City of Champaign Updates Into March

This post covers City Council Meetings in February and early March, updates on police training, possible local Post Office changes, surveillance expansion, downtown planning and much more.

City Council 3/5 Meeting:

Heads up: there won't be a City Council meeting this upcoming Tuesday, March 12th, according to the City Manager. This is likely due to the Mayor and other council members unable to attend. At the March 5th meeting the Mayor noted that she will be out of town and other members are likely to be attending a public input event about the Champaign U.S. Post Office review. More information on that review at the USPS website here. Excerpt relating to public input:

Public input will be considered as part of the review. A public meeting will be held to share the initial results of the study and to allow members of the local community to provide their feedback and perspectives on the Initial Findings of the MPFR. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 6:00 PM at the YMCA of the University of Illinois, 1001 Wright St, Champaign, IL 61820. A summary of the MPFR will be posted on about.usps.com at least one week prior to the public input meeting. 

Members of the local community may submit comments at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mpfr-champaign-il.

The News-Gazette had coverage of the local pushback on potential changes or reduction of service locally. WCIA had additional coverage here.

The only action item that received any significant comment or discussion at the March 5th meeting was the approval of Champaign Police Department and Fire Department training agreement with the Public Safety Training Foundation and their massive training facilities outside of Decatur, Illinois. The Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center is a part of those facilities.

Lt. Aaron Lack of the Champaign Police and the Mayor described the breadth of the facilities there, including an "indoor city" with furnished office building, bars, an Amtrak train car, and other simulation facilities. On the fire training side there were also unique facilities for issues such as grain bin rescues on site. There's no cost to the City from the center itself although travel costs and per diem expenses are a factor. The time would be part of the 10 hour training time allotted in current officer pay as opposed to any overtime costs.

For those interested in the massive funding that went into those facilities, Howard Buffett's police training philanthropy in the Decatur area and his Police Safety Training Foundation, ProPublica had a breakdown of some of the foundation financial numbers. The Mayor also highlighted that the facility allows public tours and can facilitate organizations to visit and check out the center. She visited as part of a delegation from the Illinois Municipal League recently.

City Council 2/20 Meeting:

The News-Gazette had an overview of the February 20th City Council meeting in their Meeting Minutes feature here (agenda, video). Excerpt:

Phase 1 of Champaign’s Neil Street Plaza project is a go after the city council voted to formally accept a $500,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Construction on the first phase is scheduled to start this summer and expected to conclude sometime in 2025. It will involve extending the plaza by about 200 feet and renovating One Main Plaza, at the corner of Neil and Main streets, including the installation of a performance stage equipped with power and wiring for sound and lighting equipment.

That full article here. There was a study session after the regular meeting going over the Downtown Plan Update (report, video jump to link). Smile Politely had some additional information and links related to the Downtown Plaza project here.

The approval of 72 new cameras as part of the expansion of the Automatic License Plate Reader program and contract with Flock Safety. The item passed unanimously without comments from by the council or any audience members (jump to video). Unlike previous ALPR devices, the new camera systems will allow real-time monitoring and additional surveillance capabilities. From the staff report on the council bill:

PSC Boxes and Expansion of ALPR Technology. Council approved the expansion of the ALPR program and the implementation of the PSC program on December 12, 2023 (CB 2023-209). Eighteen PSC boxes were directed to be built and placed at major intersections throughout Champaign. Each PSC box, if approved by Council, will be built by Police Department staff and will have four different cameras per box for a total of seventy-two (72) cameras to complete all 18 boxes. Two cameras are dedicated to the ALPR license plate capture, with licensing contracted from Flock, and will cover all four directions of the intersection. 

The tilt zoom camera will enable real-time monitoring of any ongoing situations in the intersection. The 360-degree camera will record all activity at an intersection and will provide the Police Department with a better investigatory tool for crashes and ongoing criminal investigations. The PSC boxes are cost-effective and efficient because they are built in-house and only require one box per intersection. The City utilized a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to purchase the 72 cameras.

