In a brief meeting on Tuesday, the Champaign City Council moved forward in voting on several resolutions and ordinances, taking decisive action aimed at improving the city’s welfare.
One of the highlights was the appointment of Francesca Morgan to the Housing Authority of Champaign County’s Board of Commissioners, as described in Resolution CB2024-043. This appointment emphasizes the council’s ongoing desire to address housing needs and support community growth within Champaign.
Another important item was Ordinance CB2024-044, which proposed changes to the salary and position control report of the City of Champaign for the fiscal year 2023-2024. According to Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, the purpose of this bill was to amend the salary and staffing ordinance to adjust staffing levels, job titles and pay classifications of several positions in five departments.
The council also considered Resolution CB2024-045, which approved the development of the preliminary/final plat of the S&J Real Estate, LLC subdivision, subdividing an approximately two-acre track at the northwest corner of Bradley and Prospect Avenues into two commercial lots.
After that, the council passed a series of resolutions to address various maintenance projects across the city.
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Resolution CB2024-046 authorized the city manager to enter into a contract with A&A Concrete LLC for the 2024 Infrastructure Maintenance Project. Council member Kathy Shannon stopped to point out that this bill would involve replacing the detection loop at the intersection of Paula Drive and N. Mattis Avenue.
“I know neighbors have been frustrated with that for a long time, you can sit at that and have it not detect that the car is there, so I’m excited about that being fixed,” Shannon said.
The council also authorized the purchase of road salt from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services in Resolution CB2024-047, ensuring the city is well prepared for transportation in the colder months of 2024-2025.
Next, council member Vanna Pianfetti moved to consolidate Resolutions CB2024-048 and CB2024-049, which involve accepting a bid and authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement for phase two of the Public Works Center HVAC Replacement Project and execute an agreement for the construction of controls for the same phase of the same project.
Finally, the passing of Ordinance CB2024-050 approved amendments to Sections 12.5-12 and 12.5-32 of the Champaign Municipal Code to add the qualifications-based selection process as an authorized negotiating purchasing method.
Overall, the Champaign City Council’s recent meeting served to approve a series of resolutions and ordinances aimed at improving the city’s governance, development and infrastructure maintenance.
Each one of these council bills was passed unanimously, 9-0, demonstrating a complete consensus and shared vision among council members on the priorities and direction of the City of Champaign moving forward.
City Manager Dorothy Ann David noted that, instead of a Study Session, a special regular meeting of the council would be scheduled next week to implement items of business necessary to keep the downtown pilot program on task. She also mentioned that the annual town meeting will be held next week.
