 Council approves paying
Wal-MartThe city of Lincoln will make its first rebate on
public infrastructure that brought in the Walmart Supercenter. In
the year 2008, the store generated $182,869.31 in excess sales tax
to begin the repayment process.
Wal-Mart fronted $600,000 for public infrastructure when the
company built the new store in an undeveloped area of Lincoln's new
west-side business district in 2006.
At the Tuesday night committee-of-the-whole meeting, Les Plotner,
city treasurer, said that when he spoke with a representative from
Wal-Mart in Bentonville, he was not confident that the person fully
understood the rebate process and calculations.
Therefore, when the payment was approved Monday night by a vote
of 9-0, with Alderman David Wilmert being absent for the evening, it
was added that Bill Bates, city attorney, would write a letter
explaining the calculations, which will accompany the check to the
Bentonville offices.
Easement agreement finalized
Mayor Keith Snyder was given authority by unanimous vote to sign
an easement agreement between the city and Lincoln Towncenter that
would make the sewer improvements done by Castle Manor part of the
city's sewer system.
Before the vote, Bates clarified that the agreement was between
the city and Lincoln Towncenter, not the city and Castle Manor.
Castle Manor was responsible for upgrading and connecting to the
sewer line that runs through the parking lot of the Kroger and old
Walmart store at their expense.
Petition removed from the table
At the Tuesday night workshop meeting, a petition from Brian
Stoltzenburg requesting an alley closure between Peoria Street and
Tremont for the block between Hamilton and Sherman streets for the
purpose of holding a community party was added to the voting agenda.
At that time, Bates said that it might be difficult for an
individual to provide the proper insurance coverage that the city
requires during these kinds of events.
Alderman Jeff Hoinacki asked that the petition be added to the
agenda and said that he would visit with Stoltzenburg about the
insurance.
At the Monday night meeting, Hoinacki said that he had talked to
Stoltzenburg, and the homeowner wished to withdraw his petition.
Mayor exercises executive privilege
Snyder said that the Route 66 Heritage Foundation had entered a
petition for a street closure Saturday. The group wishes to close
First Street for the one block that is adjacent to The Mill for a
celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The mayor said that the petition was received after the last
workshop meeting and therefore is not on the voting agenda. He said
that if there was no objection, he would contact the foundation and
give them approval for the street closure. When no one spoke up, the
matter was closed.
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Meeting in Springfield regarding high-speed rail
Snyder said that there will be an open meeting Wednesday at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield from 4 to 7 p.m. for the purpose
of discussing Illinois high-speed rail proposals.
This will be a public meeting to discuss and collect public
comments. He said that anyone who is interested in learning more
about high-speed rail is encouraged to attend this meeting.
Open house at Illinois American on Jefferson Street
Illinois American Water will have an open house at their
treatment plant on North Jefferson Street between 4 and 7 p.m. on
Thursday.
The mayor encouraged city department heads and aldermen to
attend.
Update on economic summit
Copies of the book "Caught in the Middle," by Richard C.
Longworth, have arrived, and the mayor is working to get those
distributed to all who attended the economic summit in September.
The book was recommended and donated to meeting attendees by
Keith Ray, president of Lincoln Christian University. Ray had
endorsed the book as being an excellent insight into the mindset of
the Midwest.
John Cox, CEO of the Cabarrus Regional Partnership in Cabarrus
County, N.C., guest speaker and moderator of the summit, had
encouraged the group to read the book together with the guidance of
perhaps one of the area's college professors.
Prior to the Monday night voting meeting of the council, the
mayor handed out books to those who had attended the summit. He said
that Ray has agreed to lead a study group, and a meeting schedule
will be established in the near future.
[By NILA SMITH]
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