Previous City staff reports on surveillance expansion noted that these cameras are in addition to other expanded surveillance by the city. This also includes a recent purchase of a new surveillance van with remote capabilities described as a "Premier Surveillance Platform" with a Command Center and Tech Center. From the November 10th staff report:

The Department employs body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, mobile camera trailers and four investigative pole cameras.

Investigative cameras are typically deployed during long-term investigations involving felony crimes and are never utilized to identify, capture, or enforce minor offenses. These cameras are placed on a public right of way in locations experiencing violent crime. Video evidence gathered from these cameras is utilized in the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes.

Additionally, in 2021, Champaign Police purchased a mobile video trailer as an additional resource for the department to proactively deploy for the safe management of large-scale community events. This trailer can also be rapidly deployed in response to unexpected incidents that may pose a significant threat to public safety.

WCIA also highlighted the City's annexation and approval of solar panels at an animal rescue facility at that same meeting (go to link of video of the consolidated bills passage). There was an opportunity for public input on the annexation of the property into the City earlier in the same meeting. There was additional coverage looking for public input to name the Moore’s Rescue Ranch's "cat lounge" here.

The News-Gazette coverage also noted that there will be a nationwide search for a new Public Works Director for the City after Khalil Zaied announced that he has to leave the position and move out of state due to private family matters.

City Council 2/6 Meeting:

WAND had coverage of the City's $2 million settlement related to the death of a tow truck driver who died while assisting City personnel at an accident scene. That article also links to additional News-Gazette coverage here.

Other City Government Updates:

• There are a couple public input opportunities on the city's Annual Action Plan that "outlines local affordable housing and community development needs and identifies strategies for addressing them." There are public input opportunities coming up March 21st and 26th meetings at the City Building as well as online input options on the City's website here.
  
  
• The Illinois Department of Commerce has designated North First Street as a cultural district. This will open up more funding opportunities for the city towards projects in that community, according to the News-Gazette.
  
  
• C-U Citizen Access had a follow up article on the lack of any new Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) or building permits after the City Council approved zoning changes to allow them. The article has an overview of the topic, links to previous articles and concerns, and more.
  
  
• The City's Human Relations Commission had a presentation from the local Pixan Konob’ interpreters collective and their efforts to assist interpreter needs by local services and agencies in Champaign County. This includes indigenous Mayan languages often used by immigrants from Guatemala and Southern Mexico, for example (agenda, video). There's an overview of the group from their presentation to a County Board finance study session back in 2021 here.
  
  
• The News-Gazette reprinted a C-U Citizen Access article on concerns among Garden Hills residents in Champaign on the overwhelming number of liquor and gambling establishments in their area. The article goes into detail and maps some of the licensing around the neighborhood.

Unit 4 Controversies

 

This post has the latest updates on the controversies surrounding Unit 4 and recent meeting coverage from February and early March with the Board of Education. See also our previous Cheat Sheet post on Unit 4 updates over the past several months. It covers many presentations on programs that are working (and possibly expanding), transportation challenges, and Illinois State Board of Education and other data on test scores and various achievement gaps.

Booker T. Washington Leadership Change:

There are a lot of unknowns, speculation, and rumors about what may or may not be happening to the school administrators at Booker T. Washington school. News-Gazette Editor Jeff D'Alessio laid out some of the challenges in reporting on the subject in an WDWS interview (about 45 minutes into the Penny for Your Thoughts podcast), especially when the district refuses to comment on personnel matters. 

The one thing D'Alessio seemed sure about is that a decision for a leadership change has been made by Unit 4 at BTW. The BTW Principal, Jamie Roundtree, has now hired an attorney over the issue, according to WAND. Vice Principal Rebecca Ramey is the other BTW administrator caught up in the possible leadership change.

Rallies and Clashing Views on Superintendent:

The February Board of Education meeting was preceded by a rally outside of the administration building in support of Booker T. Washington school administrators believed to be being removed (at least from that particular school). Coverage of the rally and concerns is available from the News-Gazette, WCCU, and WAND respectively. 

