challenge for Cape Air, including the $1.5 million cost to obtain a gate.

“It’s a long flight. It’s about a two-hour flight or more in a Cessna 402, which is challenging for us,” he said. “We don’t have restrooms. We don’t have flight attendants. So it’s going to be a real challenge for our operation to make that happen.”

Airport Manager Marty Stegeman said through August there have been 5,843 people to fly out of Quincy on Cape Air. This is up from 4,836 through August of 2010. Stegeman said unofficial numbers for September are above 800.

Under the new contract, Cape Air will receive an annual subsidy of $1.96 million.

Quincy Police, Calftown residents discuss increase in meth arrests

Posted by mhopf – September 29, 2011

The Quincy Police Department and members of the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force met with Calftown residents Wednesday to discuss an increase in meth-related arrests.


 

Fix-or-flatten discussion continues

Posted by mhopf – September 27, 2011

There was no surprise that the “fix-or-flatten” program was brought up briefly at the end of Monday’s City Council meeting.

Multiple aldermen met last week to make suggestions on how to improve the program, such as making a permanent part of the city code as well as approving a list of properties the city plans to address during the year

Currently, the City Council approves the program by passing the city’s budget.

Chuck Bevelheimer, director of planning and development for the city, told the council that he has met with Assistant Corporation Counsel Chris Scholz about inserting the fix-or-flatten program with the city code. He has also discussed with inspection staff regarding the list to be presented to aldermen with the cost estimates to either repair or demolish a structure.

The city uses the state’s Unsafe Buildings Act for the program.

Quincy Mayor John Spring suspended the program in June after the council rejected a $73,900 bid to make repairs to the Quincy Paper Box building.

Spring has previously said when the city followed the court order the program would be reinstated that, and he finally confirmed that publicly Monday night when questioned. Aldermen approved a bid earlier this month.

“We’ve been back as soon as we followed the court order,” he said.

Aldermen spent a few minutes discussing the purchase of the three new truck beds for Central Services. Here are beds they are replacing, according to a memo distributed to the City Council. The resolution was approved by an 8-6 vote.

Here are the three truck beds that are being replaced by the city. Aldermen received this in the memo regarding the purchase.

 

Spring named to IML post

Posted by mhopf – September 26, 2011

Quincy Mayor John Spring has been elected the sergeant-at-arms or the Illinois Municipal League.

Spring, multiple aldermen and other city officials attended the 98th annual Conference of the Municipal League earlier this month in Chicago. He has previously served on the league’s Board of Directors.

Saint Jacob Mayor Raymond Muñiz was elected president and Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer was named first vice president.

The Illinois Municipal League is a statewide association representing more than 1,130 Illinois cities and villages, serving as the formal voice for them before the Illinois General Assembly, Congress and state and federal regulatory agencies.

To get paid or not to get paid?

Posted by mhopf – September 22, 2011

The Quincy City Council spent most of its special meeting Wednesday discussing if aldermen could waive their $100 pay for the meeting.

Eventually the original motion was tabled.

According to Herald-Whig archives, the last time aldermen discussed waiving a portion of their pay was in 2009, when Aldermen Dave Bauer, D-2, and Raymond “Skip” Vahlkamp, D-6 returned a portion of their compensation.

All city employees were required to take three furlough days in 2009 to offset a drop in state revenue.

One thing to keep in mind is this provision in the Illinois Constitution: “An increase or decrease in the salary of an elected officer of any unit of local government shall not take effect during the term for which that officer is elected.”

Technically dropping the $100 for the special meeting would be a decrease in pay.

Thoughts?

Library opens new children’s department

Posted by mhopf – September 19, 2011

The Quincy Public Library reopened Monday after it was closed for a week as the children’s department was moved from the lower-level to the main floor.

Here is a video clip as staff were putting the finishing touches on the renovated areas.

[local /wp-content/uploads/2011/09/LibraryOpening.flv]

 

Sales tax revenues dip for second consecutive month

Posted by mhopf – September 16, 2011

For the second consecutive month, sales tax revenues have dipped in the city of Quincy.

The city reported receiving $735,893 from the 1 percent sales tax in June, down 4.5 percent from the previous years. Sales tax revenues fell 6.6 percent in May.

City coffers saw gains over the previous years since April 2010.

One area of bright news remains, though. Revenues from the 1.5 percent home rule sales tax continue to climb from the previous year. The city collected $765,355 in June, an increase of 4.6 percent.

Sept. 19 Quincy City Council Agenda

Quincy Paper Box: Before and after

Posted by mhopf – September 13, 2011

Jeff Stupavsky, owner of Stupavsky Roofing and Restoration, distributed the following photos of the Quincy Paper Box building to aldermen and the media at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Aldermen approved a bid to make repairs to the building.

There is no doubt that the picture show that some of the repairs have been completed. Driving by the building at Third and Vermont reveals the same thing. However, a court ruled that repairs were to be completed by Jan. 20 of this year, so failing to complete the job nearly eight months after the deadline is the reason why the city moved to have the work done.

 

County releases list of those expected to receive tax refund in Melrose and Ellington townships

Posted by mhopf – September 7, 2011

The Adams County Treasurer’s Office released a list of property owners who paid property taxes in Ellington and Melrose townships who should receive a partial tax refund, following a Tuesday morning announcement.

This should end the taxing problems of the properties who were annexed into the city of Quincy but not Quincy Township.

The properties were annexed into the city of Quincy but not Quincy Township. A group of 112 residents organized by Quincy resident Michael Black filed suit in Adams County Circuit Court in 2010 against Melrose Township, Ellington Township, the Melrose Road District, the Ellington Road District and former Adams County Treasurer Jean Reddington — who has since retired and been succeeded by Terry Asher — claiming they paid too much in 2009 property taxes.

The two sides reached a settlement in May. Melrose and Ellington townships agreed to refund $34,178 to the 112 objectors, which was the difference of what taxpayers paid to the two townships and road districts in 2009 and what should have been paid to Quincy Township. The average refund was about $305 per property.

There was discussion originally that residents would have to file another tax objection to get a refund for the 2010 tax dollars. That will be unnecessary with the announcement.

The list of those expected to receive a property tax refund

Yard waste pickup an issue for some Quincy residents

Posted by mhopf – September 7, 2011

The Quincy City Council briefly discussed Tuesday night an issue some residents were having with yard waste pickup.

Alderman Paul Havermale, R-3, said he was contacted by some residents that were not having yard waste placed in 55-gallon containers picked up during the weekly pickup.

“I think what is confusing is that these were collected all along,” he said.

Jeff Steinkmap, city engineer and interim director of Central Services, said he looked at the five-year agreement the city has with Evans Recycling and found that that the company is required to pickup yard waste once a week.

“The only container that is mentioned in there is a biodegradable bag,” he said

On the city’s website, it says that yard waste can be stored in reusable cans and biodegradable paper bags, but cans should be marked with a large “X” to distinguish them from garbage cans. Neither are allowed to weigh more than 40 pounds.

Steinkamp said the concern was the size of the largest plastic containers.

“Evans has expressed to me that they have had some work related injuries, not the weight so much, but the bulkiness and how to grab these and handle them,” he said.

He said he planned to meet with the company in the near future.

“I think they are looking at anything like a 32- to 39-gallon Rubbermaid-type trash container with handles I think would be acceptable from a handling standpoint,” Steinkamp said.