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Forget
the major sports:
I vote for hot-air ballooning
By Jeff
Mayfield
[AUG.
25, 2001] Thursday
night I had the opportunity to go up in the Sun Kissed balloon
piloted by Randy Conklen of New Holland and co-piloted by Jack
Holland of McLean. It was an almost perfect
night for the flight.
[Click here to view
pictures of the Balloonfest]
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First,
all the balloonists, crews, media and chamber members met out at the
Holiday Inn Express to receive their assignments and their
instructions.
Although
no one said this directly to me, it appeared that one of the goals
was to take the balloons over or near the Maple Ridge Care Centre
and Retirement Village. So I traveled with the Sun Kissed crew out
to the old Abe Lincoln School. That’s where we set up shop.
Out
of the back end of Randy’s pickup truck came everything but the
kitchen sink…at least, everything that you might guess would be
important for a successful launch. Things like a big basket to ride
in and the balloon or the envelope or whatever you want to call that
thing that actually lets you sail in the wind. It looks, acts and
smells like a parachute to me.
After
we removed all the paraphernalia onto the ground, we stretched out
the balloon, hooked up all the lines and cables, and then started up
the fan. The fan looks just like the ones you see on the sidelines
during National Football League games on Sunday. The difference is
we didn’t have any 350-pound linemen sitting next to the fans to
help us ready the balloon.
After
what seemed like minutes waiting for the balloon to inflate, Randy
pumped a few shots of the hot propane right in the center of the
balloon, and after a few hits of the gas, it finally seemed to perk
up.
"It
is…alive!" I said. Then someone told me to cut the commentary
and to just get into the balloon.
There
were several balloons next to us, so we waited for them to take off;
then our turn rolled along. And just like the magic in the Wizard of
Oz we began to climb. I resisted the urge to say, "There’s no
place like home," or "We’re going back to Kansas,
Toto"; but it was hard.
Several
Lincoln residents were on hand to witness the liftoff. One of those
people, a little 8-month-old lad that I spotted in the crowd, was
especially good-looking. Many of them waved hysterically, while
others acted like they see this sight every day.
It
is an exhilarating feeling to climb those first few hundred feet.
You see the majestic beauty of the balloons up above you, and you
look down to the ground and watch the crews below feverishly
scrambling to get their balloons airborne. You see the beauty of God’s
creation everywhere you look.
Randy
is an especially skilled pilot considering that he’s in only his
third year at the helm. In fact, he’s in his rookie season as an
official pilot, having received his pilot’s license last November.
He is very conscientious and does not take his attention off what he
is doing. He won’t even pause to use the binoculars or to take a
picture. He suffers my stories and my constant snapping of pictures
and just smiles all the way.
No
wonder people love this so much. It is awesome.
We
glide almost over the top of Maple Ridge, and I pause for a moment,
hoping that at least the residents there have their day brightened a
little bit more.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Then
we mosey parallel with old Route 66 over some of the most
spectacular checkerboard scenery on God’s green earth. Those who
think Illinois is boring and not that beautiful have never seen it
from that angle before. It is breathtaking.
I’m
reminded of one of the many reasons I choose to live in Illinois.
From up in the air you realize that we truly are the heartland and
the heart of the country, if not the world.
The
serenity that you experience while you drift wherever His winds take
you reminds me that I need more times of quiet reflection in my
life. I am reminded to be grateful for everything I have.
I
see the Stars and Stripes flying from flagpoles all over town, and I
am reminded of how wonderful it is to live in a free country. I
thank every veteran and every veteran-to-be for all the sacrifices
made on our behalf.
I
see what looks like some bumper crops, and I see some that remind me
of the grass in my yard that has serious heat fatigue. At any rate,
I am grateful for central Illinois farmers who against all odds
struggle to keep going.
I
see balloons headed for the water just shy of I-55, and then I see
what I think is Jim Ireland’s balloon make a "splash and
dash" run just before they hover over the interstate.
Then
it happens. Northbound and southbound truckers start to see the
balloons and go bananas! They’re just like a bunch of little kids.
They start honking and waving and slowing down and pulling over. It
is a sight to behold.
Finally,
we see a good landing area just north of the highway. Randy radios
his partner, and the next thing I know, we’re doing a splash and
dash in a soybean field! Then suddenly we come to a farm road and
run head-on into our crew.
Nobody
told me that we didn’t have any brakes! Does my insurance man know
this, I wonder.
Once
the eagle, I mean the Sun Kissed, had landed, our crew walked us
into the short grass, which is a place I seldom find myself during
the golfing season.
But,
the flight is far from over. They kicked me out of the balloon, and
we began the tear-down assembly. It seems to be the reverse of
putting the balloon up, but it seems to go a lot faster. This crew
is tremendous and so is this sport.
Yes,
I love basketball, football and baseball, but I’m rapidly becoming
a balloon enthusiast. If you’re as interested in this sport as I
have always been, I suggest that you seek out one of this year’s
sponsors and ask to crew for them. I think I have crewed every year
that this event has been in Lincoln, and it is the highlight of the
year for me!
Also,
if anyone has a few thousand bucks that they want to get rid of and
would like to train and hire a new rookie pilot, please call
732-7443 and leave a message for yours truly. I promise to call you
back within minutes.
