Current Weather

Carmi City Council Considers Prohibiting Parking on East Side of Fifth Street

Carmi Council gathered for about 25 minutes Tuesday evening; most of that time spent approving resolutions, bills for lien searches, and additional tidying up of it’s house following audit recommendations including instituting financial management policies and practices, setting a petty cash spending limit, and authorizing credit card users.  Council approved $1,500 in pay requests from Southern Illinois Title Insurance for 5 separate lien searches and also approved a change order in the final bill for Hillsdale water system improvements.  That bill actually came down $270,000 according to officials.

The most time intensive portion of the meeting was dedicated to a potential ordinance which would prohibit parking on the east side of Fifth Street between Stewart and Sycamore.  Chief Jason Carter with an explanation.

Back when we had the slag pit north of town, there was always no parking on the east side of Fifth Street from Main all the way to Sycamore.  A few years ago, the council voted to rescind the no parking between Stewart and Sycamore and allow parking on both sides of the road.  Since that time, we’ve had a few accidents and numerous near accidents.  During school time, it’s absolutely terrible when vehicles are parked on both sides because people are trying to weave in and out to avoid parked cars and oncoming cars.  So several people in that area have approached both myself and city hall asking if there’s anything that can be done to limit the parking there.

Council discussed the issue wary of creating a burden to homeowners on that side of the street as well.

There’s really not a good solution because if you make it no parking on the east side, the people that live there are not going to be happy.  They don’t have much parking behind their house and also don’t have long driveways to park without blocking the sidewalk which becomes another issue.  I’m at a loss as to what to do to avoid accidents and congestion.

Ultimately, council would vote to table the matter for now while alderman Doug Hays gathers more information and talks to homeowners who would be affected.

Chief Carter also introduced his newest hire.  Grant Leavens will join the force bringing the Carmi Police Department back to fully staffed.  He’s 25, grew up in Grayville, is married and expecting their second child.  He’ll be heading out for training on September 3rd and should hit the streets following his 16 weeks at the academy.

Council adjourned without an executive session at 5:54pm.

SHARE NOW
6 comments
  1. Jimmy Johns
    Jimmy Johns
    August 21, 2024 at 2:51 pm

    Wow a rookie pig

    Reply
    • stinson joe
      stinson joe
      August 23, 2024 at 4:05 pm

      You tellem jimmy johns

      Reply
  2. LoLeen know what I mean
    LoLeen know what I mean
    August 22, 2024 at 4:15 pm

    How many does that make on payroll of the city police on the taxpayers nickel? Why? People are ripping up and down Stewart Street all day and night, never see one police officer or anybody being pulled over for this. Speed limit is 25 mph and there are a lot of children on this street going to the park. I can remember when the city had the chief and there was only 2 or three patrol officers and when Bob Duckworth was sheriff he didn’t have many more deputies than the city and none of this crap was going on in this town because the sheriff and the chief made sure their departments were on top of everything going on around here. What has happened that the city and county needs all these officers on payroll? Just wondering, people need to check out the tax dollars that are levied to run these departments of the city and county police departments. Just saying!!!

    Reply
    • stinson joe
      stinson joe
      August 23, 2024 at 4:10 pm

      You tell,em Loleen the new officers just use the taxpayers money to have a truck or car that has carmi police on the side so they can drive home and back to work every day at the tax payers cost

      Reply
  3. Bob
    Bob
    August 22, 2024 at 5:15 pm

    About time and I hope they are going to stop the people on corner of Fackney and 5th Street from Parking their trailer and vehicle on the 5th… it’s hard to see oncoming traffic when coming on Fackney onto 5th Street and it’s hard to get around them when they are sitting on side of the street

    Reply
  4. Sue
    Sue
    August 22, 2024 at 5:19 pm

    Hope they can do something about the vehicles that have been parked for a long while on schumaker street gra** is growing up around them

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *