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Council
considers The Art of Wine event, cellular phone proposals and other
issues
[JUNE 11, 2003]
At its meeting on June 10,
the city council heard a proposal for The Art of Wine event that is
being planned for Aug. 24 and 25 during the Lincoln Art and Balloon
Festival. Dave Lanterman of Main Street said that The Art of Wine
would bridge the gap for activities that are planned for the area
between Latham and Scully parks.
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The event will provide people attending
the festival with opportunities to sample and taste different wines.
There will be various assortments of wines that will come from
numerous wineries. Possibly 15 wineries from Illinois will be
represented.
The Art of Wine will be on the south
side of the Logan County Courthouse on South Kickapoo Street. A tent
will be set up that will cover about half of the street in the area.
People who want to participate in The
Art of Wine will have to purchase a commemorative glass that will
cost between $6 and $8. The commemorative glass will enable people
to have one sample of a wine of their choice. People will also be
able to purchase tickets to sample additional wines.
This will not be an all-day event.
Ninety percent of the people who attend The Art of Wine will sample
a few wines, possibly make a purchase and leave, Lanterman said.
People who would like to purchase a
bottle of wine will be able to do so; however, only people with
unopened bottles will be allowed to leave the tent. Security and age
verification for the event will be provided by Main Street. The
wineries will not do age verification.
There will also be other vendors at the
south end of the tent who will present various samples of foods for
people to try. In addition, on Sunday, Aug. 25, the antique car show
will take place at the same location of South Kickapoo Street.
Although the street will be closed to traffic, the antique cars will
be able to use it.
Lanterman said that people will be able
to enjoy the other events at the festival, shop and walk through The
Art of Wine tent to do some wine sampling.
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The council also heard from Kathy
Radtke of the Nextel cellular company. Nextel is the second cellular
company to present a proposal to the city. The council will review
all proposals prior to deciding which cellular company will give
them the best services for their money. Features they will consider
are cost per minute, area of usage, cost for roaming and which
company can help to consolidate the cellular phone usage of the
various city departments at the cheapest rate. Nextel features a
walkie-talkie system with free roaming and nationwide service when
calls are made to other Nextel users; however, usage will be free
only when calling other Nextel users.
Fire Chief Robert Washam also spoke to
the council. Washam told the council that due to the recent layoff
of three firemen he had a concern about staffing. He asked the
council to consider hiring one extra fireman. Mayor Davis said that
she noticed in the fire chief's annual report that overtime was
high.
At City Hall on June 11 the city will
present its employees with their choices for insurance. There will
also be two meetings for employees and for the city police. The city
employees will have to make their choices before June 15, when Blue
Cross, Blue Shield will need their forms to process prior to the new
fiscal year.
The council also heard reports about
progress in meetings regarding Seventh Street and the new school
construction, and on the closure of streets for the sesquicentennial
parade on Aug. 30 and for the rededication of the Abraham Lincoln
well at Fifth Street, Madison and Monroe on Aug. 24.
The city
council then went into a closed session to discuss the appointment
of a public officer. The council did not make an appointment during
the executive session.
[Don
Todd] |
