Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

The Quincy City Council is getting a first-hand look at patronage in action and why it isn't good government.

Corporation Counsel Andrew Staff, who is also the son-in-law of Quincy Mayor John Spring, has pulled a couple of stunts recently that would probably get him in a little bit of hot water if he worked in the real world and not the protected environment of Quincy City Hall.

Last night's exchange with Alderman Kyle Moore (R-3rd Ward) was the latest example. According to Jamie Busen's Council story from Monday night: "Some aldermen questioned Staff and Bevelheimer about the City's move to suspend the program. Alderman Kyle Moore (R-3rd Ward) said it was disappointing the Council hadn't been notified before the decision had been made. Staff said it was "disappointing the Council didn't vote to fund the repairs."

I think somebody ought to clue Staff in on who controls his budget. I think there are 10 votes that could say "I'm disappointed with your performance. We're cutting the city's $284,306 legal budget by 50 percent. Be happy it's not more."

By the way, that's just the overall line item budget number for the three part-time city attorneys. The city budget has pockets of other legal funding stashed away, including some that goes to Staff's father, Hubert, for providing various services to the City. Might be FOIA time...again...to see how big that check is.

This is on the heels of the e-mail QuincyNews.org and WTAD News uncovered while investigating the backroom dealings associated with the barely-on-life-support-is-saying-it-kindly Hydro project where Staff seem to take umbrage when Alderman Mike Rein (R-5^th Ward) inquired on March 2 about the City and the C-Corp’s license application process.

The response from City Corporation Counsel Andrew Staff read: “Gary (Sparks), Apparently Alderman Rein wants to finally get in the ball game. Perhaps you can bring him up to speed, so he can play in the last quarter.”

The too-cute-by-half move of halting the "Fix or Flatten" program after the Council's action is only compounded by Staff's "kiss my donkey" attitude toward the Republican aldermen (He is a Democrat, hence the donkey reference).

As long as Staff has the cover of his wife's father, he will continue to show disdain for the aldermen, at least the ones who are not Democrats like the rest of his family.

3 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Today is the classic "I need to blog because I haven't blogged in awhile" post. It will be the old stream of consciousness thread...

We know it is hot outside. We also know it gets cold in January. Time-filling weather-related non-news stories are in my Top 10 lists of pet peeves. Granted we have had two monster newsworthy weather stories this year, the blizzard and the windstorm, but "Gee, it's hot" doesn't cut it.

I now have no idea who is going to run for Quincy mayor in 2013. I understand the sands are shifting this week. There are many political dominos to fall for 2012 races first. Sorry about the tease, but the game is literally changing as I type.

Our hydro series is done. Let me know what the next major project is you would like us to tackle. I've gotten a couple of doozy tips this week. I wish I could get paid by the FOIA.

Our readership numbers have reached an all-time high, more than doubling where we were at this time last year. I think we've built something special here in a little more than three years. The support of our advertisers and readers like you mean the world to me.

Get out to Blues in The District if you can tomorrow night. I'm going to do my best to make it. Maybe some more frozen beverages are just the ticket.

Regardless, stay cool.

1 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Monday, July 11, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

City's Hydropower corporation meeting for the first time since FERC put the kibosh on them.

Board member Lisa Oakley is not here. Board members Steve Duesterhaus, John Spring, Jennifer Lepper and Pete Pohlman are present.

Joe Duesterhaus: Board has to amend the articles of incorporation to put all of the aldermen on the C-Corp. Board of Directors. 

Board has two outside directors, Oakley and Pohlman, and their terms are up. Their terms will end as of tonight when the aldermen are put on the board.  Outside directors can return, but aldermen must make up 2/3 of the board.

Spring thanks Pohlman and Oakley for their service. Oakley made minimal meetings.

That's the end of the meeting. The aldermen will be officially seated at tonight's City Council meeting.

0 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Monday, July 11, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

I have received a lot of comments on the series of reports done by QuincyNews.org and WTAD News regarding the behind the scenes look at how the City of Quincy's Hydropower project has evolved...or, possibly, has not evolved.

I really believe reports such as these are why QuincyNews.org came into existence. This type of look at how government operates is something all taxpayers should pay close attention to.

Of course it has also shone the light on the relationship between the local media and City Hall. I think the e-mails speak for themselves. I believe the media works for the people, not the government. Apparently, other media types don't have that same viewpoint.

The series became a little disjointed as the City was hit with the massive windstorm and we had some yahoo from Iowa come to town and start shooting at cops. We had to cover a little breaking news then. Remember, we're not a big operation.