Supporters of Superintendent Sheila Boozer derided the rally as part of efforts to remove the current Superintendent as opposed to the stated goals of protecting BTW administrators. A local social media group appears to have been the target of some of the complaints. Links to a separate Change.org online petition criticizing and calling for the firing of the Superintendent were also shared there.

Imani Bezzell, a long-time local activist and supporter of reforms at Unit 4, led the public comment portion of the meeting off with a passionate defense of the Superintendent matched with a condemnation of the rally goers. She stated up front that she arranged to have unlimited time with the school board. The microphone typically switches off shortly after the 3 minute clock runs out and the camera shifts away from the public speaker's podium back to the board. When this occurred for Bezzell the Board President, Dr. Gianna Baker, had the the microphone turned back on and the camera angle turned back to the Superintendent's supporter.

This caused some confusion and anger as later speakers (including administration critics) were admonished by the board parliamentarian and some of the Superintendent's supporters in the audience for going over their time later during the public comment period. While some government bodies may, with a vote, "suspend the rules" to allow longer speaking time for public participants, the Unit 4 board rules allow the board president to unilaterally make such an allowance, even for a single individual (see Unit 4 Policies section 2:230).

The meeting video is available here, with Unit 4 school board agendas and related documents available here. It was another long meeting with a couple of important presentations in the middle again. Here are the video timestamps:

• Superintendent's Report began the meeting.
  
  
• First Public Comment began at 14:25.
  
  
• Appointment of Director of Custodial/Grounds intro, approval, comments at 1:07:00.
  
  
• Reports:
• Operation Hope report at 1:11:40.
• LIFT report at 1:48:50.
  
  
• New Business / Action Items voted on at 2:41:40.
  
  
• 2nd Round of Public Comment began at 3:13:15.
  
  
• Board comments at 3:25:30.

Contentious March Meeting:

The first Unit 4 meeting of March (video, agenda packets) also had more contentious moments and (the public portion) ended with the resignation of board member Jamar Brown and some heartfelt statements on that by other board members. WCIA had coverage specifically of that resignation here. The board is responsible for filling the vacancy in the next couple months. WCIA had a short blurb on the district's statement on the resignation and filling the vacancy here.

WCIA also had a write-up and overview of the March 4th meeting here. Excerpt:

he Champaign Board of Education hosted its bimonthly meeting on Monday. Among other things, the board discussed liability insurance, construction bids and the purchase of outdoor digital marquee signs for schools.

However, the meeting was marked with a heated discussion between two members and came to a shocking and emotional end when a board member resigned...

The board deliberated on lowering an insurance limit for parents and guardians who have to take their children to school due to unreliable bus service. An agreement allows for parents and guardians to be reimbursed for any expenses related to this transportation as long as parents and guardians have auto insurance that pays no less than $100,000 for bodily injury and property damage...

However, the proposal did not pass after a deadlocked vote.

That full meeting write-up here. The News-Gazette also had coverage of the resignation and meeting:

A meeting that opened with Superintendent Shelia Boozer’s customary slideshow, ticking off all the reasons why “it’s a great day day in Unit 4,” ended with one board member expressing disappointment in what she called the district’s “lack of transparency,” another announcing his resignation less than a year after being elected and a third questioning her own future...

“After my first term, I dubbed that experience as ‘the best thing that I’d never wanted to do,’” Brown said. “Unfortunately, the second time around, I cannot say I’m having the same experience. This time around has been filled with mistrust, missteps and misinformation. During this time, the school board has taken much criticism over many different topics from various stakeholders. Some of it was warranted, some of it was not and there’s even some that’s been self-inflicted.”

That full article here. Another excerpt from Jamar Brown's resignation from WCIA:

"The district’s decision to not maintain a level of humility, compassion, and adjustability has forced us to focus on adult-orient issues instead of student’ centered ones that could help raise reading and math scores and comprehension, the ones that ensure that every child in our district is seen, heard and respected and the one where we asses ourselves to make sure we have the right people in the right position where they can thrive and in turn pass that along to our students. So because of this, I no longer see value in continuing in this capacity. So please accept this as my resignation from the Champaign Unit 4 Board of Education effective today, at the conclusion of open session."

