Urbana Downtown Residential Development

 

For the first time in over a decade there may be a residential development in downtown Urbana. From last Wednesday's News-Gazette:

Urbana to sell downtown block for $1 in development deal
With the promise of about 42 new townhouse units near its downtown, the city of Urbana plans to sell a vacant block for $1.

The city reached a deal with Green Street Realty to convert the 200 block of South Vine Street into a townhouse-style development that could be completed by May 2020.

The $5 million project would include two- and three-story townhouses, with garages for some units.

The agreement still needs to be approved by the Urbana City Council, and Urbana is hosting an open house at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the City Building for the public to learn about the project...

Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin said this is the first residential development downtown since Stratford Residences was built in 2005 at 202 N. Race St...

According to the agreement with Green Street Realty, 100 percent of its property taxes from the increased value of the property will be reimbursed the first year, 80 percent the next year and no property taxes will be reimbursed the sixth year.

The project also sits in Urbana's Enterprise Zone, which means it should be eligible for sales tax exemptions for new construction materials.

Full article here with additional information.

Sex Ed and Local Government

If your memories of Sex Ed were the horror shows and dire warnings from local religious elders in their public school teacher day jobs (squeezing as much shock and awful secular public schools would allow) then this recent article on how modern Sex Ed works in the area may sound like an improvement. From last Tuesday's News-Gazette:

Health district educators ensuring middle-schoolers get comprehensive sex ed
...
To ensure students in Champaign, Urbana and Rantoul were getting "comprehensive" information — which includes teaching about sexually transmitted diseases, birth control, abstinence and consent — educators with the health district have been going into middle schools for the past five years, equipped with an evidence-based curriculum that goes for seven weeks.

"It's called 'Making Proud Choices,'" Greger said. "Generally, the kids are really receptive to it. The teachers enjoy the program, as well."

If it seems redundant to bring an additional educator into middle schools already staffed with health teachers, Greger said it's often not.

"It kind of takes maybe that awkwardness out of teaching it for the teacher," she said. "We're in there with those kids for however long; we don't see them every day. The kids might even be more comfortable talking to us about that kind of thing than with their regular classroom teacher."

More at the full article here. It also highlighted further collaboration that led to consent being on the curriculum:

For the past two years, the three educators have reached roughly 1,000 students per year, with Fruitt adding that Rantoul schools have added an extra layer of education for students by inviting Urbana's Rape Advocacy Counseling and Education Services to present on sexual-assault prevention.

That, she said, came about as a result of a coalition between school officials, the health district and social-service providers.

Feinen Circulating Petitions for Reelection

The News-Gazette noted that the current mayor of Champaign was circulating petitions towards a run for a second term today in its list of local officials who are in or out in upcoming municipal elections. Yes, that process has already begun and the midterms aren't even over yet! Just a reminder:

Thinking about getting involved in your own city government? The process starts with an election petition. From WAND (with video segment):

Election petitions available for City of Champaign
Election petitions are being accepted for the City of Champaign's open positions.

Champaign's municipal elections will be held in early 2019.

Those interested in running for Mayor or an open City Council seat can pick up or download election petitions.

Petitions are available to pick up from the City Clerk's Office, 102 N. Neil Street, Champaign, or to download from the City's website by clicking HERE.

Completed petitions must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office between the dates of Nov. 19-26, 2018.

If necessary, a Consolidated Primary for these positions will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. 

The General Election will be on April 2, 2019.

Those with questions about the election petitions can contact the City Clerk at 217-403-8945 or the City Attorney at 217-403-8765.

Original article with video here. Direct link to the City's election website and the petitions here: http://champaignil.gov/finance/city-clerk/elections/.

Unit 4 Board Overview

The News-Gazette had an overview of the Unit 4 Board meeting last week, which mainly revolved around a home near Central High School they had earlier declined to purchase as part of the referendum renovations:

Unit 4 school district agrees to buy family's house
...
But on Tuesday evening, the Unit 4 school district agreed to pay $298,000 and become that property's owner, ending a years-long state of "limbo" for Tim and Deb Bowers, the current owners...