I want to thank Jamie Busen of WTAD for all of her research and work on this project and I also want to thank STARadio VP/GM Mike Moyers and my QuincyNews.org cohorts, Chip Gerdes and Jim Barnett, for their support.

All of the reports are listed below. We might even dig up a couple of more, especially after tonight's series of hydro-related meetings.

So thanks again for all of the kind words I have heard from you over the last couple of weeks regarding this effort.

Now, in the words of my favorite fictional president, "What's next?".

http://quincynews.org/local-news/city-administration-consultants-plan-to-press-on-with-hydro-development.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/most-of-the-hydro-money-flowed-through-klingner-and-associates.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/duesterhaus-administrations-intent-to-proceed-with-hydro-is-pure-fiction.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/ferc-notice-sent-city-officials-consultants-and-attorneys-scrambling.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/connections-cash-came-up-short-in-hydro-quest.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/early-hydro-consultant-went-out-of-the-picture-for-months.html

http://quincynews.org/local-news/as-ferc-ruling-came-down-inquiries-picked-up.html 

0 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

News conference regarding Wednesday's shooting near Liberty:

Lt. Brad Lacey from Illinois State Police, QPD Chief Rob Copley and Adams. Co. Sheriff Brent Fischer will speak. A recap and new information is coming.

Copley: At about 1:15 a vehicle was stolen at Boots Bush Park. A QPD officer working security at Quincy Regional Airport. Officer Tom Miller stopped the vehicle and gunfire was exchanged. At 1:34, the suspect backed his SUV into the QPD car.

MIller, a 10 year QPD vet was shot. Hit him in the gunbelt and the bullet was stopped. He was treated and released.

Fischer: Deputy Kasparie was at Five Points and the subject fired at him. There was a pursuit eastbound on 104 near Kingston. The subject pulled into the KIngston FS plant, where he tried to hide the vehicle and flee on foot.

Officers searched one residence and he wasn't there. The entered a second residence and gunfire was exchanged on the second floor. Sgt. Joe Lohmeyer was hit. He was taken for treatment. Lohmeyer was hit in the chest, he was wearing a vest. He will be very sore, but he is doing fine.

Officers maintained the perimeter.

Lacey: Subject was located in the prone position with no movement. Officers went in and they found him dead, but in close proximity of a handgun. The cause of his death is from a gunshot wound, but the investigation is still underway to determine if it was self-inflicted or if he was hit during the gunfire exchange with officers.

Copley: The suspect's name is Benjamin J. Biggs, white male, 24, from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He is suspected in other crimes that have taken place.

Autopsy will be done tomorrow. News conference ends at 11:20.

0 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Now the real meeting has started. The last blog was pregame.

Alderman Steve Duesterhaus (D-2nd Ward) said permit fees shouldn't be waived for the Carson and Barnes Circus, which is put on by the Quincy Noon Kiwanis Club at the Quincy Mall. Duesterhaus says the Circus is a for-profit organization, even though it is sponsored by a non-profit organization. Ald. Jennifer Lepper (R-5th Ward) says the proceeds go for things in the community.

Fire Chief Joe Henning, a member of the Kiwanis Club, is asked to speak by Spring. Henning said one permit is paid for and there are two that would be waived. He said the Kiwanis Club gave $29,000 to the community a few weeks ago. Duesterhaus said the community benefits from money it gets from permits. Henning said the Council doesn't provide funding for non-profits like the Kiwanis Club does. Duesterhaus said it is not the Council place to do so.

The two fees in question are $75 and $500, respectively. The vote is 12-1 to waive the fee with Duesterhaus being the lone no vote.

City looking to spend $73,900 on the old Quincy Paper Box building at 230 N. 3rd and also covering 310-314 Vermont.. The City has been in court over the property, which is owned by Donald Weinberg. The court gave an order last July for Weinberg to fix the property in six months and he didn't do it. The City is hiring a contractor to fix windows and door openings. Staff said this property is on the "Fix or Flatten" list and it fell under the unsafe building state statute. Staff said the City will recoup the funds by foreclosing on the property if Weinberg doesn't pay the City back for the work.

Bevelheimer said some new windows have been added by Weinberg, but they have not been painted or caulked. He says the court order says the repairs need to be done properly and they have not been done properly.

Jack Holtschlag (D-7th Ward) said he gets three calls a month on the snow fencing blowing into the streets. Says Weinberg has had ample opportunity to fix it.  

Bevelheimer says only 6 of 60 windows have been properly fixed.

