Town of NormalNORMAL– Normal Town Council members, by a vote of 5-1, approved an intergovernmental agreement with Illinois State University to help pay the cost of a new video scoreboard and sound system for Hancock Stadium. The 50-year-old football landmark is in the final stages of a $25 million renovation which would include construction of luxury boxes and new seating on the facility’s east side.

Council Member Scott Preston cast the lone opposing vote, and Council Member Chuck Scott withdrew from voting on the measure because he is an ISU employee.

Former ISU President Dr. Al Bowman made an appeal to Council members at their July 1 meeting, asking Town Council members to consider paying the amount requested over a short period of years.

Normal’s $500,000 would be built into the Town’s budget each year beginning with fiscal year 2013, and would pay for almost half the cost of the new system, estimated at $1.2 million. ISU, in making the request at the Council meeting on July 1, had asked if the Town could make the payment over a two-year period.

But the Town proposed five payments of $100,000 over the next five fiscal years, building the expense into each Town budget in future years. The Council would vote on making the payments on an annual basis, Mayor Chris Koos explained as discussion on the matter began Monday night in Council Chambers at Normal City Hall.

In the discussion before deciding to make the payment, Koos told Council members paying the money would be an action Council members would vote upon each year “until the obligation is met,” he explained. Doing it in this way, Koos said, “would allow Town staff to budget for it every year until the obligation is met.”

Koos noted the revamped Hancock Stadium is “at the front door of our community,” and that ISU Athletics Director Larry Lyons has been contacted by parties with interest in bringing other activities to the community. Koos did not specify beyond that.

“I don’t think you can deny intercollegiate athletics is an entertainment venue and it also promotes the community,” said Council Member Jeff Fritzen. But Fritzen was quick to acknowledge that while there were positives to the Hancock upgrade, he said there are people within the community who might object because it would set a precedent for giving Town money for every entity that requests it.

“But this is not a policy, it’s a project,” Fritzen added. He reminded that $4 of every $5 in student fees at ISU goes toward paying for the stadium upgrade.

Council Member Scott Preston, on the other hand, had issues with ISU’s request. He reminded that the scoreboard “is not a taxpayer-supported project.” He said voting to approve the measure to provide the money “was something I am not comfortable with.”

Council Member Kevin McCarthy said approving the expense is not equal to making a policy decision for the Town, to his thinking.

Council Member Cheryl Gaines reminded Council members that, as years have progressed, relations between the Town and ISU have warmed and grown. “We wouldn’t have nearly the things we have in this community if we didn’t have student housing,” she said. “Normal has one of the lowest tax rates in the state.”

Koos told Council members the Town will receive an acknowledgement in some form at the venue for their contribution to the stadium’s newest addition.

Following the meeting, ISU Athletic Director Larry Lyons said, “We’re fine with how the Town wants to do this,” about how the Town wants to handle the financial arrangement. “We’re pleased with the show of support for the project as a whole, and we look forward to working with them.”

ISU’s Board of Trustees would be the next group to approve purchasing the video board and sound system, Lyons said. ISU’s BOT meets at the end of July.

Request To Rezone Main St. Property Denied: Council members denied a request made by Bayo Adanri to rezone a parcel of land at 601 ½ N. Main St. Adanri was looking for Council members to rezone the land at that address as medium density multiple family. On one side of the land is property zoned single family residence to the north and to the south is located Fireside Condominiums at 601 N. Main St., which has 17 units.

Adanri told Council members the land met the qualifications to be zoned medium density. He said he did not know exactly what he wanted to construct on that .45 acres of land, although, in 2009, he applied to the Town for conceptual approval of a complex with between three to five townhomes, and his building concept required numerous code waivers from the Town. At that time, Normal Planning Commission members unanimously voted to reject the concept.

On Monday, Council members heard testimony from Mary Anderson, a resident of Fireside Condominiums, who argued 601 and 601 ½ N. Main St. are zoned single family. “We have to wonder if this request is just a stepping stone to his next request,” Anderson said. Anderson added the land at 601 ½ N. Main St. has no sewer hook-up.

Fritzen said he wanted input from Town Staff regarding the zoning of the land based on Adanri’s presentation to Council members.

Town Corporation Counsel Steve Mahrt, in responding to a question from Koos, explained zoning of land in the Town is governed by the Town’s zoning map. Mahrt said any questions or conflicts are settled by what the zoning map says a piece of land is zoned as.

Because of that, Mahrt explained, to fulfill Adanri’s request for the land, the Town “would have to pigeonhole medium family density in-between the rest of the area which is zoned otherwise.

Liquor Commission Settles Cases: Council members, serving as the Normal Local Liquor Commission, heard from Koos concerning settlements reached in four recent liquor violation cases.

The Town has settled with American Drug Stores, LLC doing business as Osco Drug #3073, 901 S. Cottage Ave, fining the store $250 for selling alcohol to a person under 21 on March 27. This was a first offense for the store.

Settlement was reached with Normal Catering Co, Inc. doing business as Bloomigton-Normal Marriott, fining the hotel $350 on a stipulation, a guilty plea and settlement agreement which was reached on April 3 for a liquor sale to an underage individual on March 27. The fine was imposed just two months short of three-year look-back period for offenses.

Settlement was reached with Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership doing business as Meijer Gas Station #207, 1800 E. College Ave. On May 9 at that location, alcohol was furnished to an underage person. It was a first offense for this establishment within a three-year period, and the Town fined Meijer $250 for the first offense.

The last settlement brought to the Commission’s attention was reached with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., doing business as Wal-Mart Supercenter #1125, 300 N. Greenbriar Dr.. At that location, alcohol was furnished to an underage person on May 9. A settlement agreement with the Town was reached on May 22 which included a $2,500 fine because Wal-Mart had a fine in the amount of $1,500 imposed upon it less than two years ago.

All four establishments have paid their fines.

In addition, Commission members approved minutes of two recent meetings – a regular meeting held by Commissioners March 18, and a special meeting held June 3.

Omnibus Agenda Items Approved: Omnibus agenda items approved by the Council included:

• Approval of minutes of regular meeting held July 1, 2013.

• Approval of Town of Normal expenditures for payment as of July 10, 2013.

• A motion to initiate an amendment to the Town of Normal Comprehensive Plan.

• A resolution accepting easement grant from Monical’s Pizza – Main St. IDOT Improvement.

• A conditional resolution partially approving the seventh addition to The Vineyards Subdivision.

• An ordinance amending the FY2012-13 Operating and Capital Investment Budget.

• An ordinance rezoning property in the Town of Normal (1282 Healing Stone Ct.).

• An ordinance rezoning property in the Town of Normal (309 E. Northtown Rd.).

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