Hope
to see you and yours this weekend out at the fairgrounds or in the
air…
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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Lincoln
Balloonfest off to a great start
Glorious mass ascension followed by a charmed evening glow
By Judy
Rader
[AUG.
25, 2001] The
first official day of the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival was
deemed a success by event organizers.
[Click here to view
pictures of the Balloonfest]
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Inclement
weather with gusty winds had been hinted by earlier weather reports,
but at zero hour for the first official balloon launch, the skies
cleared and the green flag was given for a mass ascension. Gusty
breezes created minor problems with shifting balloon envelopes
during inflation and a few landings were slightly rougher than
usual. Three sites were laid with targets for balloonists to drop
beanbags onto and attempt to score competition points. The target
sites were chosen for their accessibility to the fast moving
balloons and were located beside Big R, Hicks Gas, and on the
Schwartz Family Farm. Balloons returned to the fairgrounds at dusk
and delighted the crowd with a traditional balloon glow which
included the specialty balloons, Mr. Potato Head, Rubber Duckie, a
large goldfish named Sushi, and the Lady Jester
A
highlight of the evening was the surprise appearance of bride and
groom Sara and Shawn Lockard. After the couple’s 6:00 p.m.
wedding service at St. John United Church of Christ in Lincoln, the
wedding party detoured through the fairgrounds en route to the
reception to allow the couple to take pictures at an unusual picture
site, their favorite french fry tent. According to bridesmaid Carrie
Fletcher, Sara, the daughter of Marilyn and David Armbrust of
Lincoln met her future husband at the Logan County Fairgrounds where
her parents have regularly manned the grandstand ticket booth for
the Logan County Fair. Shawn came to the Logan County Fair as a
summer employee of Culler’s French Fries Stand, which had returned
to the grounds this weekend to accommodate the balloon festivities.
After a picture session at the fry stand, a crewmember from Dean
Carlton’s balloon Ca-Zoo invited the couple to join them in the
infield during the balloon glow.
[to top of second column in this article] |
Friday
evening’s festival crowd also enjoyed the carnival, a petting zoo,
craft booths and the free grandstand show featuring Sister Groove
and the Cross Town Jam. Lincoln Junior High student Rachel
Kasa stated, “I love the balloon glow, the funnel cakes and the
rides. The Scrambler is my favorite!”
[Judy
Rader]
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An
Adventure-some view
Weekend
festivities begin
[AUG.
24, 2001] The
Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival kicked off Thursday evening when
visiting balloon pilots treated the local media to a pre-festival
launch.
[Click here to view
pictures of Bob's balloon flight]
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Over
a dozen balloons carrying local reporters, photographers and other
lucky passengers floated across the city during the early evening
hours, luring city residents out into their yards and neighborhoods
to catch the first glimpse of this year’s variety of inflated
colors, shapes and sizes.
Maple
Ridge Care Centre invited the entire community to a free kickoff
party in its parking lot and, as promised by Georgina Viner, Maple
Ridge marketing director, most balloons obliged the center by
floating directly overhead during the festivities.
Lincoln
Daily News photographer Bob Frank was treated to his first view
from aloft by Mary and Don Bragg of Albuquerque, N.M., in their
balloon, Mad Adventure. The Braggs’ balloon, locally sponsored by
Key Printing, is participating in its second Lincoln balloon fest.
Mary,
a college administrator, and Don, a computer manager, have enjoyed
ballooning for over 10 years and were drawn to the Lincoln festival
by other pilots who told them about "this great little festival
where the whole town comes out."
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Don
stated, "It is amazing that a town of this size can pull
together and show so much community pride. Not to mention, we are
treated like kings!"
Tom
Seggelke of Key Printing recruited the crew for Mad Adventure,
calling on family and friends. Even the most inexperienced
volunteers quickly found themselves drawn into the hands-on
experience of setup, inflation and "the chase."
Scheduled
festival flights for the weekend, weather permitting, include mass
ascensions from the Logan County Fairgrounds Friday at 6 p.m., as
well as Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. A balloon launch with
balloons inflating at remote locations and attempting to navigate
over the fairgrounds is scheduled for Sunday at 6:45 a.m.
Balloon
competitions will be conducted throughout the weekend. According to
the festival scoring coordinator, Beth Green of Lincoln, cash prizes
of $10,000 will be awarded to competing balloonists.
[Judy
Rader]
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Casey’s
stalled by setback requirement
[AUG.
24, 2001] The
off-again, on-again status of the Casey General Store’s plan to
put a facility on the lot at 314 S. Jefferson St., across from the
Postville Courthouse, is off again, at least for the time being.
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Representatives
of the national chain of convenience stores and the owner of the
Jefferson Street property hit another stumbling block when they
appeared before the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals Aug. 22 to ask
for a 16-foot variance from the rear setback line.
According
to members of the zoning appeals board, Casey’s must provide
evidence that they meet the exact specifications for approving a
variation, specifically that the hardship they face under the
present setback requirement is not "self-created."
A
decision on the final status will now wait for a survey of the alley
behind the lot to determine who owns it, the city or Walter Goodman.
