NORMAL – Normal Council members voted 4-1 to pass a resolution authorizing approving an agreement with Normal-based consulting firm The Hile Group, Inc. for facilitation services relating to the Main Street Task Force.
In 2007, Council members approved a redevelopment plan for Main Street. One recommendation made in the report was for Normal and Bloomington to adopt a Form-Based Code which the two communities would be able to adopt in an effort to establish standards of uniformity with relation to items such as development and signage along the Main Street corridor.
By early last year, both communities began exploring how to put the form based code into practice. Residents and business owners, as well as the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, began raising questions concerning about the form based code.
The Main Street Commission elected to look for a facilitator to help an ad hoc committee set up by the Commission with their discussions concerning form based code.
To find the facilitator, the Commission submitted a request for proposals, and selected The Hile Group.
Under terms of the agreement with The Hile Group, they are charging a flat fee of $25,000. Under the agreement, responsibility for paying the fee would be split with Normal and Bloomington, each community contributing $4,500.
The remaining members of The Main Street Commission – Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce — would each contribute $4,000 toward paying the tab.
The Commission has asked that the Town of Normal serve as fiscal agent, responsible for handling the payments due The Hile Group.
Council member Jason Chambers, an attorney, recused himself from discussion of the matter, and did not participate in the vote.
Council member Adam Nielsen reminded Council members discussions concerning signage standards in the corridor have gone on for a couple of years with no agreement for numerous reasons.
Concerning this matter, Nielsen said, “Somewhere on the path, I fell off the bandwagon. I couldn’t support (paying for) this.” He added he hoped alternatives could be found to the form based code.
“If common ground on (the subject of) form based code can’t be found, then alternatives need to be sought,” said Council member Jeff Fritzen.
Council member Sonja Reece said having committees that study community improvements are useful. She cited the committees who studied bike trails and proposed bike routes for the Town, as an example.
But, Reece said, where committees contribute to studies, Councils like Normal’s, and Bloomington City Council, are charged with making policy. She said there is no guarantee Normal Council will vote to approve anything brought to their agenda by the Main Street Commission.
City Manager Mark Peterson said he wanted to make sure the Commission did not look as though its work was driven by Town staff.
Mayor Chris Koos said Normal and Bloomington will each appoint three members to the task force. Those persons will be an at-large member, a person who owns a business within the corridor, a resident living within the corridor. The other three groups involved will appoint one member each, and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce will appoint three people to join the task force.
Recommendations from the task force are expected by August. All recommendations will first go to the Main Street Commission, then have to be approved by both Normal Town Council and the Bloomington City Council.
At its Feb. 15 meeting, Normal Council members will be asked to decide if it wished to continue working with the guidelines that are in place for the corridor or whether they would prefer to scrap the guidelines, which have existed for almost two years.
“How long can you spend studying something?,” Nielsen asked reporters rhetorically after the meeting. “How long can you create a cloud of uncertainty surrounding a major segment of your community?
“There are people who own businesses and property (in that area),” Nielsen said. “Basically, we’re tying it all up by this delay. So, I think it is time to say something, and hopefully, speed this process along.
Nielsen said he thinks Normal “(bit) off more than it can chew” by agreeing to approve the resolution. He said he believes Main St. could be improved by dividing it up into separate unique areas as has already been done with a Tax Increment Financing districts, using TIF as a means of promoting development along the street.
Sales Tax Increase Approved: Council member unanimously approved a one-quarter percent increase in the Town’s sales tax, effective July 1. With the Council’s unanimous vote, local sales tax will jump from the current 7.5 percent to 7.75 percent.
Council member Cheryl Gaines reminded Council members it has been nine years since the Town had a sales tax hike.
“The important thing is, we’ve made cuts (in the Town budget) because we saw the writing on the wall (about the current recession),” Gaines said.
Endicott Appointed To Human Relations Commission: It was announced at the meeting that Amy Endicott, 716 Normal Ave., has been appointed to the Human Relations Commission. Endicott will be completing the term of Laurie Bergner, who recently resigned from the Commission. Ms. Endicott’s term will expire in March 2013.
Omnibus Agenda Items Approved: Omnibus agenda items approved by the Council included:
• Approval of the minutes of the reconvened public hearing of Jan. 19, 2010.
• Approval of the minutes of the Council’s regular meeting held Jan.19, 2010.
• Approval of Town of Normal expenditures for payment as of Jan. 27, 2010.
• A motion to support the Central Illinois Regional Broadband Network (CIRBN) Initiative.
• A resolution authorizing the filing of the Town’s 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan and 2010-2011 Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding.
• A resolution authorizing payment to Bloomington-based Clark Dietz, Inc. in the amount of $138,394.75 for additional work performed on the Uptown Normal Street and Streetscape Project.
• A resolution waiving the formal bidding process and authorizing the purchase of three newspaper dispensing devices for the Uptown area from Sho-Rack by Kaspar Wire Works, Inc. of Shiner, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $18,000.
• An ordinance amending the Town Purchasing Manual to require the payment of prevailing wage on all Public Works projects.
• An ordinance amending Section 4.9 of the Town Liquor Code, adding a mention of a $100 fee for license holders who wish to pay their annual license fees in two installments.
• An ordinance amending Section 7.21-1 of the Town Municipal Code – Sewer Rates. Effective April 1, 2011, the system maintenance fee charged to residents on a bi-monthly basis will increase from $1.50 to $2.50.
• An ordinance amending Section 17.10, Section 23.11-1, Section 25.16-3, and Section 25.16.5 of the Town Municipal Code for various fees and charges.
• An ordinance amending Section 25.9 of the Town Municipal Code to increase the Municipal Retailer and Service Occupation Tax.