Residency Requirement Pulled

Just got an email that, due to numerous requests, the ordinance regarding residency requirements has been pulled from tonight's City Council Agenda

Due to City Council and citizen requests received pertaining to Carbondale City Council Agenda item 6.2 "Ordinance Amending Title One (1) of the Carbondale Revised Code as it Relates to Residency Requirement for City Employees," Mayor John M. Henry has pulled the item which proposed to reconsider in-City residency requirements for executive personnel of the City of Carbondale. There will be no discussion or action taken in relation to this matter at tonight's City Council meeting.

Sales Tax Increase

Carbondale sales tax increases to 8.75% tomorrow as the city tried to balance the budget and fund employee pensions. At least it is not the highest in the state. Up around Bloomington, sales tax approximates 10%.

Residency Requirements

In a letter to her email list, Jane Adams pointed out a change to residency requirements on the agenda for tomorrow night's city council meeting. Currently, executive city employees are required to live within the city limits, all other city employees must live within 9 miles of the city, Under the current ordinance, this means that only 10 out of all the city employees are required to live in Carbondale. From the proposed ordinace: 

Pay Grade 9 City Attorney, Public Works Director, Finance Director, Police Chief, Fire Chief,
Administrative Services Director (Human Resources), Development Services
Director (Building, Planning/Zoning, Code Enforcement)

Pay Grade 8 Accounting Manager, Maintenance & Environmental Services Manager (PW),
Information Systems Manager (IT), Water Operations Manager

Pay Grade 8 Exemptions
Deputy Police Chief (2), Police Lieutenant (4), Assistant Fire Chief (3)

The City Manager position (unclassified pay grade) and the City Clerk (pay grade 6) are also
required to reside within the City limits according to City Code.

The city has not had a Police Chief since last summer, after the firing of then Chief Jody O'Guinn. Jeff Grubbs has filled the position as Interim Police Chief since then and both Mayor Mike Henry and City Manager Kevin Baity have expresses satisfaction with his work and a desire to hire him as Police Chief. However, Grubbs lives outside the city, but within the 9 miles required. For Grubbs to accept the position, he would need to sell or otherwise dispose of his current residence and move within city limits.

Furthermore, Fire Chief John Michalesko plans to retire in the near future, meaning that the city will either need to promote from within or recruit a new chief from outside. Apparently, the requirement to live within city limits is seen as a impediment in either case.

It would appear then, that while the city works to bring in outside businesses, students and new residents, city staff do not see it as a particularly desirable location to live and that requiring higher pay grade officials to live here is an impediment to recruiting them.

Below are the four options city staff has presented and the staff recommendation. You will note that leaving things as they are is not one of the four optioned presented:

A number of options were reviewed that include:
1. Require all new employees to live within the City limits. This is not an option as the police and fire
unions’ contract allow for residency within the 9-mile boundary. This matter was the subject of a legalcase in which the unions wanted to extend the boundary to greater than 9 miles. The result was a rulingin favor of the City to retain the 9-mile boundary.

2. Create more exemptions for more classes of executive employees, similar to the 1999 and 2005 Councilactions. This only serves to further alienate the few remaining employees who are bound by the Citylimits requirement. This could also lead to a discrimination law suit brought by those remaining nonexempted employees.

3. Eliminate the City limits requirement for executive employees. In other words, all employees have thesame rights and must live within the 9-mile boundary. The argument against this is “there will be a largenumber of employees leave the City limits.” As indicated above, currently only 10 employees (3.7%) arebound by this requirement therefore there cannot be a large number of employees leave the City.

4. Eliminate all residency requirements. Due to the previous legal decision in favor of the City and the 9-mile residency boundary, this is not a viable option. Each time the police and fire union contracts are upfor renegotiation, they try to argue extending the boundary; this year the argument was from 9 miles to20 miles.

RECOMMENDATION:
After conducting a review of the history presented above and the significantly small number of employees affected by the current City limit residency requirement, it is recommended the City Council choose Option 3above and adopt an Ordinance eliminating the City limits requirement for executive employees in pay grades 8 and 9, the City Manager and the City Clerk.

