[SEPT. 7, 2000]  A motion to rezone the property owned by Glenn and Marilyn Buelter at 416 and 422 Woodlawn Road from residential to commercial was tabled at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting by a one-vote margin. Mayor Joan Ritter cast the deciding vote to table, saying she would like to get the prospective developer to answer the concerns of residents of the area before a final vote is taken.

The rezoning would permit the construction of a 6,080-square-foot auto parts store with 27 parking spaces on the road between Kroger’s and Palmer Avenue. The developer of the property has asked that his identity remain confidential.

Residents who have spoken against the rezoning say there is already traffic congestion on Woodlawn and another commercial establishment will be a safety hazard and devalue their property.

Perry Harris, who lives at Fourth and Pine, not near the area, spoke in favor of rezoning, saying encouraging business is good for the community.

Gary Johnston, who lives at Woodlawn and Palmer, said that expanding commercial zoning into residential areas "doesn’t make sense."

Realtor Dan Bock cited many areas once zoned residential that are now successful commercial enterprises. He said people living in the 416-422 Woodlawn area told him they would not want to buy new houses on Woodlawn because of the traffic congestion.

Alderman Benny Huskins said he thought there was "a lot more available property" on Woodlawn Road that could be used for business. Alderman Patrick Madigan said infringing on residents’ quality of life was a more important concern than building a new business.

Alderman Steve Fuhrer said although he did not like the secrecy about the identity of the developer, he would vote yes because he believes the best use of the Kroger block is commercial. However, he would like to see some type of easement so the new business and the Kroger store could use the same access.

Alderman Glenn Shelton said he wanted to encourage business and the area would look "a whole lot better" with the auto parts business than it does now. "No one wants to put a house there because of the traffic," he said.

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"I wish we could make it safer," Alderman Michael Montcalm told the council. "I think it could be developed so everyone would be happy."

City Attorney Jonathan Wright reminded the council that the plan commission rejected the request, and therefore the council would have to pass it by a two-thirds margin. He also pointed out that if the council denies the rezoning, the owners cannot petition for another zoning change for one year.

Voting against tabling the motion were Aldermen Huskins, Madigan, Montcalm, Stephen Mesner and William Melton. Aldermen Shelton, Fuhrer, Gerald Dehner, George Mitchell and Joseph Stone voted to table.

The council also passed resolutions of gratitude and appreciation for retiring

Fire Department employees Captain Terry Lessen, who has served 20 years and six months and Assistant Chief Don Buss, who has served 31 years and 9 months.

Mayor Ritter announced the appointment of two new planning commissioners: Mike Miller, to replace Alderman Shelton, and Bob Wood, to replace Tom Bevard.

Prior to the meeting, the finance committee discussed increasing salaries for the mayor, the city clerk and the city treasurer for the first time since 1989. The recommendation sent to the ordinance committee asks that the mayor’s salary be increased from $10,000 to $12,000, the treasurer’s pay from $3,000 to $5,000, and the city clerk’s starting salary from $32,000 to $37,000. The clerk is the only full-time position.

Aldermen agreed not to recommend raising their own pay, which is $75 for a regular meeting, $50 for a work session and $25 for special committee meetings, not to exceed $300 per year for special meetings.

"I think the token amount we get is fine," Alderman Montcalm said. "This is true community service to me. We are not in it for the money."

[Joan Crabb]

Unlawful possession
with intent to deliver

[SEPT. 7, 2000]  It started in January, eight long months ago. The watch, the build, the wait — there were reports, investigations, contacts and resources set up. He gathered evidence; then day by day they watched, waited until there was enough evidence and the time was right. Then they made their move. Such is the standard scenario for any good drug sting. At the end of August, Lincoln Police Department and Logan County Sheriff’s Department snagged three people on drug charges. The arrests were made on warrants stating unlawful possession with intent to deliver. Out of the four warrants issued, three were brought in. The one not brought in has moved out of state.

A task force provided the information leading to the arrests. The task force is a Central Illinois Enforcement Group made up of 12 officers from city or county agencies of seven central Illinois counties. It was formed in 1990 as a division of District 9, Illinois State Police.

Mostly, "we work street level to mid narcotics," explains the undercover officer, who must remain anonymous. "It depends on the sources, but we prefer to target cocaine and meth; there’s more jail time on cocaine."

Setting up for a sting takes lots of time, resources, and interdepartmental and external cooperation. You can lose a few leads when you don’t act faster, as people often travel back and forth to bordering counties, but the wait generally pays off.

The agent in Lincoln, who began his position in 1997, has seen 50 cases, with only two no-convictions. There were 12 caught last summer. A year and a half ago they were able to uncover a conspiracy involving eight people. It resulted in the interception of 20 pounds of cocaine and 40 pounds of marijuana coming down from Chicago.

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Statistics like these are the result of diligent case buildup and a supportive legal system. "We work to build a good case that will lead to a conviction," the task force officer says.

"When we have a good case built, we can go to the state’s attorney, get grand jury indictments, and then warrants are issued. Then we can go pick them up. We are lucky to have great judges and state’s attorney," praises the officer. "As a result, Logan County sentencing is one of the strongest in the area."

It is good to know we have a system that seems to be working for our protection.

[Jan Youngquist]

[SEPT. 7, 2000]  Work continued on amending and updating Lincoln’s liquor code at a meeting of the City Council’s ordinance and zoning committee Wednesday evening. At least two more meetings will be needed before public hearings can be scheduled, according to ordinance committee chairman Glenn Shelton.