If the alley is private property, and if Casey’s can buy it, they
will not need a setback and can go ahead with the construction of
the store.
However,
if the alley belongs to the city, Casey’s will be back before the
appeals board, possibly as early as Sept. 19. This time, they will
be asking for a variation of only 8 feet because they can use half
the 16-foot city alley to meet the setback requirements. They will
then still have to prove they meet the specifics of the city zoning
code.
"I
was hoping you had read our zoning code before you came here,"
City Attorney Bill Bates told Diane Ahern, Casey representative. He
said the board, under the city code, has to determine there are
"practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships" before
granting a variance.
He
also said the zoning board had had an "unfortunate"
experience in the Appellate Court, which emphasized to them that
they must meet these specific requirements. The incident occurred
before he was city attorney, Bates said, and neither he nor zoning
board chairman John Sutton would comment on it.
The
code says the Zoning Board of Appeals must determine three things:
"1.
The plight of the owners is due to special and unique circumstances
in determining the hardship, and the hardship cannot be self-created
by the petitioning party.
"2.
The variation, if granted, will not alter the essential character of
the locality.
"3.
That after balancing the interests of the surrounding property
owners, the benefits of granting the variance outweigh the
depreciation of neighbors properties, if any."
The
major sticking point for zoning board members was the issue of
"self-created" hardship.
According
to Ahern, Casey’s needs the setback to allow adequate room between
the store itself and the gasoline pumps. "The distance between
the pump and the buildings is as short as we can go," she said.
"The lot is smaller than we usually use."
Sutton
suggested that Casey’s was trying to put too much on the lot.
"You’re trying to put 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5-pound
bag," he said. "It’s your choice to go with this
configuration for safety reasons, and you also chose a lot you knew
to be short."
Ahern
said the company has several other stores on lots the same size, and
noted it was hard to get a lot 150 feet deep. The Jefferson Street
lot is 125.71 feet deep, according to Les Last, zoning officer.
"You
knew you were going to have to ask for a variance," zoning
board member R. James Johnson said.
Ahern
said it was not unusual for Casey’s to ask for a variance, and
they usually get it. She said she believed the safety factor of
having adequate space between the gas pumps and the building should
meet the code specifications.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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"It’s
standard for us to put a store on this size lot," Ahern said.
She
also said the original owner of the lot and the alley, Walter
Goodman, had agreed to give Casey’s enough room for a setback. The
surveyor Casey hired, however, said there was no record that Goodman
owned the alley and that it probably belongs to the city.
"If
that was a city alley, they could use half the 16 1/2 foot alley as
part of their setback requirements. That would give them 8 1/4 feet
and they would only need 7 3/4 feet," Last told the board.
Sutton,
however, said as far as he knew it was not a dedicated alley.
"The street department said, ‘We don’t take care of it, it’s
not ours.’"
Bates
said there was no way to know who owned the alley without a title
search, and he could assure Casey’s that the city would not go to
the expense of a title search.
Bates
also asked if the Casey layout could be reconfigured by moving it
forward.
Gus
Otto, who attended the meeting with Jefferson Street property owner
Larry Riva, said one reason for the setback was so Casey’s would
not obstruct the view of the Postville Courthouse.
After
a brief conference with Riva, Otto, and several others who attended
to support the Casey project, Ahern asked for a continuance of the
meeting. She said the company would pay for the title search of the
alley.
Only
four members of the seven-member board attended the meeting: Sutton,
Johnson, Mannie Gaston and Tom Culnan.
The
appeals board meeting was the third hurdle Casey’s has had to jump
to get permission to build on the Jefferson Street property. At a
meeting Aug. 16, the Lincoln Planning Commission voted 6-3 against
rezoning the property from residential to commercial, but at the
Aug. 20 city council meeting, that decision was overturned by a vote
of 8-2.
Arguments
on both sides were presented at both meetings. Main Street Lincoln
coordinator Wendy Bell and Looking for Lincoln steering committee
member Jan Schumacher opposed the rezoning because they support a
plan for a historic preservation district along the Fifth Street
corridor from Postville Courthouse to Postville Drive. They believe
the Casey store does not conform to the use in such a district.
Riva
and Perry Harris, who owns property across the street, spoke in
favor of the rezoning, as did Larry Goodman, Walter Goodman’s son
and owner of a nearby business, V. Goodman Excavating and Transfer.
Cliff
McCumber, owner of the Fifth Street Food Mart, and a group of
neighbors appeared at both meetings to oppose the rezoning. McCumber
said that a national chain like Casey’s could lower its prices
until it drove out competition, then would raise them. Neighbors
said they did not want the noise, traffic and lights that a
convenience store would bring to the area.
City council members, in
overriding the planning commission’s decision, spoke in favor of
bringing more business, jobs and sales tax revenue to the city and
getting productive use out of the vacant lot.
[Joan
Crabb]
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Board
authorizes airport golf course feasibility study
[AUG.
22, 2001] The
Logan County Board in its meeting Tuesday night voted to spend up to
$9,500 to determine the economic feasibility of a golf course at the
airport. THK Associates was hired to investigate whether the
community can support a nine-hole public golf course built on the
grounds of Logan County Airport.