In other board news, members heard from a public engagement firm who'd analyzed the district's projected enrollment over the next 10 years. Information from that report could inform later decisions on whether to redistrict, board members said, but public input and more information would be necessary first.

According to the study, the district's estimated overall enrollment in 10 years could be 10,571 — up a few hundred students from the projection of 10,182 students this school year.

The board also approved a hazardous materials abatement contract with Abetco Inc. for $123,797.

Two grant proposals written by assistant superintendent Jennifer Ivory-Tatum and aimed at "support[ing] instruction for the educationally disadvantaged students" — as well as providing professional development for teachers within that programming — also received the board's stamp of approval.

Full article here.

West Bradley Safety Study Session

There was an overview of the City of Champaign's Council study session in the News-Gazette last Wednesday:

Safety updates planned for stretch of Bradley Avenue
Motivated by two strikingly similar pedestrian deaths last year on a stretch of West Bradley Avenue, city of Champaign staff have come up with a plan to add a crosswalk, fix sidewalks and bring better lighting to the area.

But as Mayor Deb Feinen said at Tuesday's study session about safety on Bradley between Prospect and McKinley avenues, the 2019 Bradley Avenue Project is essentially a stop-gap measure to address safety concerns right away, while city staff continue to look at how to bring more development to the north side.

Already the city has placed flashing crossing signs along West Bradley, and officials hope to keep those in place even after some project improvements are made.

On Tuesday, Assistant City Engineer Chris Sokolowski told the Champaign City Council the project's price tag — about $900,000 — and laid out a schedule that would see a plan before the council in March, a contract by April, and construction in summer 2019. The work would focus mainly on resurfacing existing pavement along Bradley from Prospect to McKinley, installing new street lights and a crosswalk just east of Willis Avenue, and fixing broken sidewalk ramps and cracked panels.

More information at the full article here.

City of Urbana Union Deal Struck

Last week's Urbana City Council meeting was covered in the News-Gazette last Tuesday:

Urbana council OKs union contract
The Urbana City Council on Monday approved a collective bargaining agreement with the AFSCME Local 1331 that includes hourly rate increases, uniform allowances and other provisions for city workers, measures that will increase the city's budget.

The council also approved amending the budget, and noted an increase of $165,020 for a one-time payment that covers retroactive hourly rate increases of 1 percent for 2017, 2018; 2 percent for 2019; as well as a one-time ratification incentive of $2,500 for eligible bargaining unit members and other retroactive payments.

The new contract also sets up a 2 and 2.25 percent base hourly wage increase for 2019 through June 30, 2021, when the contract expires.

But it gets rid of the "me too" agreement, which guarantees the hourly wage contract terms are extended to workers represented by AFSCME, in favor of the lump sum $2,500 bonuses.

The city estimates it will save about $57,850 at the end of 2020 by eliminating the compensation match.

More details at the full article here.

MTD Grants for "The Yards"

In what appears to be an initial, but not decisive setback for "The Yards" project, the MTD was unable to secure one of the grants it was hoping to rely on for some of the funding. From the News-Gazette last Tuesday:

MTD spokeswoman Lisa Meid said the agency didn’t make the cut for a ‘5339’ grant from the Federal Transit Administration.

Meid said the MTD may hear soon whether it will be awarded a BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In both cases, the MTD asked for $25 million.

There’s also expected to be an unspecified amount of private funding for the estimated $200 million “Yards” project, which could include an expansion of the Illinois Terminal, parking decks, 100-plus apartments, another downtown hotel, convention space and an arena for a potential Illini Division I hockey team.

Full blurb here.

Unit 4 Teacher's Strike

It's been a busy week for contract negotiations between Unit 4 and the Champaign Federation of Teachers union. On Monday there was news that there would be a federal mediator involved in getting the parties to work through the impasse:

Before negotiations resume today — this time with a federal mediator on hand — members of the Champaign Federation of Teachers plan rallied at Unit 4's Mellon Administrative Center. Today's session marks the eighth time the two sides have sat down to negotiate a contract that ended on June 30. The district says the teachers union has rejected two proposals; CFT President JEN WHITE says they didn't resolve several "sticking points," which are sure to come up at today's rally.