Jeff Stupavsky says he is working on the restoration of the building and has made more progress than just six windows. He says he is making progress on the court ordered repairs. He says he has not received any notification from the City that says he has not make proper progress. 

Bevelheimer said the first building permit was pulled because Stupavsky didn't at that time have Weinberg's permission to work on the building.

8 no's...the resolution fails. The City did not approve the funding to make the repairs. Duesterhaus, Bauer, Havermale, Musolino and Holtschlag voted to authorize the funding.

The aldermen approve to put themselves on the Hydropower Corporation Board of Directors by a 12-1 vote. Duesterhaus was the lone no vote as Moore asked the Council to fast track the ordinance and they did so.

Bill Hrudicka speaks before the City Council and says the City should sell its Hydro information and get the out of the Hydro business.

In new business, Moore says he has talked to some people regarding refinancing municipal bonds. He says the City cannot delay restructuring this debt. He says this hopes starts the conversation. He is submitting his report to the Finance Committee.

Spring talks again about working with Allied Waste to put two roll-off containers at Central Services for people to put the spolied contents from refrigerators and freezers. That starts on Wednesday.

Brink asks Corporation Counsel to draft a resolution for the City to not proceed with an appeal. Duesterhaus says the Council should wait and let the Hydropower Corporation take care of that, since all aldermen will be members of the Hydropower Corporation Board. Spring says he agrees with Duesterhaus and Duesterhaus makes a substitute motion to send that to the C-Corp. The substitute motion fails 7-6 and the City Council. Moore, Mann, Havermale, Rein, Musolino, Brink and Heinecke. voted no.

2 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

I will keep a running blog on tonight's Quincy City Council meeting right here.

City is unable to carry tonight's meeting via Comcast Channel 15 as the City's I-net is down because of the storm.

Mayor John Spring says 8,000 Ameren customers in Quincy still don't have power, including himself.

Spring comments: Says this has been a busy time. He appreciates the hard work. Says the staff and administrators have gone above and beyond in responding to the post-storm cleanup.

Says the water filter plant situation is better now. Says the federal grant for generators could not have come at a better time, even though the City cannot purchase the generators right now.

Says Ameren has done great work. Says Aldermen Tony Sassen (R-4th Ward) has been a big help as he works for Ameren.

Says most of the City Hall staff still doesn't have power.

Says he has been in touch with Bill Romans of Allied Waste to deal with people who need to get rid of spoiled food. He says Allied will put two roll off containers at Central Services (2020 Jennifer Lane) for people to dispose of that. The dumpsters will be there from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This is the City's second state of emergency this year. The City took the same action during this past winter's blizzard.

Attorney Joe Duesterhaus will brief the Council on Hydro:

Recap from May 31...The recommendation from Van Ness Feldman was that the city did not have a reasonable chance at success with Lock and Dam 21. Before the 60 day appeal deadline expires on July 18, at some point before then, before July 11, the City Council and the C-Corp Board need to make a formal action that no appeal will go forward or to put forth an appeal.

Duesterhaus says assuming no appeal is pursued, what to do with Lock and Dam 21. As of 4:30 p.m. no permit has been given to everyone. He says he will put together an RFP for about 30 parties who are interested in pursuing hydropower at Lock and Dam 21 by the beginning of next week. The RFP will include an itemized list of designs, studies and all work product for the Lock and Dam 21 project that the city could sell...either together or piece meal.

On Lock and Dam 24 and 25...We have two opinions back from Van Ness Feldman. First, Coastal Hydropower has expressed repeated interest in Lock and Dam 24. Says Neil Anderson of Coastal has been wanted to talk about the next step even without the city being involved in the development. Says they are talking to FERC to determine an acceptable model to use. Says maybe Coastal could then buy the work.

The summaries from Van Ness Feldman include working with Coastal in an arrangement where the City would own the license and own the infrastructure but Coastal would handle the development. FERC says there is a difference between that and what the City tried to do with Lock and Dam 21.

Duesterhaus says the dams are owned by the Corps of Engineers, but anyone who wants to develop hydropower must get a permit from FERC. Says a preliminary permit is acquired, then a permit after about three years to fully develop.

The City has preliminary permits for Lock and Dams 24 and 25 and those expire on April 30, 2012 and they cannot be transferred. Duesterhaus says FERC would react negatively to a transfer. Says options are for the City to reapply for a permit.

Says all work on hydro stopped on February 17 because of FERC's ruling. Says there is not enough time now to complete a license reapplication with all of the studies that would need to be done. Says the city will have to apply for a new permit for that reason.

