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Truant and Consequences

There was a lot of discussion at last night’s city council meeting about the intergovernmental agreement District 150 wants to enter into with the city regarding truancy.  The big argument centered around the fines that would be imposed for multiple violations.  Starting with the second time a child is delivered to a “truancy assessment center,” apparently the parents are fined $50, with each subsequent violation increasing the fine another $50. 
 
The argument is that there are higher truancy rates among the lower socio-economic population, and they are the least able to afford hefty fines.  As one council person put it, some families would have to choose between paying the fine or putting food on the table.  An alternative to the fine — community service for a couple hours on a Saturday — was also scoffed at.  Single parents who are working two or three jobs could lose one of those jobs if they have to take time off to perform community service, one council person argued. 
 
Other council members essentially asked, “you got any better ideas?”  While truancy apparently is more prevalent statistically among the “lower class,” it still exists across all socio-economic classes.  Are we going to fine the upper class families, but not the lower class?  That sets up two sets of laws and is inherently unfair.  Should we dump the whole idea because hypothetically some families might not be able to pay the fines?  And, bottom line, is truancy a violation of the law or isn’t it?  If it is, then there should be no question about the fines.  We don’t have different fines for different people when it comes to any other violation — parking, speeding, loitering, etc.  Why should this one be any different?  The school board went out of their way to try to avoid fines (first time is a warning, subsequent violations can be satisfied with community service).  If not this policy, then what?  What is the alternative? 
 
No one had an alternative, so it passed by a wide majority.  I believe that was the right decision.  It’s not anyone’s goal to fine poor families.  The goal is to get kids to stay in school.  We can’t make two sets of laws.  Nor can we put in a policy that has no consequences or it will be meaningless.  Kudos to the city and school district for working together!  May they continue to find ways to collaborate and improve our school system.

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Heights not alone in Ben Franklin loss

Peoria Heights isn’t the only city to lose a Ben Franklin store this year.  Folks in Adel, Iowa, will be losing their store in December, and residents of Derry, New Hampshire, just lost their store in April.  Their stories are almost identical to the Ben Franklin here in town — mom and pop owners who want to retire and can’t sell the place, or increased competition from big box stores eating into profits.  The Heights store had both pressures.
 
One former Ben Franklin store owner has had a big impact on the chain’s demise:  Sam Walton.  He got his start in business by opening a Ben Franklin Store in Newport, Arkansas in 1945.  By 1962, Walton had abandoned Ben Franklin and opened his first “Wal-Mart Discount City.”  Gaylon Spinney, owner of the Derry Ben Franklin store, blamed his store’s closure on the “escalating cost of business, along with a sagging customer base and increased competition from big-box stores, as making it impossible to stay profitable.  ‘With major stores like Wal-Mart, HomeGoods and Staples moving in, our piece of the pie is just that much smaller.'”
 
According to the Derry (NH) article, “Ben Franklin Retail Stores Inc. was once an international chain with more than 300 craft stores and 530 variety stores, [but] the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1996. Since 1997, the stores have been licensed and independently owned.”  Some of those stores have managed to stay profitable even with the big box stores’ encroachment, but it’s a labor of love on the part of the stores’ owners.
 
Chick and Betty Schwarzkopf own the Adel (IA) Ben Franklin store.  “A business like Ben Franklin’s isn’t the kind of thing you can run as a hands-off investment, [Chick] Schwarzkopf says.  ‘This type of business is very labor-intensive.’  It would be a good venture for a husband and wife team, he says, but not so good for somebody trying to make a profit by hiring a manager because the money isn’t there.  Just like on a family farm, ‘you have to be involved, ‘he says. ‘You have to be part of the payroll.'”
 
