Conflict between Quincy City Council and Mayor Troup still lingering

July 18, 2023 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher

Republican Steve Kennedy speaks before the Quincy City Council Monday night.

QUINCY — While the agenda items were mostly nondescript at Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting, the no-confidence vote taking against Mayor Mike Troup last week was still a point of discussion.

Steve Kennedy, Republican committeeman for Quincy Precinct 27 and a former vice-chairman of the party’s Central Committee, asked both the mayor and the alderman to make an attempt to bridge the divide.

“We have a great divide within the Adams County Republican Party,” Kennedy said. “This divide has created a climate of mistrust and ineffectiveness. I really don’t want to see the same thing happening here.

“I’m asking you, mayor, to work with the council and not around them. The lack of communication with the aldermen contributes to the divide. I’m asking the aldermen to support our seated mayor. His term is another year and a half, and we’ll see what happens from there.”

Troup, who is almost certainly going to see a GOP primary challenge in 2025, said he will make a decision on whether he will seek a second term next month.

As the aldermen made their weekly post-meeting comments, only one addressed the issue, although Kennedy also called out Alderman Mike Farha (R-4th Ward) for walking out of the council meeting two weeks ago after he blasted his colleagues regarding their courage in speaking up to the mayor.

“Alderman Farha, I ask that you refrain from calling names,” Kennedy said. “You called the mayor a liar and you called your fellow aldermen cowards. Theatrics such as storming out of this council meeting is not the leadership we should be seeing.”

Alderman Jake Reed (R-6th Ward) spoke on the subject to clarify his remarks, saying his vote no-confidence vote was based on the police contract impasse and what he had heard from constituents.

“I believe Mayor Troup has done well for our community…My vote was in regards to my full support for our police force and to be the voice of the many in my ward who reached out to me in support of no confidence.”

In other action, Aldermen:

Heard from Assistant City Planner Jason Parrott about $24 million in reimbursable grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The money is for businesses to help offset expenses purchased during to and that pertained to the COVID pandemic. Businesses in Adams County can see up to $20,000 in reimbursables, including PPE, equipment for outdoor dining and barriers used to separate workers from employees. Parrott said the deadline to apply was July 31 and to contact the planning department at 217-228-4515 and details will be made available on the city’s website.