QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved a resolution during Monday night’s meeting to enter into a Mid-Town Business District redevelopment agreement with the Charles & Kathie Marx Trust to put $200,000 toward the construction of 6,000 square feet of retail space for three businesses on the northeast corner of 30th and Broadway. Chuck Bevelheimer, director of […]
Quincy City Council
Aldermen want another organization to spend $12,500 on hotel market feasibility study
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council rejected by an 11-2 vote Monday night a resolution to spend no more than $12,500 on a hotel market feasibility study. John Mast, R-5, voted against the resolution, but he isn’t against the idea. “It was not against hotels in any way,” he said. “But should the city be […]
Thought your tap water smelled? You weren’t wrong, but city says odor should be gone by end of week
QUINCY — Jeffrey Conte, director of public works for the city, says the earthy smell you might have recently noticed in your tap water should be gone by the end of the week. Conte addressed aldermen at the beginning of Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting to provide an update on what the city has […]
City official admits new citywide cleanup format was ‘a little rough’ Monday but will improve this week
QUINCY — John Schafer, assistant director of Central Services, could only offer an apology to the people first to arrive at the citywide cleanup site in the Quincy Town Center parking lot Monday morning. “It’s a learning experience for us all,” Schafer said. “This is the first time we’ve done it this way, and there’s […]
Letter to the editor: Recycling should be a responsibility of everyone, and everyone should pay for it
Concerning the story on recycling on Muddy River News, the number of people interested in the topic who attended the meeting doesn’t count those of us who watched it on TV at home. I couldn’t make it to the council chambers, but fortunately I could watch it “live” on (Xfinity Cable) Channel 15, so I […]
Troup casts deciding vote as curbside recycling will be eliminated; Quincy man commits to transporting recyclables to city bins for elderly, disabled
QUINCY — After more than a year of study, review, concern and debate, an ordinance to eliminate the city’s curbside recycling program came down to one vote. After City Clerk Laura Oakman announced aldermen voted 7-7 on the issue during Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting, Quincy Mayor Mike Troup quickly cast the deciding vote, […]
City to seek $12.5 million grant to add gutters, curbs, sidewalks to State Street from 24th to 36th
QUINCY — After they tabled the issue for one week, aldermen voted to support a resolution supporting the jurisdictional transfer of 36th Street (from State Street to Broadway) to the state and the acceptance of State Street by the city. Chuck Bevelheimer, director of planning and development, explained during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting that […]
Letter to the Editor: Thanks to mayor, City Council for sidewalk improvements on North 12th Street
The Friends of the Trails thanks Mayor Mike Troup and the City Council for North 12th Street improvements from Locust to Koch’s Lane. These sidewalks, on one side of 12th from Locust Street to the Cedar Creek Bridge and both sides of North 12th up to Koch’s Lane, already are being used even before the […]
City alleys to get upgrades, speakers discuss recycling and housing
QUINCY — In what could be a preview of Wednesday’s public hearing on recycling, 11 of the 15 speakers who appeared before the Quincy City Council Tuesday night expressed their feelings on the future of curbside recycling pickup.
City Hall closed Monday in observance of Labor Day
QUINCY — Quincy City Hall will be closed on Monday, Sept. 5, in observance of Labor Day. City Hall will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 6, for regular business hours. Central Services also will be closed Monday, Sept. 5. Garbage and recycling will be picked up on Monday, Sept. 5. Yard waste recycling also will take place […]
Citywide cleanup going from last Saturday in September to daytime drop-offs during last week in September
QUINCY — The popular citywide cleanup, typically scheduled for the last Saturday in September, now will become a five-day weekday event during the last week in September. Jeffrey Conte, director of public works, says Republic Services is having problems with drivers, and they typically would need 10 to 15 drivers for a single-day citywide cleanup. […]
‘If it’s not curbside, I’m going to throw it in the garbage’: Speakers express dissatisfaction with proposed drop-off recycling sites
QUINCY — Six people spoke to the Quincy City Council during the public forum portion of Monday night’s meeting to express their dissatisfaction about the possibility of the discontinuance of curbside recycling pickup in the city. Mary Ann Klein, president of the League of Women Voters, was one of the people who spoke. She hopes […]
End of curbside recycling pickup could be near with City Council vote on revamped program next week
City Engineer Jeffrey Conte told committee members collection locations for recycling bins will be placed at yet-to-be determined locations on the north, south and east sides of the city. As many as six bins could be at one site. The ordinance that aldermen will vote on next week will call for the bins to be available as early as March 1, 2023.