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Airport
Committee chairman Roger Bock said the study could be completed in
30 to 45 days. After that, if the projection is favorable, a
developer would have to be found and a layout planned. Bock
acknowledged that some holes might have to be short to work around
airport facilities.
Jim
Griffin, Dick Logan and Dale Voyles voted against the resolution,
which passed 8-3 with the full board present. Clarence Barney,
representing the Lincoln Park District, said that once the course is
built the park district would probably be interested in running it
and hiring the firm that maintains it.
A
collection of historical documents no longer in use by the county
clerk’s office will be loaned to the Lincoln College Museum for
archival preparation and cataloging. Paul Gleason explained that he
and museum curator Ron Keller will open the documents, some of which
have been folded since the 1860s, place them in acid-free folders,
catalog and return them.
County
Clerk Sally Letterly said the collection contains no Lincoln
documents but some materials from his era, including warrants for
payments to Civil War volunteers. Cataloging will make access to
these materials much easier. Gleason estimated that the project will
take two years.
In
other business the board voted to:
•
Accept the $10,000 bid of Mark Gates to complete sidewalk repair at
the courthouse.
•
Hire Industrial Appraisal Co. to reappraise all county equipment and
buildings at a cost of $6,375.
•
Authorize a $40 fee to be applied to each tax sale. The fee is to
pay interest and costs when the price paid in a tax sale must be
refunded. County Treasurer Mary Bruns said at Thursday’s committee
of the whole meeting that state law authorizes counties to charge up
to $60 as a tax-sale-in-error fee. Jim Griffin was the lone
dissenting vote.
•
Approve a holiday schedule of 12 days off for county employees. Dick
Logan voted no.
•
Approve 12 fund-raising raffles for county organizations.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Board
chairman Dick Logan appointed a committee to negotiate a salary
agreement with sheriff’s deputies. Members of the committee are
Doug Dutz as chairman, Lloyd Hellman and Dale Voyles, with Logan as
the alternate.
Logan
called a special meeting of the board for Monday, July 27, to
interview candidates for the unexpired board term of Phil Mahler and
to select a replacement.
Finance
chairman Rod White reported that in budget hearings the combined
total of requests for senior citizen funds exceeds the maximum levy
by 17 percent. The maximum is $93,000, with $67,500 being allotted
in 2001. The Oasis has requested $53,300, CIEDC $46,900 and Rural
Health Partnership $10,000.
Other
requests so far include $35,000 for economic development and
$385,900 for State’s Attorney Tim Huyett. Lincoln/Logan County
Chamber of Commerce and Explore Logan County, neither of which
received funds in 2001, have asked for $1,500 and $1,000
respectively. Budget hearings will continue on Wednesday and
Thursday.
White
said that the predicted decline of 10 percent in assessed valuation
of county farmland in each of the next two years is expected to be
offset by a slight rise in non-farm values. Non-farm assessed
valuations have risen an average of 5 percent for the past few
years, and that pattern is expected to continue.
Insurance
chairman Dale Voyles said insurance carrier Roger Garrett verbally
assured him that workers appointed or approved through the board
will receive health insurance coverage like other county employees.
In particular, Garrett affirmed that the Regional Planning
Commission director, though appointed by the commission rather than
the county board, is included. In response to a question from White,
Voyles quoted Garrett, "The county board determines who is
covered," and therefore should vote to approve employees hired
by other agencies if it wants them included in the insurance plan.
[Lynn
Spellman]
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One-way
traffic routes in effect
for balloon fest parking
[AUG.
22, 2001] A
new one-way traffic route will be in effect for those who wish to
enter the fairgrounds for the balloon fest this weekend. Traffic
will be routed south on Jefferson Street, which will be one way,
then west on Short 11th, which will also be one way. Vehicles can
enter at the south gate or turn north on Postville Road and enter at
the west or northwest gates. Traffic coming north on Lincoln Parkway
(Old 66) can turn at Postville Drive to enter the fairgrounds at the
northwest gate. Traffic southbound on Lincoln Parkway will not be
allowed to enter Postville Drive at the fairgrounds but will have to
enter at Fifth Street. Click
here for a Lincoln map. For a close-up map of the fairgrounds
area, click
here.
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Click
here for more information on the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival
Aug. 24, 25, 26.
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Council
overrides planning commission, OKs Casey rezoning request
[AUG.
21, 2001] "I
feel for both sides, but I cannot sit here and say ‘no’ to
business in this town," was the way Lincoln Alderman Steve
Fuhrer put it.
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Seven
other aldermen agreed with him, one more than the number required to
override the recommendation of the city’s planning commission,
which Thursday evening voted 6-3 to deny rezoning the property at
314 S. Jefferson St. from residential to commercial so a Casey
General Store could be built on the lot.
Along
with Alderman Fuhrer, Aldermen Benny Huskins, David Armbrust, Pat
Madigan, Verl Prather, George Mitchell, Bill Melton and Joe Stone
voted "yes." The two "no" votes came from Glenn
Shelton and Michael Montcalm.
Fuhrer
said he feels for the people who go out of business because of
competition, but he was elected to make decisions for the entire
town, not just one neighborhood. "When I ran, I wanted to see
Lincoln grow. We’ve lost a lot of business already. We already
have an eyesore by Kroger’s —
purple and gold buildings."
