Monthly Archives: February 2007

City of Peoria, Peoria Park District

Historic Preservation Commission makes the right decision

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Park District LogoThe Journal Star is reporting tonight that Peoria’s Historic Preservation Commission is not in favor of designating Glen Oak Park as an historic landmark, but is willing to consider landmarking some individual structures, such as the pavilion.

That’s a reasonable approach. Designating the whole park as a landmark would be overreaching, in my opinion, and would challenge the sovereignty of the Peoria Park District. It would almost certainly have ended up in litigation, needlessly draining taxpayer dollars as the city and park district played tug-of-war.

That said, the park district does need to do a better job of maintaining Glen Oak Park, as well as the other parks under its stewardship. That’s the underlying reason this is being brought before the historic preservation commission in the first place. The parapet has been falling apart for years, and the foot bridge has also been undergoing “demolition by neglect,” to name two very visible examples. There seems to be no end to the resources the park district can dole out for new projects like the zoo expansion and rail-to-trail conversion attempt. Some of those resources would be better used maintaining what they already have.

UPDATE: Here’s Jennifer Davis’s full article from Thursday’s Journal Star. I was interested to read this statement: “Until [March 28], the park remains as if it was landmarked, which park officials protested because it stalls their plans to remove the old stone fort by the lagoon.” It seems their lack of maintenance over the years has caused the parapet to deteriorate to a point that it would cost over $800,000 to fix it, according to the one bid they received.

I don’t know what they’re so worried about. If the commission finds that it’s not an historic structure, they’ll be able to proceed with removing it; if it does get designated an historic structure, I would imagine it would make it eligible for grant money that could be used to repair it.

Glen Oak CannonFoot Bridge

City of Peoria

City Council Primary Election Results 2007

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I’m reporting tonight from the studios of WCBU! Jonathan Ahl and Tanya Koonce were nice enough to let me hang out with them and let me blog from one of their computers.

So, without further ado, and with 100% of precincts reporting, the results from Tuesday’s primary are as follows:

Candidate Votes %
1 Gary Sandberg 5518.41 17%
2 Ryan Spain 4575.33 14%
3 George Jacob 4540.83 14%
4 Eric Turner 4371.16 14%
5 Jim Montelongo 3420.08 11%
6 Gale Thetford 2233.66 7%
7 Patti Polk 1622.24 5%
8 Dan Irving 1592.25 5%
9 Charles Schierer 1565.16 5%
10 Gloria Cassel Fitzgerald 945.83 3%
11 Dan Gillette 602.66 2%
12 Brad Carter 566.50 2%
13 Kelley Mammen 338.25 1%
14 Donald Cummings 327.58 1%

There was about a 9.7% voter turnout for this primary, which is, of course, pathetic, but in the world of local primaries is actually not that bad. The top ten vote-getters move on to the general election on April 17.

No surprise, Gary Sandberg came in first by a commanding margin. I mentioned this on the radio, but in the last at-large election Gary also got a large showing, and apparently people really couldn’t believe it. Really. They couldn’t believe it so much that they actually had Bradley do a study to find out if he only got in because of cumulative voting. The result: Gary had a very broad base of support. He not only had the most votes, but the most voters casting their ballot for him, too. It looks like he hasn’t lost that support over the past four years.

The biggest surprise was Ryan Spain finishing in second place, ahead of two of the three incumbents. He’s well on his way to the state house city council (sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself).

If the top five vote-getters end up being the five at-large council members in the general election, it’s not really going to change the makeup of the council. Spain is pretty much an even swap for John Morris. There is no one quite like Chuck Grayeb, but voting-wise, I’ll bet Jim Montelongo will be closer to him than, say, Sandberg.

Good news: Gale Thetford finished in sixth, about 1200 votes behind the fifth-place finisher. Let’s hope that holds up. Bad news: Dan Irving didn’t have a stronger showing and, while anything is possible, it’s realistically not likely that he’ll be able to make up the 6% difference to overtake the three candidates in front of him.

Of course, with the general election comes more voters, so the primary may not be an accurate picture of voter sentiment. So, who knows how it will all shake out. If I were to make a prediction at this point, though, I would bet that the top five vote getters are going to end up being the next at-large councilmen.

Finally, we must say goodbye to last place finishers Dan Gillette, Brad Carter, Kelley Mammen, and Donald Cummings. I was hoping that Brad would make it past the primary; perhaps he’ll run again in the future.

On to the general election! Let the games begin.

