Quincy’s ward boundaries to remain the same

QUINCY – The work that went into adjusting the City of Quincy’s ward boundaries was all for naught.

A proposed map that would’ve slightly tweaked the boundaries, with Wards 2, 4 and 5 being the most impacted, was defeated at Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting.

2020 Census figures revealed Quincy’s population had dropped from 40,633 in 2010 to 39,463. and the number targeted by the Ad-Hoc Aldermanic Committee on Re-Districting City Wards for balanced population in each ward was set at 5,638.

Based on that target population, the 2nd Ward was 860 people (more than 15 percent) short of the target number. The 5th Ward had 732 people (nearly 13 percent) above the target number. The committee agreed, with guidance from Adams County, the wards should be no more than five percent more or less than the target number.

The committee recommended moving Precinct 30 with 636 residents (on the city’s southeast portion, including Good Samaritan Home) from Ward 5 into Ward 4. It also recommended moving parts of Precinct 20 and Precinct 16 along Broadway with 656 residents from Ward 4 into Ward 2.

But Mike Farha (R-4) and Mike Rein (R-5) were opposed to the change as neither wanted to lose those specific precincts.

Along with Farha and Rein, Tony Sassen (R-4), John Mast (R-5), Greg Fletcher (R-1), Jeff Bergman (R-2), Dave Bauer (D-2) and Parker Freiburg (R-3) opposed the ordinance and it went down to defeat 8-6.

After the ordinance was defeated, Farha made a motion for the current map to stay in place and it passed 12-1-1, with Jack Holtschlag (D-7), who was on the re-districting committee, opposing and Ben Uzelac (D-7) voting present.

After the meeting, Farha said no further action was needed and the current map would stay in effect. Corporation Counsel Lonnie Dunn said the city wasn’t legally required to make any changes.

Proposed change in gaming ordinance gets slight revision

Aldermen tweaked the proposed ordinance regarding video gaming terminals which Mayor Mike Troup says will bring the city in line with Illinois Liquor Control Statute.

Adam Booth owns The Liquor Booth and Winner’s Wash properties which all have video gaming terminals, spoke before the council and asked for two changes: One would charge businesses per video gaming terminal and the other was the make an I-1 license available for establishments who had a Quincy liquor license before this ordinance is enacted, which is expected to be voted on at next Monday’s council meeting.

The proposed ordinance says if 50 percent or more of an establishment’s revenues are from gaming, an I license is needed. I-1 license holders must pay $10,000 annually, and they now can have six video gaming terminals, the state maximum, instead of five. The I-2 license holders must pay $2,500 annually, and their limit of video gaming terminals increases from three to four.

The I-1 license is only available for establishments who had a Quincy liquor license before July 1, 2021.

Fletcher called for an amendment to the ordinance to make the I-1 license available to anyone who currently holds a liquor license until the ordinance is passed. The amendment passed 13-0 with a recusal from Freiburg, whose family owns the Maxamillion’s gaming parlors.

In other action, aldermen approved:

• An invoice for collective bargaining negotiations from Ancel Glink, P.C. of Chicago, IL in the amount of $7,266.75.
• The proposal from Crawford, Murphy and Tilly of Springfield, IL in the amount of $42,303.00 for the design and preparation of construction and right-of-way documents for the reconstruction of the 48th and State Street intersection and widening of South 48th Street and State Street.
• The low bid from Rees Construction Co. in the amount of $931,437.00 for the Monroe Street/South 17th Street Reconstruction Project which includes new pavement, curb and gutters, storm sewer, sidewalks, and water main replacement on Monroe Street, 16th to 18th Streets and South 17th Street, Monroe to Madison Streets.
• A resolution recommending approval to authorize a natural gas purchase contract with QFB Energy.
• The engine repair to bus 1604 be made under the Emergency Repair Ordinance through Gem City for a cost of $16,232.62.
• Normal bidding requirements be waived and the quote from Alarm Systems, Inc. in the amount of $15,689.35 be accepted for the Access Control System Upgrade.
• An Ordinance To Add Territory To The Quincy Adams Brown County Enterprise Zone And
  Amend The Quincy Adams Brown County Enterprise Zone Intergovernmental Agreement.
• An Ordinance Granting A Special Use Permit For A Planned Development (to operate a
  dance studio and a language school at 2435 Maine Street).