By DEANA STROISCH (deana.stroisch@sj-r.com) THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted Aug 07, 2011
Springfield’s three newest aldermen say they are optimistic this city council can put politics aside and tackle tough issues — from the budget to abandoned, boarded-up houses. But progress is taking longer than they expected. With their first 100 days in office behind them, Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner, Ward 6 Ald. Cory Jobe and Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin shared their take on city government, their accomplishments and the challenges ahead.
Joe McMenamin, Ward 7
McMenamin said that while he was prepared to devote a lot of time to his aldermanic job, it’s been much more than he imagined.
McMenamin, too, has been working on improving the city’s rules governing problem properties.
He said the city should regularly publish a list online of registered vacant, boarded-up buildings by ward. Doing so, he said, would make it easier to identify those that should be registered but aren’t.
He also has been working on setting up a tax increment finance district to encourage development and help revitalize MacArthur Boulevard. McMenamin said the ordinances are in draft form, and that the Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, village of Leland Grove and others have agreed to help pay for consulting and implementation fees.
He said he also has been researching ways to eliminate the 5 percent pay “spike” that longtime employees in the police and fire department are eligible for during individual pay periods, around their work anniversaries and birthdays. When employees retire during a spike period, their pensions are based on the increased salary rather than their previous pay.
“I think there’s consensus that we will eliminate spiking for union and staff, but it’s a question of timing,” McMenamin said.
He also said the MacArthur Park apartment complex in his ward is in much worse condition than he thought. On Friday, city officials executed a search warrant to inspect vacant units.
McMenamin has been holding regular office hours from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturdays at South Side Christian Church, 2600 S. MacArthur Blvd. He said he averages meeting with about two constituents each Tuesday and Saturday.
McMenamin said the city’s biggest challenge ahead is payroll count and levels of pay.
He called the mayor’s move to put 2 percent of the city’s budget in reserve accounts as a “conservative, modest proposal that made sense.”
Overall, he said, this city council has the potential to be very effective.
“I think it’s still very early in this council’s life,” McMenamin said. “A lot that needs to be accomplished is months, and possibly years, away. I think the mayor is still assembling his team. Until that team is put together, there is a limit to what can be accomplished.”
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 