City Hall renovations force meeting to remote location for second week; 24th and Maine home designated landmark

QUINCY — The rumor that Quincy Mayor Mike Troup turned off the air conditioning unit at the city’s Central Services Department to help speed up Monday’s City Council meeting is not true.

“I’m not that sharp to get those kind of things planned,” Troup said with a grin.

Monday’s meeting was the second held at a remote location because of renovations at City Hall. Last week’s meeting was at the Quincy Public Library. 

Aldermen, city officials, public speakers and the media were shoehorned into a meeting room at Central Services that was considerably warmer than the weather outside. The stuffy conditions may have played a small part in the length of the 24-minute meeting.

“(A local air conditioning company) was in here this morning to work on it, but it worked for only about 20 minutes,” Troup said.

Troup said next week’s meeting likely will be scheduled at Quincy Regional Airport. 

“We want to make sure we understand what the flight schedules are,” Troup said. Then with a smirk, he added, “I don’t want anybody leaving our meeting to board a plane or for people to think we’re there to help (passengers) with baggage.”

Troup said contractors started removing asbestos earlier than expected, forcing the City Council meetings to be relocated.

“We’ve got that done. It went quite well,” he said.

Troup said he’s unsure when meetings will return to City Hall.

Aldermen approved a Quincy Preservation Commission recommendation to designate the Paul Herbert “Bert” Gardner House at 2325 Maine as a Quincy landmark. The Craftsman-style home, now owned by Mary Lou McGinnis, was built in 1908. 

The ordinance said Gardner announced in the fall of 1906 that he would demolish his existing home to make way for the start of a new home in the spring. The rambling two-story brick occupies the northwest corner of 24th and Maine. The home, designed by prominent Quincy architect Harvey Chatten, brings together unique arts and crafts with Normandy flair. The archways on each end, the exposed rafter tails and the front and back pergolas are among the home’s special features.

“I just want to point out to everyone to maybe go by and take an extra look at (the home),” said Eric Entrup (R-1), a member of the Quincy Preservation Commission. “I know it’s something that everybody has driven by all their life, but it’s a pretty cool large corner lot that everybody should notice now that it’s an official landmark.”

Aldermen also:

• Approved a special permit request from Jason Deters for a planned development to allow the construction of a multi-tenant commercial building at 200-208 N. 12th /1215 Hampshire with three conditions: A) A drive-thru lane is allowed per city code; B) The requirements of the city code be waived to allow for the building to be constructed at a location other than the building line of the adjoining buildings; and C) The requirements of the city code be waived to allow parking stalls in the front yard. Deters recently said he plans to open a Deters Frozen Custard business, as well as his own windows and siding business, to the development.
• Approved a special permit request from Kristi Cookson for a planned development to allow for the demolition of an existing garage at 1420 N. Ninth and allow the construction of a garage that would include a living space for a family member.
• Approved a request by Jason Weber for a special permit for planned development to allow for the operation of 422 Jersey as a warehouse/storage for collectible vehicles.
• Approved a request by Justin Mewes to subdivide (one lot into two) property at 700 S. 18th, subject to the Quincy Zoning Board of Appeals approving a setback variance for one of the lots the subdivision would create.
• Approved the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics beginning at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at St. Dominic School, 4100 Columbus Road.
• Approved the waiver of liquor ordinances by the Quincy Axe Company, 625 Maine, and The Pour Haus, 625 Maine, for events on June 15 and September 21.
• Approved a fireworks display by Fireworks Authority Inc. for July 3 at Quincy Country Club, 2410 State.
• Approved a special event application for the 56th Annual Mississippi Valley Historic Auto Club Car Show at the Quincy Museum, 1601 Maine.
• Gave permission to conduct raffles for the Hanlin Auction Service/Fundraiser for Amber Carmean through April 12, 2025, and the Quincy Elks Lodge 100 BPOE until Sept. 3.
• Approved the appointment of Alderman Dave Bauer (D-2) to the City of Quincy/Adams County 911 Joint ETSB Committee.
• Approved paying $14,868 for tuition for Devin Neally and Elijah Kurfman, two officers with the Quincy Police Department who recently attended the basic law enforcement training academy at the Police Training Institute in Champaign.
• Approved paying $18,910.30 to Springfield Mass Transit District for the replacement of a front-line bus engine.
• Approved paying an amended invoice for $9,160.86 to Sentinel Emergency Solutions of St. Louis. Aldermen previously approved payment of $7,540 on May 13.