Radio, The Peoria Chronicle

The Peoria Chronicle is on the air

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Vintage MicI’ll be on WCBU tonight with Jonathan Ahl, first as a guest on “Outside the Horseshoe” at 6 p.m., and then in the studio to comment on the election results as updates are provided.

Because of the cumulative voting system and low voter turnout, there’s no telling how things will shake out tonight. Who will be eliminated? Who will be the top vote-getters? If the turnout is indeed low, as expected, can these returns be considered a valid sample of all registered voters and their feelings about the candidates? Tune in tonight for answers to some questions and speculation about others on WCBU, 89.9 FM.

Voting

Vote Today

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Today is a primary election day. I voted this morning at about 8 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church which is the polling place for three or four precincts. I was the only one there other than the election judges from the minute I walked in to the minute I walked out. I didn’t pass anyone coming or going, either. That’s pretty sad.

If you’re registered to vote and you haven’t voted already, I encourage you to take the time to go to your polling place and cast a ballot.

City Council, Elections

City Council Primary Endorsements

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Here are my endorsements for the at-large City Council election tomorrow:

  1. Gary Sandberg — Gary does his homework, asks the hard questions, and votes consistently in favor of essential services first. He’s chosen to live on a section of Bigelow street most wouldn’t want to drive through, let alone take up residence, which shows he’s not afraid to practice what he preaches and keeps him keenly aware of the challenges facing older neighborhoods, from crime to code enforcement to sidewalk maintenance. He appears to have an immunity to groupthink. And the Journal Star hates him, so you know he must be doing something right. If you’re unsure about anyone else, you can’t go wrong voting for Gary.
  2. George Jacob — George was appointed to finish out Jim Ardis’s at-large term when Ardis became mayor. I was dubious about his appointment, but George has won me over. He’s not afraid to get down in the trenches, so to speak, going out on police patrols and spending evenings at residents’ houses in areas prone to crime. His liquor license doesn’t appear to have hampered his ability to be a constructive member of the council.
  3. Dan Irving — Dan is currently on the city’s liquor commission. He grew up on a farm in Hanna City and now works for Lincoln Office. I met him recently for coffee and got to ask him quite a few questions about his philosophy on city issues. His views remind me a lot of Bob Manning’s. On issues ranging from TIFs to the Heart of Peoria Plan to city assistance for District 150 and other issues, Dan seemed to me to be informed, level-headed, and realistic in his approach.

Only three? Yes, only three I feel comfortable unreservedly endorsing.

However, there are other candidates that are worth further consideration (maybe we can consider this a “qualified” endorsement): Brad Carter, Dan Gillette, Patti Polk, and Charles Schierer. With the exception of Polk, I’ve spent a fair amount of time talking to these candidates, but only about one or two issues. After reading their answers to the Chamber of Commerce’s and Journal Star’s questionnaires, I have some further questions. Polk’s answers to the questionnaires I found to be rather vague. So hopefully, if all these candidates make it through the primary (and I hope they do), I’ll try to meet with them and get more information before I publish my General Election Endorsements.

Peoria Public Schools

Why is Kay Royster delaying her own lawsuit?

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Kay RoysterI happened to be looking up some old posts on District 150, and I ran across the post on Kay Royster’s racial-discrimination lawsuit against the school board from July 2006.

I haven’t heard anything about it lately, so I did a little research. The latest filing was on February 14 — a Motion to Compel. It was filed by the defendants (school board) and says:

  1. Plaintiff has failed to answer defendants’ interrogatories and requests for production served on December 5, 2006.
  2. Defendants’ counsel has undertaken good faith efforts to try to obtain discovery responses and documents from plaintiff’s counsel but such efforts have proved unsuccessful.
  3. Plaintiff’s discovery misconduct has unduly delayed and interfered with the scheduling of plaintiff’s deposition and other necessary discovery.

In a supplementary memorandum, the defendants further stated, “Since filing her complaint seven plus months ago, plaintiff [Royster] has only within the past week provided the documents referenced in her tardy initial Rule 26 disclosures, and has ignored any need to respond to defendants’ interrogatories and requests for production. As a result, plaintiff has deprived defendants of what should have been a standard part of the early discovery process.”

“Rule 26 disclosures” are simple things like a list of possible witnesses, any documents that support each party’s case, how much they’re seeking in damages, etc. Yet, Royster was slow in delivering these standard disclosures, and apparently has still not given the defense all the information they’re due.

Doesn’t this seem odd? I’m no lawyer, so maybe one of my lawyer readers can weigh in here, but isn’t it usually defendants who drag their feet in lawsuits? Why would a plaintiff ever want to do this?