Liquor Control Commission Meeting

The Liquor Control Commission meets this Tuesday, just before city council. Looking at the agenda, I can understand why people get confused about who has a license for what here in the 'dale:

Roll Call
2. Approval of minutes from May 21, 2015
3. Application to transfer a Class B2 liquor license (On-premises consumption – all alcoholic liquors) from Calla Calis, LLC d/b/a Saluki Bar/Levels to Austin Knoob, an individual, d/b/a Saluki Bar/Levels at 760 East Grand Avenue
4. Application for a Class D2 liquor license (Hotel/Motel – all alcoholic liquors) from Sun Rise Motel Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Best Western Saluki Inn at 801 North Giant City Road
5. Application to transfer a Class B2 liquor license (On-premises consumption – all alcoholic liquors) from Stix Bar, LLC d/b/a Stix to Manney, LLC d/b/a Stix on the Strip at 517 South Illinois Avenue
6. Proposed Changes to Sections 2-4-14, 2-4-16, and 2-4-17 of the Carbondale Revised Code Requiring Local Liquor Control Commission Approval of Changes in Ownership or the Nature of the Business
7. Proposed Changes to the Liquor Code Requiring Submission of Documents Submitted to and From the Illinois Liquor Control Commission
8. Election of Officers
9. Liquor Advisory Board Comments
10. Citizens’ Comments
11.

Terri Bryant in Carbondale

In case anyone wants to talk with our State Representative, Terri Bryant, she and her staff will be at the Carbondale Civic Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday June 26.

The Island Parking

Things will get somewhat difficult for the businesses located in the Island building complex at 715 S. University in about 2 weeks. They have already lost most of their convenient downtown parking to the Carbondale Flats/Evolve project and have made due with the 6 or so metered spaces on the west side of the building and the remaining metered spaces in the lot across the street by the Campus Shopping Center. Employees who work in one of the Island businesses and drive have tended to drop half a dozen quarters into the Campus Shopping Center meters and left the spaces next to their building open for customers. Customers have also used the Campus Shopping Center spaces as well but that will end in about 2 weeks.

In order to make sure there is space available for customers of B&A Travel and the businesses in the Campus Shopping Center, the meters there will get removed later this summer and a more aggressive towing policy implemented in order to make certain no one parks in the space for hours on end, essentially reserving the parking for customers of the businesses surrounding it. The parking space there is private property and has been for years. The owners years ago arranged with the city to install meters in order to generate funds for maintenance of the lot. However with the sharp reduction of available parking, the owners felt it necessary to make sure enough parking remained available for B&A and Campus Shopping Center customers.

The city has expanded parking behind the businesses on the east side of S. Illinois so I hope customers of the Island and other businesses in downtown will take advantage of it.

Pony Loses Liquor License

In case you missed this, The Pony Steakhouse and Cabaret had its liquor license pulled by the Liquor Control Commission Monday night, due to the owner having been convicted of tax evasion and forgery in California in the 1990s. Since, of course, the main reason to go to the Pony is to drink and look at girls in scanty outfits dancing, though I understand they have good steaks, I doubt the establishment will stay open long if its appeal to the state falls through.

City council and government have likely been trying to figure out ways to close the Pony every since it opened up. If you clicked on the link, imagine the sign there reading "Girls! Girls! Girls!" on the main street running through Carbondale and only half a block away from the town square. Also imagine every potential new student at SIUC and their parents driving right by that sign on the way to the university? Not a great image to leave in the minds of the parents.

Foodie Film Fridays

Starting July 3:

As a ramp up to their Eat Local Challenge and Fall Farm Crawl, Neighborhood Co-op Grocery is hosting free screenings of foodie films on Friday nights in July at Scratch Brewing Company in Ava, IL.

The films were chosen to inspire and inform the public about the value of small-scale farms, the history of co-ops and all things local. Whether it's craft breweries, heirloom vegetables grown on small farms, handcrafted wine or specialties like grass fed beef or free range bison, Southern Illinois has local in spades! We want to celebrate our region by getting people excited to shop local markets, eat dishes at local restaurants that include locally grown ingredients and get to know their farmers by going on the 2015 Fall Farm Crawl. 

