License, Insurance, Claims, CEMA, and Contracts
• Kleen Sweep Cleaning Service Contract
I got there a little late for this meeting as it started at 6:30. It sounded like the city will be entering into a contract renewal with this company for one year at an increase around 6.7% more than last year’s rate. The city also agreed to require less insurance but wanted the city to be named as an additional insured on Clean Sweeps policy. The city may bid this out next year to be sure the pricing is competitive.
Committee of the Whole
•Tourism Bureau of Southwestern Illinois Presentation
Two representatives from this organization basically explained what they do and how they promote tourism for the ten counties they cover. They are celebrating their 25th year promoting tourism in Southern Illinois.
Tourism Bureau Website
Parks, Playgrounds and Recreation
• Columbia CUSD No. 4 Presentation
Superintendent Settles and Assistant Superintendent Horner presented their plan to provide more green space for use by the school district. As it stands now the district does not have practice fields for the football team, the band, or a dedicated field for the baseball team. Bolm-Schuhkraft Memorial City Park sits directly between two of the districts schools and would be a favorable parcel for the district to buy. The will that presented that land to the city will prevent the district from happening.
The proposal by the district is that they will buy some of the land in the large parcel that the city owns for future park development in the Admiral Trost development near Illinois Route 3. The district does not want to use this for their complex as it is across Route 3 and transportation will be an issue for them. They propose to buy and develop this land with a baseball field, a football field, parking and restroom facilities. The district will then let the city use these new facilities at their leisure.
The school district would in turn for providing these new facilities for the city would like to have use of the baseball field and football field in Bolm-Schuhkraft Park. It was unclear whether this would be sole use of the facilities and or if the community would have the right to continue to use them. It sounded like the district would prefer the community not have access to these parts of the park as they would be providing new alternatives at the new location for the community to use freely.
Not many details were discussed as the district would like to know if the idea is even a possibility with the city council before too many details are planned out and the district puts too much effort into a plan that may never have support from the city. Numerous concerns were voiced by the council and I will list them below. I would encourage you to contact your alderman or Al Hudzik if you have any concerns or questions regarding the topic. The council will compile a list of concerns and questions to talk over before moving forward with any action with the district.
Aldermen Roessler – Is there enough room in the Admiral Trost land for the facilities the district is proposing?
Aldermen Hejna – Would this displace the Blue Jays to the new facility? How much will the new facilities cost to develop?
Aldermen Stumpf – Size of the Trost area? Would this be a permanent agreement? What would happen if the district builds a new high school on the outskirts of town?
Aldermen Agne – Could the city lease the land to the district? Use the money from that to develop all of the city’s parks?
Overall I understand the need for more space for outside activities in the school district. I am sure this will be a sticky legal situation so a lot will hinge on that but I think the main concern should be the costs. I think the city should not put the entire burden on the district. At the same time the city should not pretend this is a way to get new free facilities for the town on someone else’s dime. The citizens of the community fund both the city and the school district so it’s our money regardless of who is spending it. I do think the plan makes sense since the optimal solution is not possible and that would be to sell the land to the district between Parkview and the High School.
•Discussion to consider the purchase of specific parcels of real estate.
This was discussed in executive session so I left at this time. It is always an unknown how long executive session will take. I do not know where the land in the discussion is located but I would like to see the city develop more of the existing land it has already purchased and set aside for park use before it buys more land for future use.
Streets, Sidewalks, Drainage and Public Utilities
• Sitzes Subdivision issues discussion
• Other items to be considered or discussed
Personnel
• Appointment of additional volunteer police chaplain discussion
• Executive Session
Update/discussion on collective bargaining negotiations and employee salaries.
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