If a private entity applied for permits at either of those sites, Duesterhaus says the City would trump it due to municipal preference. But other cities could apply at the same level. If the City demonstrated it was further along, maybe they would be given the permit, but FERC doesn't operate that way. If more than one municipality applies, it is awarded via coin flip or pulling numbers from a hat. Yes, Duesterhaus says, the courts have ruled it is legal for them to do it that way.

So if the City spends anymore money, there is no guarantee the City would win the coin toss or be able to recoup those fees. Duesterhaus says the City should do the minimal amount of work and expense to attempt to secure the permits. He says none would involve the City proceed on its own with municipal or taxpayer funds. He says the best way to proceed is to have the permit and allow a private company, such as Coastal, to develop it.

(Duesterhaus is stressing the minimal expense angle.)

Ald. Mike Farha (R-4th Ward) asks if the City can hold the permit and allow a private company to take all of the risk. Duesterhaus says there could still be a risk.

Ald. Paul Havermale (R-3rd Ward) asks if the City is basically being thrown into a lottery by pursing a new permit and Duesterhaus says that is a good analogy and he doesn't advise that. Asks if the City is still paying Van Ness Feldman and Duesterhaus says yes, but the City is still under the $45,000 threshhold approved by the Council. Havermale also asks if Stoel Rives has any input in the process. Duesterhaus says Stoel Rives should not have any further contact based on their recommendation of how the City apply for the FERC permit. Duesterhaus says he doesn't want to comment any further on Stoel Rives in an open forum.

Ald. Kyle Moore (R-3rd Ward) asks about bills from lobbyist Michael Alexander and lobbyist Husch Blackwell. Duesterhaus says he hasn't seen Alexander's bills. He says the City needs to do everything it can to minimize its damages. He says the Council has to make a record to reduce the damages.

Moore asks about the Hydro Steering Group. Duesterhaus says that group only exists on his e-mails. He says those e-mails are not going to be discoverable and they have attorney/client privilege.

Moore asks about Duesterhaus being billed for media contacts. He says he bills people based on how long it takes him to do projects. On questions from the media regarding legal issues, he either explains to them to someone else who is not a lawyer. He only responds when asked by someone.

Ald. Dan Brink (R-6th Ward) asks about a resolution to formally end the appeal process for Lock and Dam 21. Corporation Counsel Andrew Staff says a resolution would have to be drafted.

Ald Terri Heinecke (R-7th Ward) asks what there is to sell. Spring says "our intellectual property". Duesterhaus says there is information in there about turbine installation, environmental studies, archeological studies and other matters. He calls this a "gold mine" of information. Spring says the bulk of that information is patented. Heinecke asks what it would be worth. Duesterhaus says "it's worth what we paid for it".

Havermale says the City needs to be careful when talking about the value of what the City has in order to no reduce the value of the information. Duesterhaus says he doesn't want the City to have to sell the information at "fire sale" prices.

Farha says the public's interest to know may be superceded by the taxpayer's best interest in order to retain the information's value for the taxpayer.

1 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Quincy Mayor John Spring appears to still be a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Now, according to dailycaller.com, if stricter gun control laws aren’t passed, the terrorists win.

You can read the whole thing here: http://dailycaller.com/2011/06/28/mayors-against-illegal-guns-group-releases-terrorist-inspired-video/#ixzz1QbMFGDK1 

But here are some highlights from The Daily Caller piece:

"While the video may strike a frightful cord in the hearts of law-abiding citizens, the message is a bit misleading. Individuals cannot purchase fully automatic assault rifles at gun shows. The “gun show loophole” allows individuals to purchase and sell certain guns, including semi-automatics, without a federal license (or instant background check) at gun shows. Although they’re not required to have a federal license, many of the guns nevertheless must be registered with an owner.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, spearheaded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has attempted to interject itself into the national debate following widely-covered tragedies, such as the Virginia Tech Massacre. Shortly after the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Mayor Bloomberg, along with several Democratic lawmaker called for a “common sense” gun debate.

The result was New York Sen. Chuck Schumer’s proposed legislation that would ban the purchase of firearms for anyone arrested, but not actually convicted of petty drug offenses, within a six-year period. Carolyn McCarthy’s sister bill in the House, meanwhile, would greatly expand the definition of who is mentally incapable of purchasing a firearm.