Lisa Smith, Brand Development Manager at The Co-op, said, "I am looking forward to these screenings at Scratch. They have something kind of magical going on out there and we are thrilled to be a part of it! As a matter of fact what they embody is the essence of what we are trying to get across with the screenings - that local businesses and makers of all sorts is what makes the tapestry of Southern Illinois so rich! We need to invest in our local food systems and be willing to see the products made or grown here as something special, something exceptional! 

Small businesses, like our local farms and restaurants are working hard and doing great things that are an expression of who they are and what they are about. I hope the folks who come out to see these films and are so inspired that they want to more actively help us reclaim some of the $1.8 billion that we spend on food here in Southern Illinois. It's important to know that right now much of that money is leaving the area because it is spent on foods grown elsewhere and because it is spent with retailers who are based far away from this region. Shopping local first will make all the difference for our region's economy and our food system."

Links to the trailers are below and can also be found at www.Neighborhood.coop.

July 3

Women Who Brew: Breaking the Glass Ceiling for the Love of Beer

This program follows a large number of women who have found success and fulfillment as brewery owners, pub owners, hops farmers, home-based and large-scale beer artisans, and other positions in the industry. Focusing on the Pacific Northwest’s burgeoning craft beer market, the film introduces thriving entrepreneurs and highly valued employees who have defied the assumption that beer is just for men. Award-winning brewmaster Tonya Cornett, celebrated publican Sarah Pederson, respected hops producer Gayle Goschie, and craft brewery pioneer and Pink Boots Society founder Teri Fahrendorf are among the many industry luminaries featured.

Dunkin' Donuts

From what people who have been hired on at the new Dunkin' Donuts tell me, we should see the place open at the end of this month. Still not a great location, since it's a bit awkward to get in and out and the spot is a bit hidden. Hopefully the business gets a sign up along Hwy 13 directing people to make the turn.

Verizon Moving

From the comments on yesterday's post and a couple of emails, it appears that Verizon will move out of its location in University Place and into the new building going in where the old Long John Silver's used to stand.

New Business

Not certain what is going in there but I see the old Long John Silver's building that has set empty for the past couple of years since LJS moved out closer to Wal-Mart, had been demolished and a new cinder block structure going up. Anyone have any idea what it is? Not a great location for a retail site unless it is some sort of service provider that customers are willing to make a bit of extra effort to get to.

Businesses for Heartland Women's Healthcare Complex

WSIL has a story on the businesses moving into the aforementioned complex, including a Sergio's and a Sunny Street Cafe, which will only serve breakfast and lunch, aping what Mary Lou's has done locally for decades.

The thing I found most interesting was the Cartridge World moving into the complex. I wonder if that means Carbondale will now have two Cartridge Worlds or if the one located on Giant City Road will close up to move to the new location. Should know this fall.

Ribbon Cutting

The Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting at Fast Lane Express today at 11:30. Looks as if the main focus will be on quick oil changes and other fast maintenance to your car:

The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the grand opening of Fast Lane Express with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
Valvoline Fast Lane Express is a full-service oil change and auto care facility. The business offers oil changes, tire rotation, auto detailing and more. Fast Lane Express has a full-time mechanic on duty. The business is located at 400 N. Glenview in Carbondale.
Representatives of the Chamber, City and business will participate in the ceremony. The event is open to the public.

Downtown Community Workshop

Press release sent out by the city for next week's downtown community workshop:

The City of Carbondale and the Downtown Planning Consultant, Houseal Lavigne Associates, will host a Community Workshop
on Wednesday, June 24th at 6:00 p.m. in Room 108 in the Carbondale Civic Center. This initial workshop with the consultants is
designed to reaffirm the Downtown Advisory Committee’s (DAC) priority focus areas, introduce the public to the Downtown
planning process, and seek further input regarding desired outcomes and priorities within the established focus areas.

The workshop will consist of a large group format where issues and desired outcomes are identified and discussed with
participants and the consultant team. All are invited to attend and provide vital feedback as the City works with the planning
consultants on the new Downtown Master Plan. The City is requesting input from residents, the business community,
developers and others who have a vested interest in the future of Downtown Carbondale. This is an important process to help
identify Downtown Carbondale’s strengths, opportunities, and future needs from your unique perspective.

