Chambana Sun

City of Urbana City Council met February 5.

Here is the minutes as provided by the council:

The City Council of the City of Urbana, Illinois, met in special session Monday, February 5, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Urbana City Building.

Elected Officials Physically Present: Maryalice Wu, Alderwoman Ward 1; Eric Jakobsson, Alderman Ward 2; Aaron Ammons, Alderman Ward 3; Bill Brown, Alderman Ward 4; Dennis Roberts, Alderman Ward 5; Dean Hazen, Alderman Ward 6; Jared Miller, Alderman Ward 7; Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor; Charles A. Smyth, City Clerk

Elected Officials Present Via Teleconference: none

Elected Officials Absent: none

Staff Present: Morgan, Nightlinger, Gray, Schneider, Simon, Hannan, Choate, Hess, Rent, Boys, Clark

Others Present: Bill Kruidenier, Aslan Group

Media: News-Gazette (Natallie Wickman)

I. Call to Order and Roll Call

     There being a quorum present, Mayor Marlin called the meeting of the Urbana City Council

     to order 5:30 p.m.

II. Public Input

     There was no public input

III. City Council/Mayor Priorities

     a. Structured discussion led by Bill Kruidenier, Aslan Group

Mayor Marlin introduced Bill Kruidenier from the Aslan Consulting group, and turned the meeting

over to him. Mr. Kruidenier, a former city arborist and current University of Illinois faculty member,

noted that he was born and raised in Urbana, lived on Main Street, and played in the Boneyard

Creek. He currently lives in Champaign.

Working from a Power Point Presentation entitled City of Urbana – Planning Session, he provided

an overview of a 2 step process that he will take the council through. Tonight will be priorities

followed by discussion and clarification. He will then ask council members to develop an individual

top 5 list for discussion at the follow up meeting February 19. A discussion of what constituted core

priorities and types and numbers of goals followed.

Mayor Marlin stated the intent is to develop high level priorities of consensus -- items that are

achievable as well. Department heads are present to serve as a resource and to answer questions. CM

Roberts indicated his concern about an inadequate number of goals. CM Ammons explored the

concept further by asking whether employment figures into public safety and neighborhood services

as employment helps reduce issues related to crime. Mayor Marlin responded by indicating that if

council members wanted to broaden an overall goal then include it in priorities. Discussion

continued with CM Roberts noting that some information could be included in the subpoints of a

goal while CM Ammons asked if neighborhood services include social services funding. Mayor

Marlin indicated that most of what Community Development does qualifies and that we have core

services and core functions and responsibilities that will continue but if there are ways to expand or

that should be added that can be done here.

Mr. Kruidenier returned to his presentation stating that the purpose tonight was to develop thoughts

from council and mayor in addition to maintaining core municipal functions such as public

infrastructure, public safety, neighborhood services, and economic development. CM Miller asked if

that meant macro scale priorities or should we be more specific? A subset of deliverables?

Discussion followed with CM Roberts providing an example of a goal with 4 pieces. Mayor Marlin

indicated that priorities will inform city staff going into strategic planning by staff.

Mr. Kruidenier continued his explanation of the meeting format going over desired outcomes,

meeting ground rules, a second round of discussion following the initial list of goals, defined his role

and council member roles in the process. He then solicited and developed a list of initial thoughts

on priorities from the council and mayor (abbreviated below by initials):

EJ: to eliminate discrimination on racial or ethnic grounds in the sale or rental of housing

AA: minority hiring in city and participation in contracts

DM: inclusive procurement (women and minorities) and preference to local vendors

BB – improved biking and walking connectivity

DR – promote urbana as a community destination

DH – more welcoming to businesses regardless of our politics (cultural shift)

JM – add electric charging stations

MW – invest & repurpose older housing stock

MW – maintain the health of our Urban Forest

JM – promote youth employment/paths to youth at risk

DH – invest more heavily into our social services starting with a detox center

DR – build more connections and cooperative projects with the University of Illinois

BB – complete a facilities study

DM – plan for the transformation of Lincoln Square into a vibrant destination

AA – citizen participation in the budgeting process – more outreach to residents – community

involvement in pressing topics starting with and getting feedback from residents –actively engage

residents. Creatively engage residents in pressing topics facing the city getting feedback from them

EJ – Accelerate Urbana’s path towards zero net carbon footprint and that we seek to partner with

other governments to achieve this

MW – review and retool our vision for campus to downtown

JM – create a multiuse path from Carle to Downtown Urbana along the railroad right of way

DH – make SE Urbana more of priority with respect to business development starting with Philo

Road

DR – completion of beautification of Urbana’s main gateway corridors

BB – develop Boneyard Founders Park

DM – expand connectivity of KRT from High Cross through Urbana focusing between Vine and

Lincoln

AA – have equity in traffic stops and get a Golden Corral restaurant on Cunningham off of I74

EJ – work with other government agencies to reduce disparate impact of fines and court costs on

lower income individuals

MW – assess and improve our community relations with various city offices in general

JM – provide greater incentives for small business owners

DR – completion of a Design Overlay district for the general downtown

BB – update downtown plan – incorporating transit center, jail reuse, and so on

DM – work with other government agencies on transitional and affordable housing for families

AA – Final resolution to the sewer lateral issue

DR – promote visitor and tourism to downtown as a point of interest

BB – work with UofI Master Planning projects

DR – Boneyard multiuse path from downtown to campus

DR – support and continue to search for funding for permanent art installation

Mr. Kruidenier reviewed the initial priorities and provided time for Council Members and the Mayor

to advocate for their initial priority. This process allowed Council Members to clarify and, at times,

combine priorities. The initial listing is below. It was agreed that many of these priorities would

require partnerships and collaborations.

     1. Eliminate housing discrimination on racial or ethnic grounds

     2. Seek to increase minority participation in city procurement, hiring and contracting

     3. Promote Urbana as a destination within the greater Urbana-Champaign-University

         community.

     4. Be more welcoming to businesses.

     5. Invest in and repurpose older housing stock.

     6. Maintain and enhance the health of our urban forest.

     7. Promote paths to employment for at risk youth

     8. Invest more heavily in social services starting with detox center.

     9. Build stronger facility connections and programmatic collaborations with the University.

    10. Plan for Lincoln Square site transformation into a destination.

     11. Creatively engage public and university students in Urbana information gathering process –

           specifically the budget process.

     12. Accelerate Urbana’s path to zero carbon footprint.

     13. Review and retool campus to downtown plan.

     14. Make SE Urbana an economic priority – Philo Road business district.

     15. Complete Urbana’s main gateway corridors.

     16. Complete the Boneyard Founders Park.

     17. Expand connectivity of Rail Trail with a focus between Vine and Lincoln.

     18. Work toward equity in traffic stops and add a Golden Coral on N. Cunningham off I-74.

     19. Reduce disparate economic impact of court costs and fines on lower income people.

     20. Assess and improve community relations with city offices.

     21. Provide greater incentives for small business owners.

     22. Complete downtown design overlay.

     23. Update downtown plan, transit center and jail.

     24. Work with other governmental agencies on family focused, transitional, affordable housing.

     25. Final resolution of sewer lateral issue.

     26. Promote downtown visitor and tourism as a point of interest.

     27. Work with University master planning as it influences Urbana.

     28. Multi-use path along Boneyard from downtown to campus.

     29. Continue to search for funding, and support, permanent art installations.

As time was running out, it was decided that a summary would be provided to council and individual

priorities would be solicited via email ahead of the next meeting on February 19.

IV. Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Marlin declared the

meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m.

https://www.urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/2018-02-05_scc_Minutes.pdf