Tuesday, October 2, 2012
If you pay your city bills by phone, you could see an additional $7.50 tacked on beginning Dec. 1.
If you call in to City Hall to arrange the payment of your utility bills via electronic fund transfer, brace yourself: It could start to cost you a little more beginning Dec. 1. The St. Charles City Council, meeting as the Government Operations Committee, advanced a proposal to charge residents a $7.50 convenience fee for phone payments, per call Assistant Finance Director Julie Herr explained to the committee that the city encourages residents to use its direct debit program, in which city bills are deducted from their checking accounts automatically each month, or its online billing payment program, where residents can log in to the city’s website each month to pay their bills. The first option is not as popular, she said, but it is the …
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
City tinkering with inclusionary housing ordinance to provide flexibility for developers without losing site of state mandate.
There appears to be some consensus between the St. Charles Housing Commission and the City Council Planning and Development Committee, which met earlier this week to discuss proposed revisions to the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance. At issue is whether the ordinance is an effective tool in today’s economy. The city adopted the ordinance in 2008 to ensure it maintains control of a state mandate requiring communities to ensure that at least 10 percent of the housing stock is classified as affordable. In St. Charles, a little more than 18 percent of the housing stock is considered affordable. Communities that fail to meet the mandate face a potential state takeover of their planning and development efforts to ensure compliance. But the …
Free drinks offer draws ire of other downtown bars feeling City Council pressure. Liquor license holder cited with two violations.
It would appear that at least a few downtown St. Charles liquor license holders have taken to heart the City Council’s proposed crackdown on over serving alcohol and a proliferation of drunken brawls in recent months. Saturday, one downtown bar owner told police he and another bar manager had received information from their customers that the Alibi, 12 N. 3rd St., was serving free drinks form commercial purposes and was even advertising it, both of which are prohibited by the state liquor code, according to police. Police issued one citation on each of the charges to Richard A. Simpson Jr., 33, of Downers Grove, who told officers he was the holder of the Alibi’s liquor license. According to a police report on the incident, officers were …
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Government Services Committee votes 5-3 to allow River Rock House Fest to benefit the search for a cure for autism, but it imposes restrictions. Members also tell city staff they want to consider no more exceptions to procedure on festivals.
Municipal officials often are faced with trying to strike a balance between making decisions within the framework of a system intended to maintain order and knowing when to break from that framework out of compassion for a noble cause. It was pretty clear the St. Charles City Council, meeting Monday night as the Government Services Committee, struggled to find that balance as it offered a compromise on a small, three-day festival in late September intended as a fundraiser to support finding a cure for autism. But it was a tough call, which was reflected in the committee’s 5-3 vote. It remans to be seen whether the festival will receive final approval when it comes up for final approval before the full City Council, which meets next on …
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Matt Zmuda and Grant Markowicz, both 18 and both of St. Charles, finished their projects and were bestowed the Eagle Scout honor during a ceremony on Sunday
The St. Charles City Council on Monday evening honored two Boy Scouts from Troop 10 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Matt Zmuda and Grant Markowicz, both 18 and both of St. Charles, had completed their projects and were bestowed the Eagle Scout honor during a ceremony on Sunday, the duo told St. Charles Patch prior to the start of Monday’s City Council meeting. Zmuda said his project toward achieving that rank was to patch and seal-coat the parking lot of the Fox Valley Pregnancy Center in South Elgin. Markowicz did a full outer restoration of a 50-year-old chicken coop, scraping off the old paint and repainting it, at Garfield Farms on Route 38, between Geneva and Elburn. The two Eagle Scouts joined Mayor Donald P. DeWitte before …
Monday, July 16, 2012
City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m., followed by Government Operations Committee and Planning & Development Committee meetings.
Tonight the Planning & Development Committee will vote to approve amendments for a proposed west-side apartment complex north of West Main Street and Cardinal Drive on the Corporate Reserves property. According to city documents the updated proposal includes a reduction of units from 407 to 331. Additionally all four-story buildings will be reduced to three-story buildings, a reduction of parking spaces from 786 to 526 and nixing the two proposed mixed-use buildings. In the fall of 2011 during a public hearing St. Charles residents said te initial proposal packed too much into such a confined space. During that meeting residents and council members expressed concerns, including the number of apartments that would go on the 17 acres set …
Monday, July 2, 2012
Government Operations Committee meeting, which was scheduled to meet after council, has been cancelled.
The St. Charles City Council will briefly meet tonight to briefly vote on city matters. Most of the items on the council's agenda will be handled during the omnibus vote. Items on the omnibus vote include city expenditures, approval of minutes from previous council sessions, disposal of city owned property and votes on contract approvals. The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the St. Charles Municipal Center. The Government Operations Committee meeting, which was scheduled to begin immediately following the council meeting, has been cancelled.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
City provides total of $275,000 to the organization's budget.
St. Charles officials approved $275,000 in funding for the Downtown St. Charles Partnership. Council already approved $40,000 in funding for the organization, City Administrator Brian Townsend said. On Monday the organization was seeking the remaining $235,000. The partnership’s funds come from proceeds from Special Service Area 1-B. The organization’s total budget is $390,000, with the remaining portion provided by the membership, said Chris Woelfer, the partnership’s treasurer. Lynne Schwartz, executive director for the partnership, said there are four main areas the organization will focus on, including marketing and promotions, business development, business education, which includes various training activities including social media …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
City Council wants to discuss proposal more before proceeding to next phase.
One week after discussing the possibility of establishing the East Gateway Business District, St. Charles council members are already looking at trimming areas out of the proposed 720 acre plan. During Monday night’s council meeting, city aldermen said they wanted to discuss the boundaries prior to preparing the business district plan. Alderman Cliff Carrignan, who was absent Monday night, discussed shrinking the district last week. Because he was absent, Aldermen Joann Krieger and William Turner said they would like to wait until Carrignan returned so he offer his input. Mayor Donald DeWitte suggested council take the entire area for study, then shrink it if necessary. “We need to know what's available in establishing this district, then …
Monday, June 18, 2012
Downtown St. Charles Partnership will seek funding.
City Council meets briefly tonight to address various issues, including amending the city's liquor ordinance. Council will vote on an amendment to the city code governing the number of alcohol licenses the city will issue per the various classifications. Following the adjournment of council, the Government Operations Committee will meet to discuss various items including the funding of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership. The organization is seeking $275,000 in city funding. Aldermen have scrutinized the organization to determine how it can be used to best serve the city in areas such as marketing, business development and downtown activities, including RiverFest. The meeting begins at 7 tonight in council chambers of the city municipal …
David Amundson
10:41 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Kim - Then I think Ald. Rogina's concern is misplaced. Charging an extra $7.50 for the pay-by-phone does not leave seniors and others without an internet connection without options, or force then to have to pay the $7.50 fee every month. It simply leaves them paying (on time) in the same fashion that folks have paid their bills for nearly forever; by check via the mail, or in person. If folks … more ›