I’m sure Marie and Jerry Hoerr, owners of the Peoria Heights Ben Franklin, would agree.  They’ve poured themselves into the little variety store, and no one begrudges them their much-deserved retirement.  Still, it’s too bad that some enterprising young couple couldn’t take over the store and keep it going for another generation.  But I suppose that’s just wishful thinking in today’s retail climate.  It’s funny that Schwarzkopf would liken his small variety store to the family farm — another enterprise that’s disappearing, unfortunately.
According to this website, which looks to be a little out of date, there are 211 Ben Franklin variety stores in the United States, including 11 in Illinois.  After September 30, there will be just 10, and it looks like the nearest one to Peoria will be either in Decatur (unable to confirm whether this one is still open) or Gilman (definitely open), which is on US-24 (just off I-57) between Champaign and Kankakee.  Too far to drive just to pick up some penny candy, but if you’re passing that way anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to stop in and enjoy a little nostalgia.

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District 150 to crack down on truancy

On the city council agenda for Tuesday night is an intergovernmental agreement to help District 150 fight truancy. Here is some background from the “Request for Council Action”:

District 150 is in the process of organizing a major effort to curtail truancy in the District. They are give positive reinforcement to school attendance and impress upon the parents and students thaer e trying to importance of school attendance.

The attached Intergovernmental Agreement designates all City Police Officers as Truant Officers empowered to question, pick up and deliver to the Truancy Assessment Center any student enrolled in grades 1 through 12 of the School District who is absent without valid cause. The Intergovernmental Agreement also makes clear the School Security Force is authorized to write City Ordinance Tickets for daytime curfew and truancy violations.

So, my question is, is this a passive responsibility (if the police happen to run into a child absent from school without cause, he can pick him up) or an active one (police will be sent out looking for truants)? That probably ought to be clarified. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see the city and school district working together. Ardis made better cooperation between the city and district one of his goals during his election campaign, and it’s good to see some movement on that front. I don’t know if Ardis was directly involved in this idea or not, though.

This is a much better strategy to cut down on truancy than letting the kids get out of final exams if they show up to school every day. Why reward children for doing what they’re supposed to be doing in the first place? Attendance is and should be an expectation, not extra credit.

The Journal Star had an article on this, too, a few days ago.

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VOP to become BAS

A sign out in front of the former Vonachen’s Old Place (VOP) says they are now hiring wait staff for “Bud’s Aged Steaks.” This appears to be the new restaurant name. I talked to a former employee recently who told me they are making the restaurant more upscale and will be serving dinner only.

I’ll withhold judgement on “Bud’s” until I see the completed transformation and have eaten there once. But I already miss VOP’s omelettes, lunches, and casual dining atmosphere. It was a great place to take visitors to Peoria for lunch because of its unique decor and delicious food. It was a great place to take the family after church or out for dinner because the kids just loved sitting in the train car or watching the model train that ran above the kitchen entrance. And, it was even a fun place to go for a quiet, romantic evening because you could eat in of those little booths on the train car and have some privacy.

But, I guess they weren’t making any money with that setup, so we’ll see how well Bud’s does with its updated decor and brand new wait staff.

Now, if they want to be really progressive, they’ll get rid of that silly rail car and turn it into a walking trail. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Kellar Branch

STB yet to give final say on Kellar Branch service

The Journal Star is giddy this morning about the Surface Transportation Board ruling. But, as usual, they assume facts not in evidence. For instance:

Wednesday the Surface Transportation Board, the federal agency that settles railroad disputes, ruled that Pioneer Railcorp must get off the Kellar Branch so the cities that own it can turn it into a hiking and biking trail.

While the STB did in fact rule that Pioneer (PIRY) must get off the Kellar Branch, it wasn’t so the cities that own it can turn it into a hiking and biking trail. It was so that the cities’ replacement carrier, Central Illinois Railway (CIRY), could provide the same service that PIRY was providing. All this ruling did was replace PIRY with CIRY. This is crucial to understanding the ruling.