Open house for Ill. 57 improvements set for Sept. 1; upgrades city wants would cost $74.5 million
QUINCY — A summary of recommendations from the Illinois Department of Transportation for improvement on the Ill. 57 corridor south of Quincy shows three options for each of the three sections of the highway. However, when IDOT has an open house to discuss the options from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1 at […]
Quincy City Council hears from housing advocates
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council heard from members of the public Monday night about the status of the rental and housing in the city.
City to spend $4.43 million to elevate, repair barge dock wall; Mayor ‘doesn’t understand rationale’ for Park District’s intention to close the marina in 2024
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council voted Monday night to accept the low bid of $4.43 million from County Contractors of Quincy to elevate and repair the city’s barge dock wall and grade the land adjacent to the dock.
‘There’s no guarantee for tomorrow’: Yates paints picture for aldermen about what officers deal with
QUINCY — During a relatively short and uneventful meeting of the Quincy City Council, Jeff Bergman wanted to take a minute to acknowledge the lives of Quincy policemen. Bergman, a Republican alderman in Quincy’s 2nd Ward, asked Adam Yates, chief of the Quincy Police Department, to come forward near the end of Monday’s 20-minute meeting. He […]
Aldermen agree to pay for demolition of building at 649 State gutted in May fire
QUINCY — Aldermen agreed during Tuesday night’s Quincy City Council meeting that the “fix or flatten” program has been a success, but some aldermen hope measures can be taken to make property owners assume more responsibility for the cost. Aldermen approved a resolution for the demolition of a property at 649 State — damaged by […]
Aldermen authorize incentives for new residences built west of 12th Street, but not for entire city
QUINCY — A resolution to authorize incentives for new residential constructions west of 12th Street between Harrison and Locust was approved during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting. However, an amendment to that resolution that would also have offered those incentives to residential constructions east of 12th Street did not. The resolution called for waiving water […]
City Council denies special permit request from Shottenkirk; neighbors don’t believe issue is finished but they don’t want to sell home
QUINCY — A special permit request from Shottenkirk Chevrolet, 1537 N. 24th, to increase the number of overhead doors from four to six on Tuesday was denied by the Quincy City Council at its Monday meeting. The Plan Commission recommended the denial of the permit request last week. Aldermen approved in 1993 an ordinance limiting […]
Aldermen approve expenditures to improve cybersecurity by migrating information on city servers to cloud
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved three proposals from the technology committee and IT Manager Corey Dean during Monday night’s meeting. Two of them would have prevented the city’s email system from being disrupted last month had they been in place. One proposal was to spend $72,157 with Superion, LLC, for an annual software […]
Troup hopes to create new position for Conte, who would oversee multiple departments in city
QUINCY — A change Mayor Mike Troup wants to make in Quincy’s engineering, utilities and Central Services departments means bringing back a title the city hasn’t used in nearly 25 years. Aldermen tabled at last Monday’s meeting of the City Council an appointment by Troup of Steve Bange as engineering manager. They want to vote […]
‘No pending change’ after Troup makes pitch to have aldermen ask fire and police commissioners to alter offer to Lewin
QUINCY — No action was taken by the Quincy City Council during its Monday meeting in regard to the ongoing negotiations with Jonathan Lewin as the city’s next chief of police. Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said during a Monday press conference he planned to ask the City Council to request that the Board of Fire […]
Troup: City still investigating what happened with cyber attack
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved spending $24,341 on a new redundant firewall from SecureData Technologies during its meeting Monday night. It won’t fix, however, the current problems with the city’s email system. The computer systems of the City of Quincy were hit with a cyber attack during the weekend. Quincy Mayor Mike Troup […]
Retired city employee tabbed as new 6th Ward alderman
QUINCY — After retiring in December 2019, Patty Maples has continued to follow what’s going on at Quincy’s City Hall. She was at home watching the April 5 meeting of the City Council when she heard Katie Awerkamp, a Democratic alderman in the 6th Ward, announce she was resigning her seat. “So I just texted […]
Quincy City Council approves record $47.2 million annual budget
When Mike Troup took office as Quincy’s mayor last May, he had to work with the budget the previous administration and City Council had approved.
Council approves $500K for new downtown development project
QUINCY — Mayor Mike Troup’s plan that could lead to the razing of the crumbling Welcome Inn received the seal of approval from the Quincy City council on Monday night.
