Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation learns about Quincy Riverfront Development Foundation

QUINCY — Now that the creation of the Quincy Riverfront Development Foundation is complete, the Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation wants to know how it’s going to function.

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup announced the creation of the Quincy Riverfront Development Foundation on Tuesday afternoon. The first three members of the foundation are Hal Oakley, chairman of Quincy law firm Schmiedeskamp, Robertson, Neu and Mitchell; Mike Klingner, president and chief engineer of Klingner and Associates; and Troup.

When the Riverfront Development Corporation met Wednesday afternoon, it spent the first 20 minutes talking about by-laws, board members and how the foundation plans to funnel money it has raised or has received through donations and grants to the corporation.

“We have everything ready to go,” Troup told the corporation after informing them of the foundation’s creation. “I am having some discussions with some people from out of town who have shown interest in the past about contributing money — a significant amount of money — to the project. Now that we can collect money, we’re seeing where their interest and money is.”

Corporation member Duane Venvertloh asked if the foundation limited itself to three members and how long the terms are for board members.

“We don’t have term limits,” Troup said. “We get appointed, and then we can add more. We’re flexible with that. There’s no expiration (date for a member’s term).”

“We’re all just volunteers, and we all just keep it going as long as it’s needed,” Oakley said. “If the desire is there to expand more, that’s certainly something that can be done.

“The foundation board has no control over what the (riverfront master) plan is. You all do. We’re just here to help raise money, and when the money is raised, we will transfer it to the appropriate authority to execute the project as you direct.”

Corporation president Jeff Steinkamp asked for any corporation member interested in serving on the foundation to contact him. 

“I need to know who’s interested first, and then we will talk to the mayor and see what we need to do,” he said.

The foundation must spend any money collected on the approximately 25 projects identified for riverfront development in the riverfront master plan.

Cullan Duke, an engineer with Klingner & Associates, gave the corporation an update on the status of the riverfront electrical line burial project. Phase one calls for lines to be buried from north of the Quincy Boat Club to Hampshire. Phase two calls for the lines to be buried from north of Hampshire to Jersey. A future phase calls for the lines along Bonansinga Drive to be buried from the Quincy Boat Club to Lincoln Park.

Work would begin approximately 30 days after a review and approval by representatives from Ameren.

Steinkamp proposed the corporation draft a letter of support for four projects that would involve the riverfront:

• Keeping the Art Keller Marina open;
• Potential Illinois Department of Transportation improvements for Illinois 57 between Broadway and I-172; 
• The creation of the York Street bridge over the Mississippi River;
• The Quincy Bay Area Restoration and Enhancement Association (QBAREA) project that calls for restoration of Quincy Bay.

Steinkamp said he and Melanie Allen would draft the letter. Chuck Bevelheimer, director of planning and development, said his office could draft a letterhead and a mission statement that corporation members could review.

Maggie Strong with Strong Consulting offered to hand to the corporation the website QuincyRiverfront.com and a logo for the corporation that was created during the riverfront planning process.