He was
referring to the site where an auto parts store once considered
building. After protests from neighbors, the company withdrew its
offer for the property, and the property owners subsequently painted
the empty buildings in vivid colors.
Before
the vote was taken, several of the aldermen spoke to explain their
stand to the audience that filled the council chambers. Joe Stone
spoke eloquently for the zoning change.
"I’m
greatly disturbed. We have made it increasingly difficult for any
developer to come in here and bring jobs and bring money.
"We
are looking at a piece of real estate that’s a 10-foot-high mound
of dirt. Anything you would put on that piece of ground would look
better than what’s there now."
He
listed the businesses presently along Fifth Street, from the
Postville Courthouse west to Lincoln Parkway, an area Mayor Beth
Davis wants to see become a historic preservation district.
"There’s
a box factory, an abandoned gas station, a couple of other gas
stations, an excavating company, a convenience store, beauty shops,
a bank, a real estate office, empty stores. I say to Casey’s that
if you want to come in here, I’ll vote ‘yes.’"
"There
are legitimate arguments on both sides," Prather said. "I
understand McCumber. I’m sure Graue Pharmacy didn’t like
Walgreen’s coming in, either."
Cliff
McCumber, who with his mother owns the Fifth Street Food Mart two
blocks away from the proposed Casey store, had spoken to protest big
corporations that come in and put small local merchants out of
business.
Verl
Prather, too, noted that the vacant lot has always been an eyesore.
Replying to comments from those who opposed the Casey store next to
the Postville Courthouse, he asked, "How long did that vacant
lot sit there next to a historic site? This is an improvement."
Glenn
Shelton, however, said he was surprised by the aldermen’s
comments, as he thought the council’s priority should be with
businesses already in the city. "Make sure they are going well
and strong," he said. "Casey’s can only hurt established
businesses."
Michael
Montcalm echoed the comments of City Attorney Bill Bates, who
reminded the council that the vote should be regarded as a zoning
issue and not a choice of one business over another.
"It’s
a zoning issue, and we got a recommendation from the zoning
committee. That’s the way I’m looking at this."
Before
the vote, a Casey representative and several Lincoln residents
outlined their positions.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Diane
Ahern, Casey representative, said the Casey store would benefit the
city, hiring 12 to 14 people with a $9,000 to $10,000 payroll every
month and paying sales tax on an estimated $1,000,000 yearly.
She
said the company has been looking for an appropriate site in Lincoln
for three years, a desirable site was not easy to find, and if this
site was not approved Casey’s would probably not locate in
Lincoln.
She
also said she had not heard about the proposed historic preservation
district until a week and a half ago. Because the site is in close
proximity to other commercial properties and not a desirable home
site, she said the company believed it had the potential for a
zoning change to commercial use.
Suella
Tucker spoke for residents in the neighborhood. "I don’t want
a Casey’s in my neighborhood. Do you want Casey’s? Do you want
to sit on your deck and look at it? To me it’s that simple. It’s
my neighborhood. Represent us, the people That’s what you’re
here for," she told the council.
She
also submitted a letter to the council signed by herself and seven
others in the area.
Main
Street Lincoln coordinator Wendy Bell, Jan Schumacher of the Looking
for Lincoln steering committee, and Dale Bassi spoke to support the
plan for making the area a historic preservation district.
Bell
said that Main Street Lincoln is not anti-business and that a
historic preservation district does not need to hinder growth. She
read a letter from the director of the Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency which said that "intense commercial use
would be incompatible with the Postville Courthouse" and would
have a negative impact on tourism there.
Schumacher
said tourism is also a way to bring economic growth to Lincoln, and
the Postville Courthouse is a vital part of the tourism program.
Bassi
said that last year the state of Illinois spent more than $400,000
on improvements to the Postville Courthouse. Heritage tourism does
bring people in off the highway, he said, and when the new Lincoln
library opens in Springfield in two or three years, tourism in the
Lincoln area could increase.
"There
is some momentum going on. Casey’s would hinder rather than
enhance the momentum we have gained."
Perry
Harris, who owns two lots across the street, spoke in support of
Casey’s. He objected to the idea that Casey’s doesn’t conform
to the use in the neighborhood, citing a junkyard and an abandoned
gas station.
He
said if the city wants to use the property at 314 S. Jefferson for a
parking lot for visitors to the Postville Courthouse, a suggestion
made by Mayor Davis, they should make an offer and buy it.
"The
problem in Lincoln is too little traffic and too many parking
lots," he said.
Now the Casey corporation
needs to get a variance for a setback requirement from the Zoning
Board of Appeals, which will hear the request Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
If that approval is granted, the company would be free to begin
construction.
[Joan
Crabb]
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Sewer
line to Campus View homes
must wait for funding
[AUG.
21, 2001] Residents
who live on Campus View Drive may get a chance to hook onto a city
sewer line, but not in the immediate future. The Lincoln City
Council voted 8-2 to put in a sewer line when funding becomes
available.
