April fools!

The Kellar Branch “Rail/Trail Committee” hasn’t met since February 15 and therefore missed their April 1 deadline. Why?

“I got busy at work and some things with the City Council and (other) things came up,” [4th Dist. Councilman Bill] Spears said. “We went to schedule it and obviously Easter hit. We had people on vacation.”

I’m sure the Journal Star Editorial Board will figure out a way to blame this latest setback on Pioneer. Spears says the committee will “likely meet next week,” according to the paper.

UPDATE: The Journal Star has inexplicably taken down the article; I haven’t checked the print version of the paper today to see if it’s in there. In any case, if you were wondering what it said, I happen to have a copy here:

PEORIA: Kellar Branch study has been stalled
Committee has not met for more than a month

Posted on 04/01 at 07:28 PM

By John Sharp
of the Journal Star

PEORIA – Scheduling conflicts and holidays are delaying the work of a committee in charge of selecting an independent consulting firm that will review whether a side-by-side rail and trail is feasible along the Kellar Branch rail line.

The Peoria and Peoria Heights committee was originally to have its work completed by Tuesday. But, according to those on the committee, there is a lot of work to do, and it could take until the end of April before its completed.

Fourth District City Councilman Bill Spears, who serves as the committee’s chairman, said Tuesday the committee will likely meet next week at which time it will begin interviews with the two engineering consultants under consideration for the independent review.

Railroad engineering consultants Stone Consulting & Design Inc. and engineering firm T.Y. Lin International will be considered by committee members.

“I got busy at work and some things with the City Council and (other) things came up,” Spears said. “We went to schedule it and obviously Easter hit. We had people on vacation.”

Other committee members concurred, saying vacations and scheduling constraints have resulted in the committee not meeting since Feb. 15.