Blogosphere, City Council, City of Peoria

PeoriaIllinoisan posts council questionnaire results

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PeoriaIllinoisan did something that I had wanted to do but just don’t have time. He sent out his own questionnaire on city issues to all the candidates and has posted their responses on his blog. Take a look at what they said about:

The Kellar Branch
The Civic Center Hotel
Glen Oak School
Peoria’s Cumulative (Bullet) Voting System

And there are five other interesting questions that let you get a glimpse into their personalities as well.

There are 14 candidates and we’re going to be whittling them down to 10 at the primary election next Tuesday, February 27.

I’m not ready to make any endorsements yet, but I have ruled out a few candidates: Gale Thetford, Ryan Spain, Kelley Mammen, Gloria Cassel-Fitzgerald. I think Thetford’s record is well documented and needs no further explanation. Ryan Spain is, in my opinion, a “progressive” and not an “essential-services-first” candidate, so I’m fundamentally opposed to his platform. His flashy campaign materials ($$$) and endorsement by Ray LaHood also make me uncomfortable (and before someone asks, yes, I know Jacob is spending more on campaign materials, but the difference is that he has visible means to do so). Kelley Mammen answered the question regarding the Kellar Branch, “That is such a beautiful area and I feel that it should be a trail only.” I’m not going to vote against someone just because they don’t agree with me on the Kellar Branch, but if this is any indication of how she will make decisions that will impact jobs and economic development, I have no confidence in her as a council person. Gloria Cassel-Fitzgerald would make a better school board candidate. Education is clearly her passion, not broader city issues.

Now, this is not to say they aren’t all very nice people. I have nothing personal against them. All I’m saying is that I’m not interested in voting for them for the reasons listed. I think there are stronger candidates who will be better for Peoria. Who are my top five? I’ll continue whittling down the list….

Kellar Branch, Village of Peoria Heights

What’s best for the Heights?

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This will be my 94th post in the “Kellar Branch” category, and in all those previous posts I don’t believe I’ve ever once looked at the situation from the viewpoint of Peoria Heights. I suppose that makes me a typical Peorian. Back in the ’60s, right after Peoria’s successful vote to annex Richwoods township, the city tried to annex Peoria Heights, too. That failed. They’re a resilient and independent community, and they have their own unique needs. It would be good for Peorians (including me) to remember that once in a while.

Peoria Heights AdWhen I talked to Peoria Heights Mayor Mark Allen on Thursday, he explained to me how he sees the Kellar Branch issue. Unlike Peoria, he said, the Heights is completely landlocked. They can’t just annex land to the north or west of their community to grow. They can’t build a regional mall along the fringes of town like Peoria can. All they have for economic development is what’s available to them right now within their village.

And the Kellar Branch corridor is one of their assets. They own the portion of the Kellar Branch that lies within their village. So they have to ask themselves, what’s the best use of that corridor for the Heights? A rail line or a recreational trail? In Mayor Allen’s opinion, the answer is definitely a rail line. And he believes a majority of the Village Board feels the same way.

With a rail line, there’s always the potential to carry freight, of course, and that can be used to lure a rail-served business to the Heights. But it also can provide another tourist attraction to complement the Heights Tower and shopping district: a tourist trolley. As Thursday’s Journal Star pointed out:

…according to a report from Gomaco Trolley Co., more than 40 U.S. cities are looking at running street cars. Tampa, Fla., spent about $55 million on its system and has reaped about $1 billion in development; Little Rock, Ark., spent $20 million on its line, which has returned about $200 million; and Kenosha, Wis., built a system for $5.2 million that has brought in about $150 million.

Those numbers are compelling. It would be crazy for the Heights to not consider the potential of a trolley for the development of their village. If the Park District gets their way and tears out the tracks, they’re gone forever. The Village is wise to give this idea due consideration before any permanent action is taken.

In contrast, a recreational trail can’t begin to measure up to those numbers. Trails are not conducive to shopping. Consider the average trail user: they’re exercising, they’re hot and sweaty, and they’ve packed light. They’re not going to buy clothes or jewelry or anything that they’re going to have to carry on foot or by bicycle 4-6 miles back to their car. They’re most likely to buy something to drink, and maybe something to eat, depending on how far they’ve come.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that — but the Village has an obligation to its citizens to make the best decision for the future of the Heights. Right now they’re gathering information, but it looks like they could be in a position to start making some decisions as early as April of this year.

Allen expressed his desire to work with Peoria on this project — he has no interest in being adversarial about it. He thinks this could be a mutually-beneficial partnership for the two municipalities. I’m inclined to agree.