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Campus
View Drive is a dead-end street that curves behind Lincoln Christian
College. Homes on the street are in the city, but the street belongs
to the college. Twelve homes at the far end of the street presently
have septic systems, which create problems of flooding and sewer
backup for some residents.
At
present the council does not have the money to extend the sewer
lines to the 12 homes, according to Grant Eaton, sewer plant
manager. Putting in a new line and a lift station could cost as much
as $350,000, he said. A possible alternative, using a lift station
belonging to LCC, would cost the city only $150,000 but would
require some or all homeowners to put in ejector pumps, which could
cost the homeowners as much as $6,000.
If the
city uses the college’s lift station, they might also be asked to
maintain it, Eaton said. That would still be much less costly to the
city than any alternate proposal. Eaton said he is pursuing grants
and other funding sources, which are also needed for the mandatory
sewer plant upgrade.
Bill
Melton, chairman of the sewer and drainage committee, said he
believed the homeowners were entitled to have city sewer service,
but pointed out that the council would have the authority to reject
any specific funding allocation for the sewer line in the future.
The vote in favor of extending sewer service was 8-2, with Aldermen
Glenn Shelton and David Armbrust voting "no."
[to
top of second column in this article]
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Kevin
Bateman, one of the 12 homeowners, said he was happy with the way
the city voted. "It was a good-faith vote to put sewers there,
to show us homeowners we have not been forgotten," he said.
Bateman
and another homeowner, Mike Robbins, have been attending council
meetings recently to ask for help with the problems they are having
with their septic systems, which are backing up into yards and into
the lower level of Bateman’s home.
In
other business, the council deferred the request by Logan County for
a fiber optic right of way on city property until the next regular
meeting Sept. 4, so the city attorney can redraft the ordinance to
reflect the final changes. The new agreement will run for 10 years
at a nominal cost of $1 a year, and the county will provide the city
with two drops which the city can connect to if it wishes. The
county will maintain the lines.
The
council also agreed to vacate an alley between Adams and Monroe
streets, on property owned by Claude Brinner and being used as a
trailer court. Brinner owns the property on both sides of the alley,
which has not been used as an alley for at least 25 years. No city
utilities, in fact no utilities of any kind, are located in the
alley, according to city engineer Mark Mathon. Brinner has paid all
expenses of the survey.
Fire Chief Robert "Bucky"
Washam announced that the fire department will host an open house on
Monday, Sept. 3. Parents and children are invited to come and tour
the firehouse from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
[Joan
Crabb]
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Craft
fair, car show, walking tour, souvenirs and class highlight history
[AUG.
18, 2001] At
Wednesday night’s meeting of the Looking for Lincoln Committee,
Thressia Usherwood, executive director of the local tourism bureau,
informed the committee of an 1800s craft fair planned in cooperation
with the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival.
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The
craft fair is scheduled at the Postville Courthouse from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26. Entertainment will include Lee Slider as
Professor Phineas Fairhead, practical phrenologist. A Civil
War-period dance demonstration will be from noon to 3 p.m. There
will also be traditional and folk music at various times.
Period
crafts will be demonstrated, such as flax to linen, "Great
Wheel," cabinetmaking, quilting, blacksmithing, basket making,
bobbin lace making and rope making. Admission is free and
refreshments are available. If you need additional information, call
(217) 732-8930.
Saturday,
Aug. 25, the Lincoln Trail Porsche Club Charity Car Show will also
be in progress at the Postville Courthouse, 914 Fifth St. The public
is invited to come and see vintage Porsches from the 356 to current
996.
Jan
Schumacher of the Looking for Lincoln Committee distributed copies
of the folder "Walking on the Path of Abraham Lincoln — A
Walking Tour of Historic Lincoln, Illinois." The folder has
been distributed to many businesses in the county. Copies may be
picked up at Main Street Lincoln, 303 S. Kickapoo St. The folder was
produced by J.R. Glenn and Angie Couch, Lincoln Community High
School students, and Ruth Sloot, instructor. The committee was very
pleased with the work they produced.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Linda
Churchill, owner of the Mustard Moon, showed the committee a sample
of glass sun- catchers picturing Postville Courthouse. She ordered
blue, green, amber and other colors. Of the purchase price, 20
percent will go to the Postville Courthouse. The Mustard Moon is at
1314 Fifth St.
Paul
Beaver, historian, reminded the committee members that Lincoln
College offers a semester course "Life of Lincoln and the Civil
War." The class meets from 6:30 to 9 p.m. once a week. Lincoln
College also publishes a Lincoln Newsletter four times a year.
Anyone interested should contact the Lincoln Museum for more
information.
The
next meeting of the Looking for Lincoln Committee is Wednesday,
Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Union Planters Bank conference room.
[Kathleen
McCullough]
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Lincoln
Planning Commission
turns down Casey rezoning
[AUG.
17, 2001] By
a 6-3 vote, the Lincoln Planning Commission turned down a request to
change the zoning on property at 314 S. Jefferson St., across from
the Postville Courthouse, from R-2 (residential) to C-2 (commercial)
use. The zoning change was requested by the property owner, Larry
Riva, so a Casey General Store could be built on the site.