Neither the Virginia Tech shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, nor alleged Arizona gunman Jared Loughner purchased their firearms at gun shows. There is also no concrete evidence that terrorist do purchase their firearms at gun shows, which — considering the crowds easily-mocked rabidly Patriotic, vaguely Islamophobic concerns about dark men with beards — should come as no surprise."

What Are You Waiting For? from Fix Gun Checks on Vimeo.

1 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

I’ll admit I’ve ridden the fence over the years on the Public School vs. Parochial School issue.

It is an issue that is very difficult to talk about in Quincy as there are two divided camps. Being a Catholic family with children who attend the Quincy Public Schools, I have often felt ostracized by (a few) Catholics who do send their kids to the Parochial Schools…that I’m not ‘Catholic enough’ by doing that.

Our family made a choice years ago to send our kids through the public schools because my wife was (and still is) employed by the Quincy School District. We did Catholic preschool and we were pleased with that, but class sizes were much smaller in the Public Schools when we looked into the matter as our kids were entering kindergarten (this was a St. Peter’s vs. Adams issue back then).

Public School supporters believe they can’t get a tax referendum passed because of Quincy’s large Catholic (and elderly) population. Private School backers say if it wasn’t for the Parochial system, property taxes would be even higher because the School District would have to absorb all of those kids.

I know people on each side who have a real dislike for the other and I just don’t see the need for that. I believe each system has its own strengths and weaknesses. How’s that for continuing to not take a stance?

I’m bringing this up because I just came across this You Tube clip of Chris Christie. The man just throws it out there…and I admire him for that.

15 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Suddenly, there is wi-fi in the Quincy City Council chambers, so I will live blog this meeting.

Sales tax numbers are up five percent from last year.

First Ward Aldermen Virgil Goehl and Lexze Mann are absent.

Claire Safford speaks about the honorary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. signs. Safford says the Quincy Community Coalition urges aldermen to vote a good strong 'yes' vote.

The Coalition is only asking for honorary signs. She says there has been no discussion of making the honorary signs permanent.

She says the Coalition began talking about more signs when the plaque went up in the Freedom Plaza last fall/winter. She said they decided to move the request at that time. She says her group is not so 'politically sophisticated' as to have an ulterior motive.

Safford says community meetings have been held. She says those meetings don't always give a true reading on the issues. She says the city does not need the acrimony or adverse publicity on the issue. She says there were minimal comments on QuincyNews.org on the issue and says the Quincy Herald-Whig had a good editorial on the issue.

She said the time is right to do what is right.

Lepper question: What intersections would be affected? Safford reads them (I will get them later).

Rein asks who will pay for them. Safford says the signage and brackets will be paid for by the coalition. The city will do the

Brink says what do 37 signs represent that 22 doesn't? She calls it a full commitment. Brink says this he says his constituents are concerned that this is a progression for a permanent name change of the street. She says...again...there is no intent to pursue that. Brink wants a letter saying that from the Human Rights Commission. She says that's not needed. She says she cannot commit as to what other people may want.

She says the Council should decide tonight and move forward to more important issues.

Vote 9-3 in favor. Brink, Musolino and Heinecke oppose.

Mayor Spring says Tom Bentley will be promoted to the Assistant Fire Chief slot opened when Keith Frank took the job as the Canton, Illinois Fire Chief.

3 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Your friendly neighborhood Cartel, fresh of their resounding hydropower victory, now want to breathe life into another project the community doesn’t want, but the powerbrokers believe is the right thing to do regardless of how you feel about it.

Mike McClain is a powerful man. The former state representative is a lobbyist who has the ear of the most powerful man in the State of Illinois, House Speaker Michael Madigan. He has been the puppetmaster of Quincy politics for decades.

McClain has been a shadow member of the Quincy Herald-Whig’s Editorial Board for years. He and Executive Editor/General Manager Mike Hilfrink used to have many lunches at Tiramisu and have lots of wine at Brix (both fine establishments who once advertised on QuincyNews.org. I think I figured out why they no longer advertise with us) where McClain gave Hilfrink his marching orders. Of course, this was all done with the blessing of Herald-Whig Publisher, Tom Oakley, who has a strong relationship with McClain because of McClain’s clout and access to Madigan.

But the McClain/Hilfrink PDA’s have been fewer as of late. Apparently, they were told not to be seen in public as much because of the perception of influence. This perception was and is reality, though.

Whether it is the rare editorial that takes a real stance (instead of the typical “Trees are Good” fare) or coordinated Letters to the Editor that toe the company line (that would be the center line of another highway to cure our economic development woes), McClain and Oakley make sure Hilfrink gets it done with minimal typos.