The new Plan will build on the outreach and work recently completed by the Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC). When
completed the new Plan will be the product of the community, with its vision and recommendations grounded by valuable
input received from residents. Over the course of the next nine months, residents and Downtown stakeholders will have
numerous opportunities to participate both in-person and online through the project’s website. The new Plan is expected to be
completed in early 2016.
The new Plan will provide a framework for the development of future public policy pertaining to growth, development,
redevelopment, infrastructure improvement and expansion, provision of community services, as well as the conservation and
expansion of cultural and natural resources in the downtown. The Carbondale Downtown Master Plan will serve as the City’s
official guide for land use and development in the Downtown area over the next 15 years. It will act as a “road map,” detailing a
long-term vision and policy agenda for important issues such as land use and development, beautification, parking, pedestrian
mobility, and circulation. Ultimately, the Plan will seek to answer the question, “What will Downtown Carbondale look like in
2030 and how do we get there?”

Members of the public can stay active and aware of the project as it progresses over the summer months by tracking it
through the project website downtowncarbondale.com or access the site from the City’s homepage explorecarbondale.com.
The project website serves as the primary resource for information regarding the Carbondale Downtown Plan, including
meeting announcements, draft documents for review and comment, and summaries of public meeting and outreach events.
In addition, the project website offers a number of online outreach tools for those unable to attend public outreach events
or interested in providing additional feedback. This includes online questionnaires and an interactive mapping tool. The
website is an efficient resource for residents, businesses, and community stakeholders to stay engaged throughout the
planning process and ensure their voice is heard at each step of the project.

Medical Marijuana at SI Airport

A reader of the blog pointed out this post from last February on the Southern Illinois Airport Facebook page:

Illinois has awarded IESO, LLC a license to cultivate medical marijuana for patients in need at a new $5 million indoor grow facility to be built at the Southern Illinois Airport. Governor Rauner’s announcement came last week and plans are already underway for groundbreaking. The facility will be highly secure and provide employment to nearly 50 people, including scientists and botanists. Research endeavors with SIU are being planned as well. Congratulations IESO!

As the reader noted, it's rather surprising for a medical marijuana facility to locate in southern Illinois but a $5 million facility and 50 jobs will overcome a lot of suspicion.

Downtown Community Workshop

Press release sent out from the city:

The City of Carbondale and the Downtown Planning Consultant will host a Community Workshop on Wednesday, June 24^th at 6:00 p.m. in Room 108 in the Carbondale Civic Center.  This initial workshop with the consultants is designed to reaffirm the Downtown Advisory Committee’s (DAC) priority focus areas, introduce the public to the Downtown planning process, and seek further input regarding desired outcomes and priorities within the established focus areas.

The workshop will consist of a large group format where issues and desired outcomes are identified and discussed with participants and the consultant team. All are invited to attend and provide vital feedback as the City works with planning consultants Houseal Lavigne Associates on the new Downtown Master Plan. The City is requesting input from residents, the business community, developers and others who have a vested interest in the future of Downtown Carbondale. This is an important process to help identify Downtown Carbondale’s strengths, opportunities, and future needs from your unique perspective.

The new Plan will build on the outreach and work recently completed by the Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC). When completed the new Plan will be the product of the community, with its vision and recommendations grounded by valuable input received from residents. Over the course of the next nine months, residents and Downtown stakeholders will have numerous opportunities to participate both in-person and online through the project’s website. The new Plan is expected to be completed in early 2016.

The new Plan will provide a framework for the development of future public policy pertaining to growth, development, redevelopment, infrastructure improvement and expansion, provision of community services, as well as the conservation and expansion of cultural and natural resources in the downtown. The Carbondale Downtown Master Plan will serve as the City’s official guide for land use and development in the Downtown area over the next 15 years. It will act as a “road map,” detailing a long-term vision and policy agenda for important issues such as land use and development, beautification, parking, pedestrian mobility, and circulation. Ultimately, the Plan will seek to answer the question, “What will Downtown Carbondale look like in 2030 and how do we get there?”