And the STB hasn’t had its final say on turning the branch into a trail yet: “Moreover, the Cities’ contract with CIRY and the need for CIRY to seek our authority before service on this line can cease assures that granting the Cities’ application will not result in a diminution of service that has a serious adverse impact on shippers or the community.” (emphasis added)

That means that, even though “the park district says it could start pulling up the tracks this fall,” there’s another STB ruling to be made before that can happen — CIRY has to get STB approval to cease servicing the Kellar Branch.

Uncategorized

Ben Franklin Store is closing

I read in the paper today that the Ben Franklin store in Peoria Heights is closing. The owners want to retire and travel. The old store front will be turned into a restaurant when it closes on September 30.

I’m disappointed. Ben Franklin carried a lot of hard-to-find items, and the warm, “general store” atmosphere was a welcome contrast to huge, sterile box stores. I loved going birthday and Christmas shopping for my kids there. And they had a good selection of office supplies; prices on them were cheap without having to buy in bulk. I wish someone could have bought the store and kept it going.

They will be missed, but at least we get a chance to say good-bye and shop there one more time. They didn’t just close down unannounced like Hunt’s Restaurant did.

It’s always sad to see a landmark fade away.

Kellar Branch

City shows their ignorance again

 

Bill Dennis has a copy of the City of Peoria’s press release on his website.  It says, in part:
The long awaited decision clears the way for service to Pioneer Park from the West, and railbanking of the portion between O’Brien Steel and Pioneer Parkway. This railbanking would enable the Park District to proceed with the planning recreational trail.
This press release reveals a profound ignorance of the definition of “railbanking” and of the recent STB ruling itself.
First of all, let’s talk about railbanking.  Railbanking was established under the 1983 revision of the National Trails System Act as an alternative to abandonment.  “Abandonment” means “the discontinuance of service on a rail line segment, with no intention of resuming that service.”  When a line is abandoned, it ceases to be a part of the national transportation system and ownership of the right-of-way reverts to the adjacent landholders.  If rail service were ever needed again, it would be difficult to re-acquire that land.  Railbanking preserves the right-of-way (treats the corridor as if it had not been abandoned), but allows the corridor to be used for a recreational trail or other public use.
The Surface Transportation Board ruled today, in part, that the Kellar Branch was abandoned in 1980 after the liquidation of the bankrupt Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific Railway Company — and never reactivated.  Even though trains have been running on the line, it has been on a landlord/tenant basis (the city was the landlord, P&PU and later Pioneer were tenants), not on a “common carrier” basis.  In short, since the Kellar Branch has already been abandoned, it cannot be railbanked.  Quoting directly from the STB’s decision today:
…rail banking requests under the Trails Act, and public use requests under 49 U.S.C. 10905 are not appropriate and will not be entertained.
Secondly, the press release from the city erroneously links the STB ruling with the city’s ability to provide rail service from the west, over the new UP rail spur.  The two are separate issues.  The city was always authorized to provide rail service from the west, regardless of the STB ruling. 
Now the question is, what is the next step for rail advocates?  Is there still hope to block this ridiculous trail?  I’m guessing we haven’t seen the end of the fight.

 

Kellar Branch

Trail: 1, Jobs: 0

I have it on good authority that the STB ruled in favor of the city’s adverse discontinuance request this morning.

That means unless there’s a change of heart on the part of the council, Pioneer will have to vacate the tracks and the Kellar Branch will be turned into a trail.

Oh, and any hope of attracting businesses to Pioneer Park has been dashed. In fact, I predict Carver Lumber won’t be there many more years either.

But congratulations, trail advocates. Jobs are overrated anyway. The trail will bring Peoria more prosperity.

Kellar Branch

Homeless, Schmomeless — We Want Our Trail NOW!