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Voting
in favor of denying the zoning change were commission members Ron
Fox, Scott Cooper, Bob Wood, Leon (Micky) Martin, Dave Klug and
Mayor Beth Davis. Voting not to deny the change were Don Miller,
Mike Miller and commission chair Betty Gehlbach. The Casey
corporation cannot build on that site without the zoning change.
The
commission’s recommendation will now go to the Lincoln City
Council. City Attorney William Bates, who was present at the
meeting, said it would be his guess the council will bring up the
issue at its next meeting on Monday, Aug. 20, even though it is not
on the agenda.
Bates
said the council would probably want to decide if they wished to let
the commission’s decision stand, because the issue is scheduled to
come before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Aug. 22. The Casey
corporation would need a variance in the setback requirements which
only the zoning appeals board can grant. If the council chooses not
to change the commission’s decision, the board of appeals meeting
will be canceled.
Before
taking the vote, the commission heard from about a dozen members of
the crowd that packed the council chamber. Some spoke in favor of
the zoning change and others spoke against it, and not always for
the same reasons.
Diane
Ahern, representative of the Casey company, told the commission that
the company would modify the appearance of the store to be more
compatible with the historic Postville Courthouse. However, the
company would not make a complete change in the store’s look
because its appearance identifies it to customers.
She
said Mayor Beth Davis, who wants a historic corridor along Fifth
Street from the Postville Courthouse to Postville Drive, had
approached her about making the building look like an old-time
country store.
The
Casey store would employ 12 to 14 people and probably pay a sales
tax of about $1,000 a month, Ahern said.
She
said Casey’s has been looking for a site in Lincoln for three
years, and if this one is not approved, the company will probably
not look for another location here.
Perry
Harris, who owns property in the area, spoke in favor of the
rezoning and allowing Casey’s to build.
"Lincoln
seems to be going out of its way to discourage business," he
said. He objected to making Casey’s conform to a historic pattern
because "There’s a mix of stores down here that don’t
conform to anything."
He
also pointed out that the Postville Courthouse is a replica and
therefore is not truly historic.
Cliff
McCumber, who with his mother Judy McCumber owns the 5th Street Food
Mart, a convenience store at 1302 Fifth St., objected to
"corporate USA coming in and taking over our towns.
"Small
businesses care about their communities. If the Little League comes
to me they will get a contribution. If they come to corporate
America they will get all sorts of red tape. I’ll cash people’s
checks. Corporate America won’t."
[to top of second column in
this article]
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He
said the Casey store would not pay good wages and would not really
bring new business to town but would take business away from
everyone else. "It’s like a pie. The more people you bring
in, the smaller the pieces."
"I
am here in support of our local convenience store, Cliff and his
family," Pete Fredericks of Pete’s Hardware told the
committee. "I think we as citizens of Lincoln should support
and lean on one another. I think we can have economic development,
but I don’t think Casey’s is the answer."
Larry
Goodman of V. Goodman Transfer and Excavating and former owner of
Riva’s lot, spoke to support bringing in the Casey store.
"We’re
trying to get the property back into production. It’s not like we’re
bringing in some sleaze store. This is a quality business. I don’t
see many other people willing to spend $750,000 [to develop the
property]. The jobs may be low-income jobs, but they’re better
than nothing."
Homeowner
Suella Tucker, who lives at 403 S. Madison, said she would like to
see business in Lincoln but did not want Casey’s to go into that
area. "I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want extra traffic,
extra lights and extra music."
Jan
Schumacher, a member of the Looking for Lincoln steering committee,
spoke to support the historic corridor. She passed out brochures for
the Postville Courthouse to commission members "as a reminder
of the important part tourism plays. Tourism brings economic
development. Other small towns are capitalizing on tourism and we
need to do this, too."
She
said Postville is open more days now that volunteers have been
recruited to help staff it. "It had 21 visitors yesterday.
Casey’s is not a complementary building. If you look out Postville
windows and see gas pumps, that’s not historic."
Before
the vote, Bates reminded the commission that they were there simply
to vote on the matter of rezoning, not for any specific business. If
the zoning is changed to C-2, any business permitted under the C-2
designation would be allowed on the site, he said.
"Is
the requested change of zoning in keeping with the comprehensive
plan of this community?" he asked.
Commission
members called for maps to check zoning in the area. Riva’s lot
has R-2 zoning on the north, east and west sides, and C-2 zoning
running west to Lincoln Parkway.
Several
commissioners said they had mixed feelings about the rezoning.
"I’m
really torn on this issue," Mike Miller said before the vote.
"I really think it should be commercial."
"I’m on the other
side of that," Klug said. "I’m for economic development,
and in a sense this tears me up. But I’m voting for my neighbors
and friends."
[Joan
Crabb]
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Board
discusses revenue, health coverage and golf course feasibility
[AUG.
17, 2001] Anticipated
decline in assessed valuation of land, clarification of who receives
health coverage and a feasibility study for an airport golf course
drew the most discussion at Thursday night’s work session of the
Logan County Board.
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Finance
Chairman Rod White said next year’s budget will be affected by a
significant drop in the assessed valuation of farmland. "The
farmland in this county will go down by a full 10 percent," he
said. "What I can’t tell you is what is happening to the rest
of the economy, the other 50 percent. We’re fortunate that we have
other sources of revenue," such as the sales tax, to take up
the slack."