Curbside

In case you missed it in this week's Carbondale Times or today's Southern, Curbside had its liquor license suspended for 2 weeks, starting June 17, and ordered to pay over $1000 in fines for several liquor license violations including not having a state liquor license last year and having a felon as manager. Given the number of violations of city liquor regulations, a two week suspension and fine seems pretty lenient but the holder of the liquor license apparently didn't think so:

Martha Ikner, the license holder for Curbside, said the fine and suspension will be taxing for a business trying to succeed in Carbondale, but the establishment has identified the problems and is working to rectify them.

There's a really easy way to avoid getting your license suspended and not paying fines:  follow the city regulations regarding your license. The council did vote to renew Curbside's liquor license for another year, though.

Curbside had said the restaurant/bar planned to renew regular lunch hours after Mother's Day but, from what I have seen, they still maintain only an evening schedule and are only open when they host events at that.

Pony Liquor License

The Pony Cabaret and Steakhouse may lose its liquor license if it gets reclassified as an "adult use" business. The city is arguing that the establishment is operating as an adult business, which I guess means nekkid people, in an area not zoned for it. The owner argues it is an erotic but not adult business.

I do know that I have never yet seen the sign outside The Pony advertising its steak dinner special. Earlier this week, it read "Girls, Girls, Girls". If I saw a business with that on its exterior sign, I know what I would expect to find inside.

Hotel

City council approved sale of the parking lot and adjacent property at 200 West Elm last night for development of an 85 room Hilton Home 2 hotel. This is located just south of PK's and across the street from the Amtrak station. There has been talk of a hotel going into this location for about 2 years, so nice to see something happening on that front. Two major concerns though:

Location:  The location is rather a tight squeeze between the alley running alongside PKs and West Elm. With 4-5 stories and 85 rooms going in, I can see congestion as a problem. Also, locating next to PKs may be fine for the 200+ musicians Curtis Connoly mentions in the article that lodge at the hotels on the east side currently, but what about families coming to SIUC and people coming to take advantage of the SIH medical facilities?

Parking:  This is the bugaboo that devils any large development coming into downtown. The area already lost a good chunk of parking space to the Carbondale Flats/Evolve complex and while the city will expand and upgrade parking and this development will remove even more. How will this affect business in that area of S. Illinois?

New Pet Business

Pure Pet, a new pet store focusing on all natural pet products, will have its grand opening and ribbon cutting this Friday at 11:30. I hope you can paws to attend:

The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the grand opening of Pure Pet, the city’s new pet supply retailer, with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m., Friday, June 12, 2015.
Pure Pet is a brand-new pet supply store that focuses on all-natural product lines for dogs and cats as well as offering self-service dog washing stations. The store is owned by Amanda McReynolds. The store is located at 2355 Sweets Drive, Suite J, near the intersection of Route 13 East and Reed Station Road.
Representatives of the Chamber, City and business will participate in the ceremony. The event is open to the public.

Apple Tree Inn

In case you missed it in this weekend's Carbondale Times, Murphysboro's Apple Tree Inn, a landmark in the city since the 1950s, will be demolished sometime in the near future. Much like the Horizon Inn in Carbondale, the city foreclosed on the property and sold it to a Columbia IL developer.

Pity to see it go as it was quite a beautiful property in the past but the owners had certainly let the motel run down in the past few years.

Residency Requirement Radius

Had a reader of the blog point out that, conveniently, the 9 mile  radius residency requirement for all city employees happens to extend just far enough to reach Carterville, where a large number of both city and SIUC employees live. The 9 mile radius also reaches Makanda, Murphysboro and DeSoto, all of which have lower property taxes and average house prices than does Carbondale.

Chancellor Selection

The SIUC BOT has narrowed it down to two candidates for the post of Chancellor, Susan Ford current vice-chancellor for Academic Affairs and acting provost and Sabah Randhawa, provost at Oregon State University.

Of the two, I lean toward Ford, even though she is a proponent of "shared governance", simple because the last few Chancellors came from outside the university and did not work out that well. Let's put in someone with intimate knowledge of the university and see if that manages to turn things around.

City Residence Requirement

All employees of the city of Carbondale must live within 9 miles of the city center. Employees of grade 8 or 9 must live within the city limits, which includes city employees such as the city manager, department heads, and chiefs of the fire and police departments. Renting an apartment while maintaining residence elsewhere would probably not work, especially given the challenge to Mayor Henry's candidacy accusing him of doing just such a thing, though at least one city department director does just that, though said department head is close enough to retirement that no one currently wants to pursue it.