So I found it quite humorous when I heard Quincy’s aldermen received a letter from McClain asking them to support the bus/taxi/AMTRAK intermodal project. As a refresher, the State of Illinois has set aside $6 million for the project that will have an overall price tag closer to $15 million.

That’s the same project that aldermen voted to remove $35,000 from the City’s budget to fund a study for the project.

Of course, The Herald-Whig editorial tells us that another $7 million in federal funding is almost guaranteed for the intermodal project. Quincy Mayor John Spring has told several aldermen that the federal funding is practically assured.

Isn’t it odd that there has been no news reporting of this $7 million manna from the feds? A first public mention in a newspaper editorial and the mayor quietly telling aldermen about it? Think it is really a sure bet? Like the hydro funding was? Like the port authority grant was?

Anyone who says any state or federal funding is guaranteed is either lying or stupid. Make your own assumptions in this case.

Also, the intermodal facility will also need a brand new full-time staff to run it. That means more City jobs that won’t be posted, but will magically be filled.

McClain’s letter to the aldermen is straight from the Cartel playbook. It ought to be, since McClain wrote the playbook and probably had a hand in the editorial.

If you’ll recall, I made a comparison between the intermodal plan and the Oakley-Lindsay Center. Take away the Quincy Community Theatre aspect of that building and the OLC has not fulfilled its mission. It wasn’t built for Monster Garage Sales or Home Shows. It was supposed to bring in conventions with people coming in from out of town and putting people in Quincy’s hotels.

But, once again, the Cartel has a plan and they believe they know what’s best for the little people.

The Cartel doesn’t scare easily. They’ve had their way too long. Just like Chicago Democrats, this Little Chicago machine has done whatever it takes to keep its nest feathered and remain in power.

But there are some cracks. No longer can they go to one man (former Mayor Chuck Scholz and then Spring) to ramrod their pet projects through. The Cartel will probably try to find one or two Republican aldermen to carry their water, but I don’t believe they will be able to get a majority of them to cave.

It became obvious to the Cartel (albeit too late) that Spring couldn’t deliver. When Spring squeaked out his re-election despite the power of the incumbency, the backing of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and a massive financial war chest, that should have been a red flag.

Now with the Hydro failure and City officials scrambling to figure out how to pay off the $6 million in bonds, here comes the Cartel doubling down with another pie in the sky project.

Quincy does not have the population or traffic to support such an intermodal facility. Quincy’s not Chicago and it’s not Bloomington or Champaign. But that’s what happens when the same people keep calling shots. They believe their own press (especially when they own it). They believe they are invulnerable. They believe they answer to no one.

Now that Spring is no longer in control of what happens on the Council floor, the Cartel is nervous. McClain actually taking the time to dictate letters to aldermen? That’s a tell, folks. The fact that he included a Herald-Whig editorial that he probably had a hand in writing with that letter is priceless, btw.

Yes, there are still many people in Quincy who read those editorials and coordinated Letters to the Editor. But like the dinosaur and the dodo, those people are dwindling and even fewer people are buying what the Cartel is selling.

16 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

There's a particular saying among my circle of friends. It describes Quincy's ethos...the city's soul...what the Gem City is all about.

"If you pour it, they will come."

We are a community settled by German immigrants, many of them Catholic. We once had several breweries and many neighborhood intersections used to have a tavern on one corner, a grocer on another corner and a church on another. Don't know what was on the fourth corner.

Most of our church picnics and festivals have beer. The suds flow and the good times roll.

Now I'm okay with this. I always have been. Of course, I don't condone drinking and driving and believe people should be responsible (even though I know I haven't been before), but most of my social functions feature a brew or two.

Part of the reason the Quincy Gems baseball team became popular when it started up was because of beer sales. Beer and baseball...doesn't get more American than that.

Now the Oakley-Lindsay Center, which operates the Gems, became reliant on the baseball team's revenues as the building couldn't generate enough revenue on its own to balance the books (I'm going to refrain on any comments about the accounting used by the OLC back in the day under former Executive Director Jeff Jansen, but it was usually as accurate as the Gems' attendance totals were).

Now the Gems' revenues have tapered off and current OLC Director Rob Ebbing is trying to come up with creative ways to bring in the cash. A prime example is this, from an Oakley-Lindsay Center news release:

0 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by Administrator

Mike Nobis of the Quincy Area Action Council pinch-hits:

This past week the Illinois General Assembly passed through two very controversial bills affecting small business owners, HB 3237 would have made it a Class 4 felony for a contractor who “willful and knowingly” violates the prevailing wage requirement and HB 2987 codifies an existing gubernatorial order requiring the state to use union only labor on state projects.  