Until the entire liquor code is revised, the meetings are not open for public discussion, but after the rough draft is completed, public hearings will be scheduled and comment from the public invited, Shelton said. He said he especially wants comments from current liquor license holders. Target date for the public hearings is October.

Much of the work on the liquor ordinance is "housekeeping," according to City Attorney Jonathan Wright, updating the city code to make it conform to state liquor statutes. The committee is studying the liquor codes of two other Illinois municipalities, St. Charles and Galena.

Liquor license provisions have been the subject of controversy between the city and Eckert’s/Steffens Inc., which operates Eckert’s Fine Dining and the adjoining Grapes and Grounds shop. Eckert’s/Steffens Inc. holds a Class C liquor license for the restaurant, which the owners believe also allows them to sell wine in the Grapes and Grounds shop. The city contends that the firm needs a second license to sell the package liquor. Eckert’s/Steffens Inc. filed a lawsuit against Mayor Joan Ritter, who is also liquor commissioner, but recently dropped the suit.

One revision to the city code up for discussion Wednesday was tavern licenses. At present the city has only one type, which requires that 50 percent of liquor sales must be consumed on the premises. The revision suggested would be a Tavern 1 license which would only allow consumption of liquor on the premises, and a Tavern 2 license which would also allow the sale of package liquor. Neither license would hinge on the sale of food.

Club licenses also came up for discussion, with Wright noting that to qualify as a club, the organization had to have been in existence for six months and maintained rooms or premises. A club can sell liquor anywhere on its premises as long as its premises are described legally in the application, Wright said.

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Also proposed was an extra license to allow live entertainment in an establishment selling liquor. Wright said this would permit the city to pull the entertainment license without closing the entire establishment if the entertainment, such as bathing suit contests or lingerie showings, became a problem.

The question of whether to prohibit a restaurant that does not sell alcohol from allowing customers to bring in their own beverages, which is not addressed by the current code, also came up for discussion.

"It has been brought up to the liquor commissioner that in all fairness to establishments that do have a liquor license, restaurants which do not have a license should not allow people to bring in their own liquor," Mayor Ritter told the committee.

"It’s been done without a problem, but some people complain," Alderman Fuhrer noted.

Alderman Patrick Madigan said he did not have a problem with allowing liquor to be brought in if the establishment monitors the situation and is properly insured.

Wright reminded the committee that they may establish as many classifications of liquor licenses as they wish, as long as they are not inconsistent with the state liquor code. He pointed out that the city can make its liquor code more restrictive than state statutes, but not less. "If the state code says you can’t sell liquor within 100 feet of a church, you can make that 150 feet, but you can’t make it 25 feet."

The next discussion of the liquor code is scheduled for Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. at the council chamber.

[Joan Crabb]

Police to fire noisemakers
to rid Mayfair of birds

[SEPT. 6, 2000]  A program to disperse the large flocks of birds that have become a nuisance and a health hazard in Mayfair may begin as early as this evening, with the firing of "bird-bangers" that explode with a loud noise, according to Lincoln Police Chief Richard Ludolph. The noise-making devices will be fired approximately every five minutes from about 6:40 to 7:20 p.m. to discourage the birds from roosting in trees in Mayfair and send them out into the countryside.

The area in which police will be working is from Regent Street to Mayfair Drive and south of Northgate, Ludolph said. Police officers will conduct all the firings. The cartridges will be fired above the trees and will not injure or kill the birds.

[Hardly a lawn is spared the leftovers as evidenced by feathers sticking up in most lawns]

The police chief said he had contacted the USDA and was told using the bird-bangers "in an orderly and planned way over time" was the most effective way of getting rid of the birds. He said it may take a week or two of regular firings to keep the large flocks of starlings and grackles from coming back.

The problem was brought to the attention of the City Council last week, when Mayfair residents spoke before a council work session. The residents themselves had been firing the bird-bangers but had learned that the devices violated a city noise ordinance. The City Council amended the ordinance Tuesday evening to allow the police department to fire the pyrotechnic devices in the city.

Ludolph said he had visited the area and seen thousands of birds coming in to roost and the leaves of the trees white with bird droppings. He told the council the police department would assume the expense of purchasing the "bangers" and the launchers. Several Mayfair residents who attended the meeting said they would be happy to give the police department the launchers and cartridges they have already purchased so the program can start immediately.

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The council’s action amends the ordinance so that the police department may use the noise-making devices whenever they determine the birds are a health hazard. The public is to be notified ahead of time whenever possible. Some residents have complained that the noise frightens pets and prevents them from sitting outside.

Mayfair resident John Brown said the bird situation has become worse over the years and residents can no longer handle it alone. Patricia Birk, who spoke last week, said she and her husband had to use masks and rubber gloves to clean up the leaves in their yard. She suggested residents be allowed to use the bird-bangers if the police department did not have enough manpower to carry out the program.

One Mayfair resident, Mary Gupton, objected to the program. "It’s very annoying to sit outside in the evening and hear shotgun shells. I think this is unnecessary. They should either cut the trees down so the birds don’t have a place to roost, or move out."

[Joan Crabb]

[SEPT. 6, 2000]  Lincoln’s current mayor, Joan C. Ritter, announced this morning she will run for a second four-year term in the upcoming election Feb. 27, 2001. She made the formal announcement at a brief press conference at 8:30 a.m. under the arch at the newly restored Scully Park.

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