A few of those sticking points are laid out in the preliminary article (after the update) here. The update and another article later that night on the web explained how negotiations broke down and the union was heading towards a vote to strike on Thursday:

"We overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike," said Anderson, who was unable to give an exact tally. "We will continue to negotiate, and our next scheduled negotiating session is set for Oct. 23."

She said the earliest teachers could go on strike would be the first week of December.

The union represents more than 850 certified teachers in the Unit 4 district. Their last contract expired June 30; negotiations on a new agreement began May 16.

Full blurb here. WCIA had an article (and video segment) with some community response and parents concerned about what a strike may mean for their kids and schedules here.

Champaign Township and C-U At Home Beautification Project

A local program for the homelessness demonstrates how collaboration between local government (City of Champaign Township) and organizations (C-U at Home) are the building blocks for new ideas and programs to be tested and grow if successful. From the News-Gazette last week:

CU at Work pays homeless to help clean up Champaign
...
Inspired by “There’s a Better Way,” an initiative on tackling homelessness started in the New Mexico city, City of Champaign Township Supervisor Andy Quarnstrom thought something similar could be a good fit here.

“Essentially, what they were doing is they take homeless individuals and put them to work doing municipal beautification projects,” Quarnstrom said of Albuquerque’s program. “There, it’s taking care of trash and tumbleweeds. But they provide them with cash at the end of the work day.”

Quarnstrom, with a staff of just three, said he saw the need for assistance to homeless people in town and decided to partner with CU at Home to launch the CU at Work initiative.

The program is funded by the township but administered by CU at Home.

CU at Work participants, accompanied by a truck packed with tools, are paid to walk the streets picking up trash for four hours a day. After their work concludes for the day, they receive a meal.

More information at the full article here.

School Board and Restorative Practices

There has been a lot of concern about increased violence (previous Cheat Sheet post here) and philosophy behind Urbana's recent attempts to institute restorative practices at their schools. From the News-Gazette last Wednesday:

Urbana school board president on discipline approach: Great idea, terrible execution
Abandoning tradition, a somber Urbana school board President John Dimit delivered a statement at the board's meeting Tuesday night that expressed both confidence in the district's new behavioral system as well as deep concerns with its implementation.

Dimit's comments came after months of reaction to an early March announcement that the district's commitment to restorative practices merited the elimination of the dean positions at the middle and high schools.

Community members and district staff contacted the board and school officials or filled the public-comment period at meetings with anecdotes, with some applauding a commitment to restorative practices and others pointing to increased levels of violence at both schools — the latter continuing to be a topic of public comment Tuesday night.

More at the full article here. More on the restorative practices initiative here.

Unit 4 and City of Champaign Deal

The school board and the City of Champaign hammered out some of the details towards the referendum projects heading forward. From the News-Gazette last Wednesday:

Champaign council OKs deal with school district for referendum work
...
The city council on Tuesday approved an agreement between the city and school district to facilitate Unit 4 construction projects, including specifics about the use of lights at a renovated McKinley Field.

The deal, which allows the district to move forward with projects associated with the $183.4 million facilities referendum that voters approved in 2016, includes a condition that the athletic field being installed at McKinley cannot host varsity football games. The city also insisted on an 11 p.m. lights-out policy...

In other business, council members pushed for the planning department to include a temporary phase on a project that would reduce the number of lanes on Neil Street between Interstate 74 and downtown.

Council member Angie Brix said she wants to see how traffic flows before the city builds any permanent structures.

More details and information at the full article here.

RACES and Sexual Trauma

Given national events dealing with sexual assault and impassioned public clashes and arguments, people who have experienced sexual assault themselves have been struggling more with their own trauma. From the News-Gazette last Wednesday:

Rape-crisis center seeing uptick in calls in wake of Kavanaugh allegations
...
For some who have never spoken about their assaults, the flood of information and rancor becomes a trigger, and they just can't hold it in anymore, she said.

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network said this week it's seen a 338 percent increase in its sexual-assault-hotline traffic since the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the accusations made by Ford against Kavanaugh.