No Police Chief

Following up on the multiple choice from yesterday, nearly a year has passed since City Manager Baity fired Police Chief Jody O'Guinn for unspecified reasons. As far as I  know, the city has made no attempt to search for a replacement or even post the opening, leaving Interim Chief Jeff Grubbs in place. Since Grubbs lives outside the city limits, assuming the position officially would require a move by him to Carbondale proper.

From statements he made during the mayoral election, Mayor Mike Henry favors keeping Grubbs on as chief. I would bet sometime before the end of the year, there is a low keyed search for a replacement chief, Grubbs moves his official residence within the city limits and gets the job.

Multiple Choice Quiz

Apparently there are several of these floating around the interwebs:

Please check the multiple choice answer that seems most accurate. There may be more than one correct answer.

 

1. What ever happened to the police officer who was filmed allegedly snoozing in a church parking lot? He told the student who was filming him that it was against the law in a video that went viral. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCLqV-Z4cyQ Recently a police officer in Chicago who was caught napping was suspended for five days.

 

            a. Interim chief Jeff Grubbs made sure that a speedy inquiry and disciplinary actions were carried out with full public disclosure

 

            b. Interim Chief Jeff Grubbs said that it was a “personnel matter” and that the Fraternal Order of Police (who endorsed him for Chief) would have to look over the matter

 

            c. nothing

 

2. Marion and Carbondale received a grant to build pool and other facilities on the same day- October 4, 2011. http://thesouthern.com/news/local/carbondale-marion-will-build-pools-with-grants/article_4ea6c9d6-ee44-11e0-be3c-001cc4c03286.html

 

In the meantime Marion has completed the “Hub”, a year round facility,  but Carbondale’s Park District is saddled with a hole in the ground that may no longer be funded. Marion’s facility had had some issues with the floors costing maybe $46K, but the center has practically sold out its membership. Carbondale planned to open its pool this May for its 4 month yearly run - a critical part of the financing will be ticket receipts. Now it will go another year without ticket sales. What happened?

 

            a. Marion’s Mayor for Life Bob Butler bulldozed the project forward undemocratically taking money from highway funds and other sources. Meanwhile Carbondale carefully raised money through bake sales and puppet shows that took longer but more deeply engaged the community.

 

            b. Marion quickly put together a plan and raised the funds. While Carbondale barely raised money from the public relying instead on other taxing units like the City of Carbondale to make their “match” with state funds. Carbondale park District has actually lost even some of those funds such as the tourism grants, raising the question if the Splash Park will ever be built.

 

            c. Nothing of importance. Nothing to see here. Kathy Renfro of the Carbondale Park District one of the Southern’s Leaders of the Year.

 

3. Why is it taking so long for City Manager Kevin Baity to advertise for the Police Chief’s job?

 

            a. Baity is extra careful with this decision since the last chief worked out so poorly.

 

            b. The choice of Mayor Henry is interim Chief Jeff Grubbs. Grubbs lives outside the city limits while city residency is required. Grubbs will get an apartment in the city of Carbondale and claim it as his home address. At that point Baity will announce that he is the Chief.

 

            c. It’s extremely hard to fill Chief of Police jobs in the wake of Ferguson, Staten island and Baltimore, especially if the goal is someone who will represent undeserved minorities.

 

4. The Downtown Advisory Committee was essentially put out of business by City Manager Kevin Baity. This in spite of 9 extremely well attended meetings with citizens and 19 people on the panel who each made presentations on various issues facing the city. Also, the all volunteer DAC cost almost no money. From the DAC has come an America’s Best Cities award, an RFP for downtown high speed free wifi, and a renewed sense that Carbondale was on the move. Why did Baity decide to ditch it without any consultation with the committee or Council?

 

            1. “Staff” knows better than citizens how to get Carbondale moving. The evidence is everywhere. 

 

            2. The DAC was getting out of hand as it came to the actual charge to the development consultants. This is the point where the real estate interests in the city come to bear and average citizens are a real hindrance.

 

            3. The DAC was a clown show that didn’t really get to the bottom of the issues plaguing the “Strip”.