Over 45 minutes, a different tone was struck during the latest Carmi City Council meeting. After tension filled, packed houses that forced council meetings to be moved to the Farm Bureau basement, officials returned to the cozy council chambers at 225 East Main Tuesday evening. The room stayed just under capacity with about 30 individuals in attendance along with an additional 13 officials.
Two recent and largely the loudest critics of Carmi government were again at the meeting. Jerry Richard Cook, Jr., maybe better known by many on social media as Uncle Bob, struck the largest contrast taking a softer, more thoughtful tone in his approach to elected officials while discussing issues over 14 minutes. From what he called a precedent of past self dealing in Carmi government to wording, transparency, and access, Cook said even if nothing nefarious is happening, those lacking qualities raise questions.
I’m not saying you’re trying to hide something. I’m not saying you’re trying to self-deal.
But the trust in government, all levels, is at an all-time low. I mean, how do you feel about your state government right now? The trust in government is at an all-time low at all levels. And when we see stuff like that, we see stuff like the minutes not getting posted on time again, after I had to contact the Attorney General’s office once this year already about that. That’s what’s hurting the trust in government. And whether it is some kind of backroom shady deal, self-dealing, which I’m not saying it is, or whether, and please don’t take this the wrong way when I say it, whether it’s ignorance or an issue that’s causing this stuff to not happen properly, for these people out here, their end result is the same. We don’t know what’s going on.
The calm, measured delivery of Cook’s comments revealed and potentially set a new foundation for some common ground with Mayor Stendeback at least.
I appreciate your comments very much. I appreciate that you’ve conducted those comments in a respectful manner. That gets a lot more attention I think. Yeah, we’re not perfect.
Tension remained however between Landon “Rudy” Rudolph and officials though it was tempered and far less heated than previous
exchanges. Rudolph didn’t get his request for placement on the agenda before the agenda was finalized and sent out leaving him to address the government during public comments. Officials including City Attorney Greg Stewart and City Administrator/Economic Development Director Holly Healy largely didn’t engage with direct questions. Rudolph has been trying to put together the timeline and who knew what when with regards to discussions leading up to the decision to accept bids for the wastewater treatment plant with Healy in his crosshairs. Before yielding his time, Rudolph passed out a formal request for consideration and adoption of a public meeting recording and accessibility policy.
Prior to the formal meeting, council held a Public Hearing required prior to the application of a Community Development Block Grant. The city intends to apply for the grant which would help fund an Elm Street and 5th Street service area watermain replacement. That request is more than $1.3 million. Before the next city council meeting, leaders expect to hold another public hearing in an effort to apply for an OSLAD (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development) grant. That grant would pay for improvements at Bradshaw including tennis court improvements, basketball court improvements, playground equipment, a native pollinator and grass garden, and 3 bluebird houses.
Additionally Tuesday evening, residents and officials heard from Anna Brown who submitted a petition with around 130 signatures requesting a stop sign at the corner of 9th and Fackney where her son on his bike was hit by a car on June 19th. She’s hoping the city will take action to prevent future accidents that could have worse outcomes than the one involving her son who she says is doing well.
My son was riding his bike and he had blown through the stop sign and got hit by a vehicle. It was solely my son’s fault. I’m not trying to blame the vehicle, but I feel as if there was a stop sign on the opposing Rd. that it could have been avoided. There’s a lot of vehicles that are parked outside of a house on Fackney at that intersection and it’s really hard to see around them vehicles. Even like me driving I have to come to the stop sign and pull up to the middle of the road and stop again in order to make sure I’m clear to go. I just feel that if there was a stop sign there it could have been possibly prevented and it would help keep any future accidents you know I mean from happening and it would help keep all of the children in that area safer.
The council said they would take the request under advisement and discuss it with Carmi Police Chief Jason Carter.
Council reappointed Shannon Dolan and Anita Newingham to the Library Board for a 3-year term, approved the conveyance of real estate for Hamilton Memorial Hospital to build on Falcon Avenue, and also approved a resolution to close South Main Cross on Corn Day as well as a special event liquor license for the Farm to Table event on the Thursday prior.
Finally, after approving an expense of up to $57,200 in March for a slide at the pool, council approved an additional $45,600 for the purchase after learning city workers wouldn’t be able to do some of the work under Illinois statute. Permitting is expected to take 3 – 6 months and Alderman Jack Bradshaw said about $30,000 in donations have already been pledged to help with costs.
Leaders also briefly discussed the recent purchase of skate park equipment amounting to just over $4,000. It’s placement is planned at Bradshaw Park near the pavilion behind the tennis courts. Resident Jake Burnett is leading the way in raising community funds to help with that project.