Author: joeward7

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

A research center with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking for support from the Springfield City Council on a $40 million pilot project that would retrofit City Water, Light and Power’s newest power plant to capture carbon dioxide.

Kevin O’Brien, director of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, presented their proposal to council members during Monday’s Utilities Committee meeting. The project would study whether the method of capturing carbon dioxide from CWLP’s emissions is effective and cost-efficient.

If chosen, the project,

Cap City
Illinois Times

You gotta love Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, a man who knows his seasons. Take winter, for instance. In August, when sunshine was cheap and the city council, alarmed that an out-of-town outfit had underbid local contractors by more than $80,000, delayed a vote on a $364,000 crack-sealing contract for Chatham Road. At the time, public works director Mark Mahoney warned that a delay might result in the project getting jammed up by cold weather. But aldermen said they wanted to know why the contractor would be doing the work for less money than competitors, a question homeowners rarely ask when a contractor with bona fides submits a low bid. In the end, the contract was awarded as proposed, but nearly a month later than anticipated. Now, with just half of Chatham Road completed, work has been suspended because, surprise, winter has come. Mahoney says

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

With Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder breaking the tie, City Council on Tuesday night narrowly voted to increase the salaries of elected officials in 2020.

With little discussion, the city council voted 6-5 to tie the salaries of city officials to the consumer price index, which accounts for inflation. Increases would be capped to 1.75 percent. In years in which the CPI is negative, salaries would remain the same.

Currently, the mayor’s salary is about $129,600. The city clerk and city treasurer’s salaries are set at about $88,000. Pay for city council members is about $15,500.

Bernard Schoenburg
The State Journal-Register

Filing for Springfield city elections began Monday, with Ward 9 Ald. Jim Donelan first in line when the doors to the city clerk’s office opened at 8 a.m.

Nearly 20 candidates were in line at 8 a.m. Candidates will be placed on the ballot in the order they file, and if more than one candidate for the same office was in line when the doors opened, a lottery will be conducted Nov. 29 to determine ballot position among them.

City races are officially nonpartisan. For any city race with more than four candidates, there will be a primary on Feb. 26 to cut the field down to two people. The general election will be April 2.

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Second in line Monday was Brad Carlson, a member of the Capital Township Board who is running to represent Ward 7 and is taking on Ald. Joe McMenamin, who was also an 8 a.m. filer.

McMenamin said he’s seeking a third four-year term to “represent the voters and the residents of Ward 7 in the best possible way.”

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Filing continues through next Monday.

The State Journal-Register

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

With Capital Township voters approving an advisory referendum last week to dissolve the township and hand over its responsibilities to Sangamon County, what will happen next is still up in the air.

Township officials will discuss the next steps at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, according to one trustee.

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

Springfield residents will have a chance to ask questions of the mayor, their alderman and city staff at ward meetings that start Monday.

The first meeting will be for Ward 7 residents and will be 5:30 p.m Monday at Hope Presbyterian Church, 2211 Wabash Ave. Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin will be present.

Though the meetings start with a welcome by the ward’s city council member and introductions of staff by the mayor, the rest of the time allotted is for residents to tell city officials what they think.

My eldest brother produced this video. He drove into Springfield from above I80 on Sept 26, 2018 to attend our W7 Fundraiser at VFW Post 755.

Thanks to all who were able to attend. It was a relaxing evening, with good conversation, plenty of goodwill, and a piece of pie for everyone.

Thanks brother Bob for the video, and for giving a ride to our sister Mary Pat who cut and served 20 pies from County Market.

Brother Bob is known in our family of 12 siblings for his birth exactly 9 months after Dad returned to USA from Europe with the 12th Armored Division in late 1945. My eldest sister Madeline was born earlier in 1944 when Dad was on Normandy Beach.

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

In a close vote Tuesday, Springfield City Council members shot down approving zoning for the redevelopment of the former Bally Vaughn apartment complex, which has been vacant for four years.

The apartment complex, 1301 W. Washington St., has been falling into disrepair for years, and was purchased last year by Springfield Village LLC. The company, owned by Tampa resident David Rodriguez, wants to redevelop the property from a 72-unit building to 68 units, with parking on the land next to it. The land would be purchased

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

The Springfield City Council sealed the deal Tuesday on a contract to a Mokena-based company to fill the city’s cracked roads before winter arrives. At a special council meeting that lasted no more than two minutes, members voted unanimously to approve the $364,000 contract to Denler Inc.

Though Denler was the lowest bidder by more than $80,000, the contract had generated some controversy with council members after they found out the company did not use any local workers on a road repair job last year.

The city has a local labor ordinance that

Crystal Thomas
The State Journal-Register

Three Springfield City Council members on Friday called a special council meeting to vote on a contract to a Mokena-based company to fill the city’s cracked roads.

The meeting is 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, 15 minutes before the regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting. The haste comes down to getting the roads repaired before Nov. 15. To effectively seal the roads, the air temperature needs to be 40 degrees and rising, according to city officials.

Council members have delayed several times a decision to award the contract to Denler Inc. after