A
proposal to extend health insurance coverage "to employees and
those eligible participants employed by entities created by county
resolution" was closely analyzed. The goal is to be sure that
Phil Mahler, new director of the Regional Planning Commission,
receives the same coverage as his predecessor. Mahler has recently
been determined not to be a county employee. White said he feared
excluding employees of bodies such as Job Training Partnership Act,
which were not created by board resolution. "We’re trying to
get somebody in but we may be excluding somebody," he said.
Insurance
Committee Chairman Dale Voyles said he would meet with insurance
carrier Roger Garrett and State’s Attorney Tim Huyett to clarify
wording and inclusiveness.
Airport
Committee Chairman Roger Bock presented a rough draft for an 18-hole
golf course at Logan County Airport, showing hole holes on property
not currently owned by the county. Bock acknowledged that a
nine-hole or executive course is more feasible. "In
reality," he said, "it’s probably going to be an
executive course. This is the biggest thing that would fit [assuming
land purchase]. It sucks up too much land."
Bock
recommended proceeding with a $9,350 economic study to see whether
an airport golf course could be supported by the county. The board
has already set aside $9,000 for such a study. Federal Aviation
Administration approval has not been applied for, but Bock noted
that the FAA has approved other airport golf courses.
He
said the Airport Committee is considering purchasing a credit
card-operated gas pump for use when no attendant is present. Though
the $2.55 price of aviation gas is lower than in surrounding cities,
especially Peoria, sales have dropped as hours have been cut back
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Logan
County Treasurer Mary Ellen Bruns asked for a tax-sale-in-error fee
of $40 to be assessed for every parcel sold in tax sales. State law
allows a fee up to $60 to cover costs incurred when tax sale
proceeds are refunded after a judge decides an anomaly has occurred.
Bruns said, "It’s advisable to have this so that we’re not
taking money away from the county" for expenses such as postage
and publication. She said larger counties have such a fee, and
smaller counties with few tax sales do not. Logan County had 141 tax
sales in 2000.
Dick
Logan asked anyone seeking the board seat vacated by the resignation
of Phil Mahler to contact him by Monday, Aug. 20.
White
reported that budget hearings begin Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. Requests from
senior citizens groups will be heard at 9:15, with all three who
received funds last year expected to be represented: Central
Illinois Economic Development Council, Healthy Partnership and
Senior Citizens of Logan County.
Roads
and Bridges Chairman Rod White reported that the work on Nicholson
Road will be completed within a week. At the request of residents,
the speed limit in the Oakwood West subdivision off Fifth Street
Road is being reduced to 25 mph.
Board
member Clifford Sullivan spoke in favor of erecting a marker along
Interstate 55 to astronaut Scott Altman, a Lincoln native. He cited
Altman’s many accomplishments, including stunt flying for the
movie "Top Gun."
Mark
Smith, director of economic development, urged those attending the
Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival to visit the hospitality chalet,
which is being used as a promotional tool to showcase Logan County.
"So far the response has been phenomenal," he said.
[Lynn
Spellman]
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Real
estate taxes come due
The
Logan County treasurer’s office announces the following dates:
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Sept.
5 — Final day to pay the second installment of real estate taxes
without a penalty.
Sept.
6 — A penalty of 1½ percent will be charged on any unpaid second
installment of taxes. A penalty of 4½ percent will be charged on
any unpaid first installment of taxes.
Sept.
20 — Warning letters for any unpaid taxes will be mailed.
Oct.
4 — Certified letters will be mailed.
Oct.
15 — Listings of any unpaid tax will be published.
The
Logan County treasurer’s office has been notified that E-Pay, the
credit card option established by the state treasurer’s office for
public fund treasurers, will not be available until Jan. 1, 2002.
The local office had hoped this option would be available in time
for the second installment; however, due to legislative action, the
effective date was changed. The Logan County treasurer’s office
has, however, installed a debit card scanner for all debit cards and
ATM cards.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Effective
Aug. 17, the county treasurer’s office will be able to accept the
Discover card. The Discover card company has a program for county
treasurers that has been in place in larger counties for some time.
County treasurers collect a user free from taxpayers who use the
Discover card to pay their taxes, thereby creating no additional
expense for the county.
As
in the past, the county treasurer’s office is asking that banks do
not collect any real estate tax after their close of business on
Sept. 5. The banks will again collect taxes for the 2002 fiscal year
tax cycle as they have every year.
Taxpayers are reminded of the
drop box in the city parking lot on North Kickapoo Street.
Taxpayers
having any questions are asked to call 732-3761 between 8:30 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m.
[News
release]
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Logan
County Board sets budget review
The
Logan County Board started its FY 2002 budget review hearings Friday
morning, Aug. 17. Sessions will continue
Wednesday, Aug. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon; Thursday, Aug. 23, from 1
to 4 p.m.; and Friday, Aug. 24, possibly beginning at 8:30 a.m.
When
all hearings are completed, the information will be assembled for
analysis. After that the auditors will schedule and make a
presentation to the full board.
All
meetings are in the third-floor jury room at the Logan County
Courthouse and are open to the public.
[News
release]
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