We have a lot of unique, local attractions that are all tied together by that rail line: Downtown (including the Riverfront, Civic Center, future Museum, etc.), Peoria Heights (including Tower Park and their unique shops), Junction City (including Vonachen’s Old Place where you can eat on a vintage train car, plus more unique shops), and yes, even the Rock Island Trail at the other end of the line. Why not band together to provide a true tourist package to Peoria Area visitors?

Wouldn’t it be a great story if the Village that fought annexation forty years ago ended up being the impetus that drew our communities closer together?

City of Peoria, Kellar Branch, Village of Peoria Heights

Peoria misrepresents Peoria Heights to Surface Transportation Board

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Today is the deadline for the City to file information with the Surface Transportation Board in the pending adverse discontinuance proceeding. The City filed their information this morning, basically just reiterating what was said at the last council meeting and informing the STB of the 9-2 vote in favor of CIRY as the carrier.

However, most curious was this statement (emphasis mine):

The Village of Peoria Heights concurs in the action voted by the City of Peoria. The Cities continue to support reconfiguration of rail service over the Branch whereby:

(1) Carver and any other shipper located near the north end of the Branch would be served from the west via CIRY’s connection with Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) at Pioneer Junction;

(2) O’Brien Steel Service Co, (O’Brien Steel) and any other shipper located near the south end of the Branch would be served from the east via CIRY’s connection with Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, Inc. (T&P); and

(3) the segment of the Branch between the facilities of those shippers, on which there is no traffic, would be converted to recreational trail use.

That’s kind of funny, because I just read in the paper that the Village wants to put a trolley on that line, not a trail. Also, no Village representative certified the filing with their signature, and the Village wasn’t even served with a copy of the filing!

So I called Peoria Heights and talked to Administrator Tom Horstmann. I read him the STB filing and he said that it is not accurate, the Village does not concur with Peoria’s action, and he advised me to send a copy of the filing to Mayor Allen, which I did. I have a feeling the City will be getting an unhappy phone call.

To claim the Village’s concurrency in a legal document to the STB without the Village’s consent is an unconscionable oversight at best. It’s pretty apparent that there is no communication between the City and the Village on this issue, which is surprising considering how much is riding on the Village’s commitment to this project. Most of the section that the City wants to turn into a trail is not located in the City, but in the Village. Furthermore, the Village owns the trackage that is within their municipal boundaries. If the Village isn’t on board with the City’s plans, the City better start considering Plan B.

In the meantime, the City obviously needs to retract their erroneous statement to the STB. And since the City has demonstrated a lack of interest in communicating with the Heights, the Village probably should start communicating their intentions regarding the Kellar Branch directly with the STB.

UPDATE: City of Peoria attorney Randy Ray says, “Our STB filing is being amended to reflect that Peoria Heights does not agree with the City’s position. They wish to take no position on the matter before the STB.”

When I talked to Mayor Allen earlier tonight, he explained that since Peoria Heights doesn’t receive any freight, they didn’t feel the need to take a position on which carrier would be used on the line at this time. Also, as I stated in the comments section, Allen believes this was just an honest mistake.

Kellar Branch, Village of Peoria Heights

Peoria Heights interested in trolley idea for Kellar Branch

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Gomaco Trolley in PortlandWhile the City Council, Park District, Journal Star, and Recreational Trail Advocates scoffed at the idea of putting a trolley on the Kellar Branch line, there’s one key player who thinks the idea has some merit: the mayor of Peoria Heights.

A subscriber to the Peoria Rails Yahoo Group posted this message earlier today:

Look for a big splash in the paper tomorrow. Peoria Heights mayor Mark B. Allen at the Peoria/Pekin Urbanized Area Transportation Study (PPUATS) meeting today, said he wanted money for a look at a trolley line to link the new development at the old Cohen Warehouse to downtown Peoria. They want a replica street car to link the two areas to provide economic growth. With Peoria Heights on board so to speak, I would say that the rail line is safe for a while. I’d rather see a business with rail service in the old warehouse but any businesses that contributes to economic growth rather than drain taxes for a trail is a good thing.

Just think, if they built the trail next to the track, they could walk or bike the trail one way and ride the trolley the other. They would also support jobs. That’s a win win win for everyone.

This is significant because the bulk of the section the Park District wants to convert to a trail runs through Peoria Heights, not Peoria. In fact, Peoria Heights owns the portion of the Kellar Branch that passes through their village and could decide to sell it or lease it without having to get any approval from the Peoria City Council. That’s only fair, since Peoria has been unilaterally making decisions about the line up to this point in time.

The Kellar Branch saga continues.

UPDATE: Here’s the Journal Star’s first article on this story.