First projects in Small Rental Rehabilitation Program receive City Council approval
QUINCY — Aldermen approved funding for the first 10 projects in the Small Rental Rehabilitation Program during Monday’s City Council meeting. Building owners with property west of 18th Street, within the city limits, submitted proposals for funding assistance. Forgivable loans are available at zero percent interest for 50 percent of the total cost of renovation/construction up […]
Aldermen vote to give $250,000 more to Q-WRAP; Troup extols program’s virtues, but native Quincyans ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’
QUINCY — Aldermen voted Monday night to authorize another $250,000 for the Quincy Workforce Relocation Assistance Program (Q-WRAP), but it was clear some aldermen aren’t convinced of the program’s effectiveness. The program aims to incentivize out-of-town employees to move to Quincy by offering $5,000 in property tax relief for those buying a house or $3,500 […]
Brink retiring as Quincy Township supervisor; Awerkamp stepping down as 6th Ward alderman
Quincy Mayor Mike Troup announced that Quincy Township Supervisor Cindy Brink is retiring at the end of the month.
City of Quincy looking at $47.2 million operating budget for next fiscal year
The proposed $47.2 million budget is $2 million lower than the final FY 2022 budget, but is nearly $8 million higher than the budget approved last April.
Agreement with city allows landfills near Burton to be preserved for green spaces and wildlife habitats
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved Monday night a memorandum of understanding with the Mississippi Valley Hunters and Fishermen’s Association for the preservation of green spaces and wildlife habitats at three local landfills. Landfill No. 4 is near Burton, and just to the west are Landfills No. 2 and No. 3, five miles east […]
Aldermen learn about importance of updating city’s building, fire codes
QUINCY — Fire Chief Bernie Vahlkamp, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Salrin and Michael Seaver, director of inspection and enforcement, made a presentation Monday night before the Quincy City Council to explain the importance of updating the city’s building and fire codes. Seaver explained the city’s last updated its building and fire codes 2008, adopting codes […]
Quincy City Council approves land purchase for 48th and State roundabout
Aldermen approved a joint agreement between Quincy and Adams County that will lead to the purchase of land, construction and utilities needed to build a roundabout at 48th and State.
Council approves sales tax rebate for new development at old Kmart site
The Quincy City Council approved an agreement Tuesday night that will help kickstart activity at the site where Kmart was once the city’s top big box retailer.
City code likely to prevent Troup from appointing Finney to Board of Police and Fire Commissioners
QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup’s proposal for Jason Finney appointed to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners ran into a snag during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting. Troup said in a Friday interview that Kerry Anders’ term expired at the end of January. Anders said in a Sunday interview he wants to fulfill […]
Quincy Township wants to transfer extra $350,000 to city for Small Rental Rehabilitation Program
QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup learned moments before Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting that a $350,000 cash balance accumulated by Quincy Township may be gifted to the city for its Small Rental Rehabilitation Program. “Awesome gift,” he said after Quincy Township Supervisor Cindy Brink made a presentation to aldermen. “Anybody else here have extra […]
Recovery Anonymous seeking to locate halfway house on North Eighth Street
eceived a special permit and rezoning request from Recovery Anonymous to locate a sober living facility on the city’s west end.
Fire and police commissioner calls near two-month delay to start search for new police chief ‘disappointing, frustrating’
QUINCY — Near the end of Monday’s meeting of the Quincy City Council, Mayor Mike Troup announced the police aldermanic committee will meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 7. That meeting will mark the official beginning of the city’s search for a police chief. Fifty-six days will have passed since Rob Copley announced his intent to […]
City suspending municipal electric aggregation program with SIMEC for 12 months
QUINCY — The City of Quincy is suspending its municipal electric aggregation program for 12 months when the current supply contract ends with electric meter readings in March. Residential and small business (defined as those using fewer than 15,000 kilowatthours annually) participants in the city’s program will begin receiving their electric supply from Ameren in […]
Aldermen approve sale of two fix-or-flatten properties; city to receive $10,000 annually for 18 years as part of nationwide opioid settlement
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council recommended on Monday night the sale of two properties that were part of the city’s fix-or flatten program. It also adopted a resolution to participate in a billion-dollar nationwide opioid settlement agreement. The city advertised in December 16 vacant lots that it owned were for sale, and it received […]
Council approves spending some surplus funds
Those funds, totaling a little more than $607,000, are part of a $9.5 million budget excess package that is also being used for a variety of city needs, ranging from infrastructure improvements to replacing four police cars to a City Hall renovation that could cost $3 million.
Aldermen approve further airport upgrades
Improvements continue at Quincy Regional Airport as the City Council approve more than $400,000 in engineering contracts on Tuesday.