 

At the city council meeting tonight, during “citizen requests to address the council,” a man named John Oliver led off speaking on behalf of the homeless in Peoria.  He said there were so many homeless that it was hard to even find temporary housing at places like the Peoria Rescue Mission for more than 30 days.  He’s a veteran, a father, and has a job that pays low wages.  He spoke of how a lot of people have lost their jobs lately, which is true since companies like L.R. Nelson are outsourcing to China or otherwise cutting back on personnel expenses.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could attract new businesses to Peoria?  Maybe some light industry to, oh, I don’t know, the Pioneer Park area? 
One problem:  businesses/industry like that requires competitive rail service.  It’s just not cost-effective for them to get their raw materials via trucking.  That’s why cities like Davenport, Iowa, are building rail parks to lure new businesses to their cities – they’ve learned the hard way what it means to not have rail service.  The Quad City Times reports:
Among the lost opportunities was a $21 million distribution center for Ferguson Enterprises, a plumbing and heating supply distributor, that had the Davenport industrial park on its final list. But the project went to Waterloo, Iowa, last year because the Eastern Iowa Industrial Park did not have rail service.
Did you catch that?  They lost a $21 million distribution center because they didn’t have rail service.  For all those who think rail service is antiquated or a nuisance, reflect on that number for a while.
But back to John Oliver.  After he finished pleading for help for the homeless, three of the dozen or so trail supporters in attendance spoke of a much more “important” matter:  converting the Kellar Branch to a hiking and biking trail.  Flanked by signs that read, “We want the trail,” “No more delays,” and “Hiking/Biking Trail NOW,” these three concerned citizens expressed their contempt for Pioneer Industrial Railway, their undying support for trail conversion (which would sever Pioneer Park’s neutral access to eight major rail lines), and fretted over the loss of $4 million in taxpayer-funded grants to build the trail.
Four million dollars sounds like a lot until you consider one new business in Growth Cell Two could bring $21 million to town.  And there’s room for lots of light industry in Pioneer Park. 
“But,” trail advocates say, “they’ll still have rail access out there if they can just get that spur connected!”  Yes, they’ll have rail access — just not competitive rail access.  And competitive rates are kinda important to businesses.  You’re not going to attract many (any) companies when they find out they have a choice of Union Pacific or, well, Union Pacific. 
But go ahead, rip out the rail line.  The John Olivers of Peoria will thank you all for the opportunity to walk on a beautiful trail through the heart of town.  Too bad they’ll have to sleep there, too.

 

HOPC

Appreciating the complexity…

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After sitting through a half hour of the Heart of Peoria Commission report to the City Council, I’ve concluded that they are, shall we say, not the most efficient public body. I’m sure they’re getting work done, but it was hard to discern what that work was from their presentation. It mostly consisted of “we’ve had meetings,” and, “we’re planning more meetings.”

But my favorite part of the report was under the heading of “Adoption of Form-Based Code.” I swear to you, one of the four “accomplishments” this subcommittee of the Heart of Peoria Commission turned in read, “appreciating the complexity of the task.”

I have to admit, I broke out laughing right there in the council chambers. I mean, come on — can you imagine yourself putting that “accomplishment” on your next performance evaluation? “But boss, I’ve been hard at work appreciating the complexity of the task!!!” Ha ha ha! Oh, and I went to a lot of meetings….

I wonder if they can quantify how much time they spent “appreciating the complexity of the task.” Was that a whole meeting? I mean, it was the third of the four major accomplishments that made it into the presentation, so they must have spent some time on it.

Can’t you just see them at Panache, sitting thoughtfully on overstuffed couches and wooden stools while the aroma of cappuccino wafts through the air?

“On today’s agenda,” the chairman begins, “I think we need to take some time out to appreciate the complexity of the task.”

Everyone nods in agreement.

“Betty, what do you appreciate most about the complexity of the task?”

“Oooh,” Betty says gravely, “I think the most complex part was changing the name from ‘smart code’ to ‘form-based code.’ I didn’t appreciate the complexity at the time, but now that you mention it….”

And so it goes. I wonder if they can appreciate how ridiculous that point sounded.