City of Champaign Updates

This post covers several updates on recent City Council meetings, Downtown Plaza updates, an update on a Garden Hills program, the City's Diversity Advancement Program, and some additional City information on marijuana legalization to STD rates.

There's a City Council Study Session coming up reviewing City boards and commissions (and may cover earlier concerns about the police review board). More on that in a separate post here. At the last Study Session the City Council looked at guidelines for the City sponsoring events. From the News-Gazette a couple weeks back:

The Champaign City Council is still trying to settle on guidelines for helping it determine which events to sponsor...

Staff came back Tuesday with the recommendation that the city shouldn’t sponsor or fund events, with narrow exceptions for existing agreements with 40 North’s Friday Night Live program and the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon.

At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, they again directed staff to prepare for another study session on guidelines for event sponsorship.

That full article here. Earlier this week the City Council approved an engineering contract that would get the ball rolling on the planning stages for the Downtown Plaza project. WCIA had a helpful blurb here:

It would turn the parking lot at Neil and Washington into a public plaza. On Tuesday night, city council members unanimously approved an agreement with engineering firm, Clark Dietz, Inc. The agreement is worth $119,475.

The firm is working on the “immediate phase” of the project — which includes making design plans for a stage, specialty lighting, sidewalk improvements and a crosswalk at Neil and Hill Streets.

To read the full council bill that was approved, click here.

Full blurb and video segment here. The News-Gazette had additional details in its article previewing the City Council meeting here. Even more information and links in the bottom half of a previous Cheat Sheet post on Champaign City Planning here, including information about potential phases of the Plaza development.

The Garden Hills SLEEP program received additional funding approved at that same City Council meeting. WCCU had a quick overview here:

Garden Hills will be receiving more exterior lighting thanks to the City of Champaign and Busey Bank.
The Champaign City Council approved the almost $68,000 grant at Tuesday night's meeting...

Busey Bank will also grant $75,000 for five homeowners to add more upgrades to their homes.

Full blurb with video segment here. The News-Gazette had additional background in their coverage here:

The city initially committed $122,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the program and got 59 applications from homeowners in 2019...

The new funds will go toward “emergency escape and rescue windows, and the lighting features at the entry points, as well as the yard poles,” said Jennifer Carlson, the city’s neighborhood programs manager.

“When we developed the SLEEP program, we always had the intent that we would seek out other funding sources because we see it as a great need and a great opportunity,” Carlson said.

That full article here. Additional background and concerns about the SLEEP program and the City priorities with the Garden Hills neighborhood in a previous Cheat Sheet post here.

Smile Politely highlighted the City's Diversity Advancement Program and an information session coming up for it on January 28th:

The City of Champaign Diversity Advancement Program "encourages City departments, contractors, and other vendors doing business with the City to increase the amount of goods and services provided by local businesses owned by minorities, women, and other socially and economically disadvantaged groups." On Tuesday, January 28th at 8:30 a.m., the City of Champaign and Small Business Development Center at the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation are hosting an info session for those interested in learning more about how the program works.

Rachel Joy, the City of Champaign’s Community Relations Manager/Compliance Officer will give a presentation, followed by a Q&A. The session will take place at 1817 S. Neil Street, Suite 100, Champaign. It's free, and walk-ins are welcome, but RSVP if you can. 

That full blurb here. More information at the links in the excerpt or the City's website here.

The Daily Illini had a recent article about STD rates in the United States and Champaign's ranking 50, possibly due to the perils of college town lifestyles. More on that here.

The City of Champaign released a Champaign Police Department video answering questions about legally using marijuana in the City of Champaign on their YouTube channel here.