City Council tables changes to employee insurance policies until more aldermen are present
Aldermen waited until after an executive session meeting to public address three resolutions on the agenda for Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting. They approved a motion to combine the three resolutions into one.
Aldermen to take action on $1 million rental rehab plan
The Quincy City Council will consider adopting an ordinance at Monday’s meeting that would pump $1 million into improving rental housing on the city’s west side.
Outburst takes up most of otherwise normal Quincy City Council meeting
Priest then claimed “they” had gotten to Troup, insulted Corporation Counsel Lonnie Dunn for saying the pre-meeting prayer, talked about Afghan children going to bed hungry, and went on a profanity-laced tirade that led to near blows with an alderman.
Request to spend $9,000 for help with police chief search must first go through committee
QUINCY — The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners sent a request to the Quincy City Council to approve at its Monday meeting the expenditure of $9,000 to the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to assist on conducting a police chief search. Alderman instead chose to send the request fo the police aldermanic committee. […]
After 42 years with Quincy Police Department, Copley announces plans to retire May 6
QUINCY — Rob Copley made it through his resignation letter without shedding a tear. “That was very hard,” he said. “I actually surprised myself that I read the letter as well as I did without choking up at all.” After 42 years with the Quincy Police Department, with 18 as the chief of police, Copley […]
Board of Fire and Police Commissioners intend to reappoint Copley for another three-year term
QUINCY — The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners has informed the Quincy City Council of its intention to reappoint Rob Copley as chief of the Quincy Police Department for a three-year term. Copley has been with the Police Department since 1980 and has been police chief since 2004. His last three-year reappointment was in […]
Aldermen begin discussions of what to do with excess of nearly $5 million in revenue
QUINCY — Shari Ray, comptroller for the City of Quincy, wants to know what aldermen want to do with extra money collected during Fiscal Year 2022 before work on the Fiscal Year 2023 budget begins. Ray explained during a Finance Committee meeting held before Monday’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting how the city has an […]
Quincy’s ward boundaries to remain the same
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.
Increased maximum number of video gaming terminals among proposed changes to city’s municipal code
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council looked for the first time during Monday night’s meeting at an ordinance that Quincy Mayor Mike Troup says brings the city’s municipal code for video gaming licenses more in line with the Illinois Liquor Control Statute. “We’re not looking at creating additional revenues, but just maintaining and cleaning (the […]
Aldermen approve spending nearly $1 million on concrete repair; Bergman grumbles about audio on live broadcasts
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved Monday spending $973,171 for the city’s 2021 concrete repair project that consists of the patching of concrete pavement, fire hydrant replacement and new sewer manholes at six locations throughout the city. Jeffrey Conte, director of utilities and engineering, specifically mentioned the intersection of 27th and Cedar. Most of […]
A new Quincy City Hall? Not yet…
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council awarded a no-bid contract of $60,000 to Klingner & Associates to “provide architectural studies, planning, conceptual design and cost estimating services for City Hall space allocation needs.” But as aldermen questioned Director of Utilities and Engineering Jeffrey Conte about the contract, a broader discussion developed regarding the possibility of […]
Mayor hopes monthly lunches will provide more information about city issues
QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup informed aldermen Tuesday night of his plans to hold a monthly meeting for people to learn more about issues the city is facing. The first meeting of “Lunch With Mayor Troup” is set for noon on Oct. 20 in City Council chambers at City Hall. “But bring your own […]
Proposal to allow mayor to appoint, terminate fire and police chiefs catches many by surprise
QUINCY — An amendment to the Code of Ordinances for the City of Quincy that would call for the mayor — instead of the three-person Board of Fire and Police Commissioners — to appoint and terminate the city’s police and fire chiefs raised a few eyebrows. The City Council chambers were filled for Tuesday night’s […]
Council accepts recommendation for water and fire damage restoration service in different 12th Street location
QUINCY — Jeff Butler may finally have found a place for his business. The Quincy City Council voted Monday to accept the Plan Commission’s recommendation for a special permit for an office and shop for a water and fire damage restoration service at 3120 N. 12th, formerly the home of Outdoor Power Inc. Aldermen will […]
New program to give up to $5,000 property tax rebate for people to move to and work in Quincy