This meeting was originally rescheduled from the end of last month due to a lack of quorum (enough members able to attend to carry out official board duties). During the school year the board typically meets on both the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. This added to some concerns by one side of the insurance liability issue (that failed in a 3-3 tie vote) that the long delayed item was voted on when one of the supporters of changing the policy was absent.

Other Unit 4 Updates:

• One of the participants in the BTW school campus shooting incident was sentenced, according to WCIA.
  
  
• There was additional WAND coverage of support for BTW administrators at a recent PTA meeting there.
• The News-Gazette had a round up of average teacher salaries in area school districts.
  
  
• Unit 4 statement on the death of local child and education advocate Devon "Big Wayne" Turner from WCIA coverage.

Election Updates

A reminder that early voting has already begun for the March 19th, 2024 primary election. There are local, state, and federal races on the ballot from precinct committeepersons to presidential delegates. This post has an update on write-in and other candidates you may see on your ballot in Champaign County. You can see your sample ballot at the Champaign County Clerk's website here.

This post follows up on a previous election update that included a link to the League of Women Voters candidate forum for Democratic candidates competing to get on the general election ballot for County Coroner in the fall. 

Write-in and Other Candidates:

Tom Kacich had an overview of some write-in candidates folks may find on their ballot within Champaign County for federal and State races (depending on where they fall in those federal and state districts). The Champaign County Clerk's website has a list of the write-in candidates here if you can't access the News-Gazette article:

• United States Representative 15th District - Kevin A. Gaither (Democratic)
• Illinois State Representative 102nd District - Adam Niemerg (Republican)
• Illinois State Representative 102nd District - Edward "Ed" Blade (Republican)
• Illinois State Representative 102nd District - Jim Acklin (Republican)
• County Board District 8 - Latrina Peete (Republican)
• Precinct Committeeperson City of Champaign 12 - Latrina Peete (Republican)
• Precinct Committeeperson Cunningham 23 - Ronald Vlach (Republican)

You'll notice that there a few local government races with write-in candidates on your ballot too, but only if you live in those particular districts. You can look up which districts you are in and get sample ballots for either party's primary races on the Clerk's website here. There is likely a non-partisan ballot available for folks who live in the Northern Piatt Fire Protection District, where there is a referendum question outside of the party primary races.

The VoteChampaign non-partisan voter guide (a project in collaboration with the local League of Women Voters) has information, questionnaire answers and links to more information on contested races within Champaign County. The Republican primary ballot for a representative in the Illinois 13th Congressional District is contested.  We only cover local government on the Cheat Sheet, but there is other local coverage of federal candidates. For example, the Daily Illini had an overview of the Republican federal congressional primary candidates and and an interview with one of them recently for the 13th District here. Arguably the top contested race at the county level in this primary is on the Democratic ballot between two candidates vying for the coroner's office.

Precinct Committeepersons:

People may notice a number of precinct committee races on their ballots, including a handful contested on both the Republican and Democratic party ballots. These local party positions help choose a party chair and have votes in how the local county parties operate. The major parties tend to be "big tent" organizations with internal competing factions and ideologies.

County Board member Jeff Wilson was on the WDWS program "Penny For Your Thoughts" yesterday (2/29/2024) explaining the importance of these committeeperson seats and how their votes are weighed when voting on a party chair or other local party decisions. This applies to both major parties in Champaign County. The countywide precinct committeeperson makeup can determine if a local party apparatus aligns with certain candidates or more conservative, liberal, or moderate ideological views.

Later in that same interview, Wilson also commented on local election integrity. He addressed a caller's concern that the local system was rigged and argued that people should volunteer to be election judges and watchers to watch how the process works. He pointed to the chain of custody procedures and bipartisan collaboration in the process to ensure votes are fairly processed and counted.