Sexual violence can have psychological, emotional and physical effects on the survivor, the organization said. Survivors can experience depression, flashbacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexually transmitted infections, sleep disorders, pregnancy, eating disorders, self-harming behaviors and substance abuse, the organization said.

The Urbana agency's rape-crisis hotline — which is staffed around the clock, seven days a week — offers the support and affirmation victims need at that moment, Aime said. RACES also has counselors on staff for ongoing help and support after the hotline call, Aime said...

The phone number for RACES' rape-crisis hotline is 217-384-4444.

Full article here. For those who need additional help, they can direct you to resources from both local government and private organizations in the area. More information at their website and facebook page.

Urbana Council and Union Gardens

Last week the Union Gardens vote was delayed until the October 15th Urbana City Council meeting. From last Tuesday's News-Gazette:

Urbana council delays vote on Union Gardens development
The city council on Monday rescheduled a vote that would advance the Union Gardens development slated for an area straddling the Champaign-Urbana city line in the northern part of the cities.

At the request of the developer, West Lafayette, Ind.-based Trinitas Ventures, the council is now set to vote on annexation and rezoning ordinances for the 406-unit housing development on Oct. 15.

Because it bisects the city line, Union Gardens must be approved by both cities, with Urbana annexing some land from the county and rezoning its section of the proposed site — about a third of the total plot — for housing development.

Terry Townsend, former vice chairman of the Housing Authority of Champaign County, called for a town hall to be scheduled between now and the Oct. 15 vote to talk about affordable housing. He also called for the council to vote down the proposal.

More at the full article here, including an additional bit of information on passed body camera funding for the Urbana Police Department here. More information on the Union Gardens proposal, including criticisms, are in a previous article here.

UIUC Updates: Research Park and Tobacco

 

This week the first steps towards "home rule" of the UI Research Park by the Urbana Campus (as opposed to the greater UI System) took place. This comes after plans for the Discovery Partners Institute emerged that included expanding the UI Research Park in addition to development of a Chicago campus. Initial UI Board of Trustees votes have also started to move that process along. From the News-Gazette last Tuesday:

UI's Urbana campus set to reassume control of Research Park
Monday was a historic day for the University of Illinois Research Park, though people working there shouldn't notice much of a change.

The UI's Urbana campus will soon reassume control of the Research Park from the UI System, where it has been reporting since 2003.

"We're very delighted to re-assume responsibility for the vision and management of the Research Park," Urbana campus Chancellor Robert Jones said at Monday's meeting of the park's board. "This is a very, very exciting, historic day in the history of the University of Illinois."

The Research Park board will need to formally approve the change at its next meeting in February, and the move will also need approval from the UI Board of Trustees.

The UI Research Park was launched in 2000 as a project of the Urbana campus, but its scope was expanded to Chicago in 2003.

A lot more details at the full article here. There was also consideration of expanding the tobacco restrictions on campus. From last Thursday's News-Gazette:

UI campus plans total tobacco ban in 2019
Starting next August, the campus no-smoking policy will be extended to include all smokeless tobacco products, from chewing tobacco to dissolvable tobacco "orbs" and strips.

Michele Guerra, director of the UI's Wellbeing Services Center, said it's a logical extension of the current smoke-free policy, which also bans "vaping," or the use of electronic cigarettes that emit nicotine vapor instead of smoke.

While the initial smoking ban resulted from a push by students, this time it comes from health experts and others on campus concerned about the risks of all forms of tobacco, Guerra said. It's been under consideration for almost a year...

Both Parkland College and Danville Area Community College are already tobacco free, as is the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Like the no-smoking policy, the tobacco ban would apply to students, faculty, other employees and visitors to campus, including fans at sporting events. It would cover all UI-owned property, indoors and outdoors, as well as private vehicles parked on campus property...

The campus will appoint a task force with faculty, students and staff members to work over the next 10 months to develop the "nuts and bolts" of the policy, examining best practices from other campuses. Campus Wellbeing Services will also conduct focus groups to get input from various constituencies and work with the task force to put together materials to answer questions or concerns, he said.

More details, including some criticisms, at the full article here.