Lots of reflection during Tuesday evening’s Danville City Council meeting. Prior to the start, Alderman Ed Butler talked about the recent second vandalism incident in two weeks at the Three Kings of Peace old Steel Grip building location in Garfield Park. Butler says this time they will likely have to just sell the structure, despite the plans they had. Butler blames it on selfish adults, and youngsters.
AUDIO: They stole all the copper wires out of it. I’m pretty sure that’s an adult. But the adult wouldn’t go in there and bust out the windows. I’m pretty sure that’s a bunch of kids that just don’t have common sense. You know, our kids need something to do. We had plans to open that building, and have it open all night. Get the kids off the street, they’d contact their parents; “your kid is here.”
Butler is hoping that SOME of the things planned for the Steel Grip building can be moved to the Three Kings of Peace Roselawn Fitness Center.
During “items of information” at the end of the meeting, Alderwoman Tricia Teague said it is definitely time to form a Violence Prevention Task Force. She made this call after last week’s rally for Aniyah Davis, who lost her life in a June shooting in Winter Park. Aniyah’s father Phil Davis also called for this earlier in the meeting. Teague says she wants this on a future agenda, one way or another.
AUDIO: I don’t know if I can put it there myself. I guess that’s really dependent upon City Council rules. I’d have to look at that. But whether or not it comes from the City Council, or it comes from citizens; it needs to happen.
Police Chief Christopher Yates stated afterwards to us that more community initiative like a task force is fine; but that what is really needed is more oversite in individual families, and simply having control over their youngsters and KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE. Mayor Williams was away on city business; Vice-Mayor Eve Ludwig presided over the meeting.
ABOVE: Alderman Ed Butler, Police Chief Christopher Yates, Aniyah Davis’ father Phil Davis, and Alderwoman Tricia Teague during Tuesday night’s Danville City Council meeting.
In other meeting news, the proposed Bresee Bar and Grill at 8 East North Street; which was to come from a combined city-entrepreneur redevelopment effort; has been tabled for a fine-tuning of the agreement. Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk explains what needs to be done.
AUDIO: There’s some language discrepancies in the current contract as it stands; to where the redevelopment agreement or the contract; expires when the TIF expires.
And the TIF runs until about 2043. So once the agreement itself is made somewhat shorter, there could be a vote on it as early as October 7th.
(1st Picture) The proposed North Street location for the Bresee Bar and Grill. (2nd Picture) A view from North Vermilion of where Bresee Tower and the County Annex Building used to be.
Finally, you may have noticed a fresh load of top soil where Bresee Tower and the County Annex Building used to be. Director of Public Works Dave Ruwe says; YES, contractor Homrich is almost finished. Ruwe has high hopes for what could happen as soon as next week.
AUDIO: (Hopefully) we’ll start seeing fence panels disappear next week; and then things get opened back up as they start installing grass seed and that type thing, and do their final cleanup.
Just a reminder that the new grass seed will be temporary; as the entire Main and Vermilion corner should have a completely new look once City Hall is torn down, after city offices move across Main Street to the bank building.