QUINCY — The City of Quincy is ready to spend money to attract new workers after approving on Monday night a resolution authorizing the Quincy Workforce Relocation Assistance Program. The program, known as Q-WRAP, is designed to provide up to $5,000 in a one-time property tax rebate to people who live outside Quincy and buy […]
Home at 2200 York designated as local landmark
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council designated a home at 2200 York as a local landmark on March 29. A plaque presentation was made Tuesday by members of the Quincy Preservation Commission. The home, owned by Mike and Julie McLaghlin, is located within the Quincy East End National Historic District, which was added to the […]
New labor deal calls for raises, garbage/recycling pickup changes; Troup freezes new liquor licenses
QUINCY — Your garbage will be picked up every day but three during the next three years. The Quincy City Council approved adoption of a three-year agreement with the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers, Lodge 822-District 9, concerning terms and wages from May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2024. The employees at the […]
Pothole repair truck to fill Quincy’s streets for 90 days
QUINCY — The City of Quincy is trying something different when it comes to filling potholes this summer. The Department of Central Services typically would send trucks throughout the city and patch holes with shovelfuls of a bituminous coal mix. “Yeah, the city has been doing that for 20 years, and it doesn’t work,” Quincy […]
City Council thanks Henning for service, welcomes Vahlkamp as next fire chief
QUINCY — As the Quincy City Council recognized the new, it also took an opportunity to say thanks to the old. Bernie Vahlkamp, who has been with the Quincy Fire Department since August 1997, was introduced as the next fire chief at Monday night’s City Council meeting. He was one of three finalists to meet […]
Kelly Mays sworn in as 3rd Ward Alderwoman
Kelly Mays was unanimously approved to be Quincy’s next alderman by the Quincy City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting. The Council met on Tuesday this week due to the July 4 holiday. Mays was nominated by a 4-3 vote among Adams County Republican Central Committee members and that was forwarded to Mayor Mike Troup, who […]
City of Quincy drawing closer to finding a new fire chief
QUINCY – At Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting, one of Quincy’s three Police and Fire Commissioners gave an update on the search for the city’s next fire chief. Barry Cheyne, who is on the commission along with Kerry Anders and Steve Meckes, said the commission will spend part of next week conducting in-person interviews of […]
City Hall and Central Services closed, no garbage or recycling pickup on Monday, July 5
QUINCY — City Hall will be closed on Monday, July 5 in observance of Independence Day. City Hall will reopen Tuesday, July 6 for regular business hours. Central Services will be closed Monday, July 5. Garbage and recycling will not be picked up on Monday, July 5. The route normally picked up on Monday will […]
Proposed residential property registration ordinance tabled until September by City Council
QUINCY — The Quincy City Council voted Monday night to table discussion about a proposed residential rental property registration ordinance, choosing to spend the next 2 ½ months to study the issue before aldermen review it in September. Seven people spoke to the City Council on Monday in support of the ordinance. Mayor Mike Troup […]
Proposed residential rental registration program meets resistance from City Council
QUINCY — Michael Seaver, director of inspection and enforcement for the City of Quincy, brought Monday night to the Quincy City Council a proposed ordinance to establish a residential rental registration program. It wasn’t met with open arms. Mike Farha and Tony Sassen, 4th Ward alderman, both said they couldn’t support the proposal. Jeff Bergman, […]
City Council agrees to spend nearly $2 million to replace collapsed sewer on Oak Street
QUINCY — Mike Farha looked at the nearly $2 million cost for sewer replacement for a three-block stretch on Oak Street, quietly shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “The reason I voted yes for it is that it has to be done,” the 4th Ward alderman said after Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting. […]
Quincy City Council sends Coffee Bar proposal to Traffic Committee, tables one other development
As expected, the Quincy City Council sent the proposed second location of Carter’s Coffee Bar at 7th and Broadway to the Traffic Committee. As reported by David Adam in Muddy River News on Tuesday, Alderman Jeff Bergman (R-2nd Ward) followed through on his proposal to table the issue for two weeks and send it to […]
2nd Ward alderman wants to table coffee bar proposal to further study traffic; owner considering other locations, including Missouri
QUINCY — Jeff Bergman believes the city only has one chance to get it right. That’s why he says he and fellow 2nd Ward alderman Dave Bauer plan to propose at Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting to table a request by Ciara Weese to build a second Carter’s Coffee Bar in Quincy, this time […]
Land bank to help get delinquent properties in Quincy back on tax roll, avoid fix-or-flatten
QUINCY — The Two Rivers Land Bank, approved by the Quincy City Council on April 26, is designed to help find buyers for blighted properties for which owners are no longer paying taxes. “Our city’s goal is to have these properties get purchased before they get to the fix and flatten level,” city planner Chuck […]