Good to know that our local contractors may be up for a felony conviction if they fill out prevailing wage paperwork incorrectly or make a mistake on the classifications (despite the fact that no one at the state agencies can provide answers on the classifications).  

To illustrate the proportionality of prevailing wage and a Class 4 felony, here are some other examples of Class 4 felonies in Illinois: some forms of domestic violence, stalking, violation of restraining orders, mail fraud, reckless endangerment, forgery, fraud, and racketeering. Class 4 felony penalties are 1 to 4 years in prison and up to $50,000 fine. Yeah, filling out a prevailing wage form is certainly proportional to beating and stalking your spouse, forging checks or recklessly endangering someone. This means that certified payroll enforcement has a higher penalty than every misdemeanor in the criminal statutes. Sell a little pot, get in a fight, hey no problem – that’s a misdemeanor but don’t mess up your certified payroll or your butt is going to prison. And we have to assume the public employee who can never tell us the proper prevailing wage classification that applies to a project is also going to be subject to a felony conviction for knowingly misleading us - I’ll hold my breath while waiting for that to happen. They can be as vague and misleading as they want, what do they care. It is our contractors that are the ones risking the felony. Just ridiculous.  

Of course, it may not be a problem since most of the public projects will have PLAs so our local guys probably won’t be able to work on them anyway. They won’t have to worry about prevailing wage felonies because their crews won’t be working. In Illinois public works projects are for the politically favored folks – 93% of our contractors need not apply. We all certainly love paying 67% more in taxes for public projects that our local businesses are legally excluded from working on. You can’t discriminate on race, color, creed, sexual orientation and all the rest but you can discriminate based on a union card – great system, real fair…typical business hating Illinois.  

It doesn’t end with public entities since non-profits receiving any state money and private businesses in enterprise zones, TIF districts or who receive a public grant (even if minor) all have these rules applied to them, as well. Once you really start looking at the extent of these rules, you realize just how far governmental powers extend into the private sector. It doesn’t take much of a stretch of the imagination to think about a vindictive (or corrupt) bureaucrat interpreting the rules against you and then you are in a world of trouble. Where does the honest mistake end and the “knowingly and willfully” infraction begin? I hope that determination isn’t based on your political party or union affiliation. And they wonder why Illinois is LAST in job creation.

0 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Last night's Quincy City Council meeting wasn't full of fireworks and bluster as some might have imagined.

Instead, the city's legal counsel will "look into" putting all 14 aldermen on the Hydropower Corporation's Board of Directors.

I guess the Draconian measure would have been to call for a vote to abolish the C-Corp on the spot Monday night. I guess that's why there's a 99.9 percent chance that I will never run for office (that and the Mitch Daniels "my wife won't let me" excuse and that I'm more effective doing this...if you don't think so, we can have that debate in person), because I think the City Council should expect some kind of answer in a week AT THE MOST and I would want a guarantee that not another dime gets spent without Council approval.

Then again, I might have also pushed for the Draconian solution.

I did want to wait a couple of days after FERC's final plug pulling happened before writing about this. But it is pretty clear to me, after a few private conversations with some people in the know, that the city's Lock and Dam 21 hydropower effort is toast. Of course, it really didn't take much insight to come to that conclusion.

I hope the city isn't going pull an end run like trying to get another governmental agency (one of the local drainage districts) or a quasi-governmental agency (GREDF would be the obvious suspect here) to ramp this up again. I certainly hope Mayor John Spring's silence isn't simply a ploy to try to play for time to drum up some other avenue to salvage this thing.

The citizens' appetite for this was minimal in the first place and the constant force-feeding of the Hydro spinach by the QNI/GREDF/City Hall cartel hasn't made it any more palatable (If you like spinach, I apologize). The same strategy the cartel is using to sell intermodal won't play publicly either.

The constantly changing process and end game of this project didn't help either. What were the citizens of Quincy going to get from this? "We should be green, it's the future" is a nice platitude but tell that to a public wanting streets and sewers fixed and watching a 60-year-old Quincy business move across the river.

I would guess that before the aldermen force their way onto the C-Corp Board, Spring will have an answer to their move. I have no inside baseball as to what that might be, but stay tuned.

On a completely different note, I am compiling the responses I have to send to the Quincy School Board regarding the public sentiment issue. I am not going to publish the responses because many of them deal with specific instances and I'm not going to publicly involve some of the district employees.

