Aldermen approve first three downtown concerts of five-concert summer series

QUINCY — The first three downtown concerts in a five-concert series lined up for this summer received approval from the Quincy City Council.

Aldermen unanimously voted Monday to approve the use of the city’s empty lot at Fourth and Maine for the Gem City Summer Concert Series, lined up by On the Rail restaurant owner Scott Edlin. The first three concerts, to be held on Saturday nights, are:

• May 27: Decade of Decadence, Ghost of Judas, and The Sprucells
• June 3: Kameron Marlowe with Walker Montgomery
• June 17: Thunderstruck with Top Gunz

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said last week said one of the concerts Edlin held last year received noise complaints because music continued past the scheduled stopping time.

Alderman Jack Holtschlag (D-7) said Edlin will have the featured performer for each go first and finish by 10:30 p.m. The performer scheduled to be the opening act now will go last. Instead of performing on a stage at Fourth and Maine, the final performer will perform on the patio outside of On the Rail.

Mike Farha (R-4) asked Holtschlag if Edlin could put together a group of people to clean the Fourth and Maine area after the concerts.

“A lot of business down around the square were complaining,” Farha said. “That would be the only other thing.”

“I’ll get with him, and he’ll get a crew together,” Holtschlag said.

The final two concerts in the series remain in limbo. 

Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said Friday he’s been in conversations with potential developers evaluating a possible purchase of the property at Fourth and Maine, site of the historic Newcomb Hotel before it was demolished after a fire on Sept. 6, 2013. Troup said he doesn’t have a proposal to bring to the Quincy City Council and doesn’t see that happening until May at the earliest.

The other concerts are scheduled for July 8 and Sept. 3.

“We’re going to be bringing them back to the council,” Holtschlag said after the meeting. “They didn’t want to do all five tonight.”

Asked if Edlin was working on a possible alternative site for the last two concerts, Holtschlag said, “Yeah, but it’s like anything. He’ll address it when he needs to.”

Several aldermen sat in on a meeting of the whole held before the city council meeting to hear about the city’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2024 and what infrastructure improvements are planned for 2023. 

Aldermen learned about a proposed $50.2 million budget, down from $54.3 million from fiscal year 2023. Comptroller Sheri Ray said the budget was smaller mostly because of a $3 million reduction in personal property replacement tax and a drop of $500,000 in property taxes collected.

Engineer Steve Bange told aldermen about planned road improvements (and their estimated costs) at:

• North 17^th from Wells Avenue to Center Avenue ($1.725 million)
• North 17^th from Oak to Elm ($500,000)
• North Avenue ($360,000)
• South 21^st from Harrison to Jackson ($720,000)
• Van Buren from 24^th Street to end ($600,000)
• Adams from 14^th to 16^th ($950,000)
• Payson Avenue from Fifth to Eighth ($3.2 million)
• Hampshire from Eighth to 10^th ($2.7 million)
• Harrison Street bridge replacement ($1.4 million)
• Illinois 96 at 24^th and Ellington Road ($260,000)

In other action, aldermen:

• Gave permission to conduct a raffle to Jokers Lounge/Erica Schroeder Benefit from May 20-21 and to the Quincy Humane Society from March 22 to April 15.
• Approved installation of a stop sign for westbound traffic at the intersection of 11th and Hampshire. 
• Approved installation of a streetlight at the intersection of North 12th Street and Winsor Drive. 
• Approved installation of a streetlight in the north-south alley between Ninth and 10^th from York to Jersey.
• Authorized an application to the Office of Intermodal Transportation, Department of Transportation, State of Illinois for a financial assistance grant to off-set a portion of the public transportation expenses and deficits of the Quincy Transit Lines. 
• Approved spending $29,309 with EZ-Access of Morganfield, Ky., for two prefabricated ADA compliant platform ramps for the Hy-Vee and Pepsi recycling drop-off sites. 
• Authorized an intergovernmental agreement with Adams County for reimbursement from the county’s Strong Communities Program grant for the demolition and related costs associated with properties in the fix or flatten program. 
• Tabled a resolution to sell the City Hall Annex building to Quincy Township for $347,000. The city and township are waiting on a building inspection report. Aldermen sitting as the Town Board last week approved a resolution to buy the building. The township leases space on the second floor of the building. Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials rents space on the first floor.