But I will bring the issues to the attention of the School Board and the superintendent. That will happen this week.

4 Comments    Leave Comment

Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 by J. Robert Gough

Congressman Aaron Schock is speaking to the Quincy Rotary Club this afternoon. The meeting is at the Holiday Inn, 4821 Oak.

Follow along if you can't make it.

Crowd is starting to fill in. Lots of people are here and I'm pretty sure they aren't all Rotarians, but that's fine. Not my club and I'm sure they are happy to host.

12:18 p.m.: It's packed and the singing has started. It's a Rotary thing. They'll have Rotary business to conduct before the Congressman speaks.

12:26 p.m.: Still doing Rotary business...

12:30 p.m. JWCC President Tom Klincar is introducing Schock. He jokes that he gets to do that because he is the boss of Rotary President Alan Steigleman. Klincar is running down Schock's resume and is talking about his first meeting with Schock during Klincar's first week on the job. Talking about Schock graduating from Bradley after only two years and Schock running for Peoria School Board as a teenager, when the Peoria School Board president had him knocked off the ballot and Schock then ran as a write-in and won.

Klincar says he hopes Schock remains representing this district after redistricting.

12:37 p.m. Schock starts...

Home for a recess period. Says it is good to be around "normal" people. Says he looks forward to dialogue and questions. Says it's been an exciting couple of months. Says the worst day being in the majority is better than the best day of being in the minority.

Says he has to remind people on his side of the aisle that they only won the majority of one-third of government. Says the House still must get along with the executive branch and the Senate. Said they had to pass the budget as soon as this session started because the last Congress didn't do that. Talks about the reauthorization process.

Said there was a pledge to cut $100 billion from the budget, but you can't change entitlement programs in the middle of the fiscal year. Says 3/4 of spending is entitlements and spending on the debt and that has to be dealt with. Says 15 pecent is non-descretionary spending and defense is about the same.

Said the House kept putting forth Continuing Resolutions, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had no alternatives and didn't pass a single spending authority bill.

Says he's going to give his perspective and if some in the room don't like it, they can speak next week. (Mild applause)

Said he told the Treasury Secretary that the President couldn't pass a tax increase with a Democratic House, how is he going to pass them with a Republican House. Said the budget has done nothing with entitlements.

Talks about discretionary spending. Said there was money to play with in the 1970's and says by 2040 all tax dollars with current tax rates will have to go to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. If we do nothing, entitlements will eat all tax revenues.

Said Republicans ran to solve these problems and they need to put out some solutions. Put out a budget that dealt with the issues. Says cannot pay off the debt in 10 years. Can't but benefits to current entitlement recipients. Says its not fair.

Under the GOP plan, 55 and over, nothing changes. Under 55, there will be changes. Says if you can afford it, your benefit will be lower. If you can't afford it or you are sick, you will get more in terms of Medicare. Makes system solvent for the next 100 years. Says he hopes to make some ground on entitlement reforms.

He says eliminating waste, fraud, abuse and foreign aid will not solve the nation's problems. Says the House budget passed in April with the most number of yes votes of any budget in last 10 years.

Says tax reform is needed. Says there will not be tax reform unless everything is on the table. Says the Democrats and Republicans are working together to get to an overall tax rate of 25 percent (with 25 percent being the top end). Says the sacred cow off the table will probably be charitable deductions.

Says we sell more to all countries in trade agreements. Says we shouldn't wall ourselves off. Says we need to push trade to South America. Says a new trade deal will be in place with South Korea, Colombia and Panama in June.

Redistricting...says one party controls the whole game in Illinois and he has no say in where he will go. He says someone's district will be gone and the other 18 will be redrawn. He says he is pretty sure he will have an opponent. He says it is unknown and he said he was told the map will be unveiled Wednesday. Says there will be a 10 day review period and "supposedly" some modifications. He says he doesn't know if the map will be the real map or something for public comment. Said Speaker Madigan told him Illinois will lose a seat and it won't be from Chicago. Says he needs to gain about 100,000 in population in his district. Says he hopes the 17th is squared up. Says if the map isn't fair and balanced, it could go to court.

He said he hopes he has all of Adams County in his district (I'll bet he says that to all the counties).

Says there is no revenue stream for locks and dams and highways at this time in terms of a massive bill for infrastructure. 

Says the mortgage deduction will be tough to eliminate as well. Figures it will stay as a deduction along with charitable.  

1:14 p.m.: all done.

2 Comments    Leave Comment

Showing 1 - 15 of 677 Articles | Page 1 of 46