Urbana Beautification

Yeah, for $100000, you'd think that the firm might at least come up with suggestions that weren't dangerous.  It reminds me of Dogbert pointing out that "conning" + "insulting" = "consulting."

The idea of a giant sculpture at Perkins and Cunningham is excellent, but the sculpture should be one of Bozo the Clown.

Michael Fuerst             

(Click here for Urbana postage stamps, T-shirts and bumper stickers.)

 I also think that we could get Saddam Hussein's old swords over Baghdad on the Interstate! As well, we could have murals of Stalin and Mao plastered all over Downtown Urbana.

The public wants a million dollar statue that IDOT would never allow? Did the study ask IDOT this stuff up front so they could determine the feasibility before they bothered with a plan and diagrams? I looked at the study. I don't see 100K in value.

"The plans are based on public input so you are basically calling the people idiots who bothered to show up, spend their time giving their ideas, and try to improve their community."

What was the 100 grand for? Getting public input and trying to market every idea, no matter how absurd to this commission? The public who participated may have thrown out some unrealistic ideas, but they weren't paid 100 grand to study the ground work of any of those ideas being feasible.  Your depiction of the 'study' sounds almost as absurd as the proposals it offered.  People offering ideas outside of their areas of expertise aren't idiots. People paid a boatload of cash to scrutinize any such ideas, who obviously didn't, are just bilking the tax payers.

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Glock21 Op/Ed

Private investors in Nebraska built an arch over I-80. It's been successful and isn't too bad looking.

Lets see, clean up the curbs, take out old driveway cut outs, put in some trees and planting beds, bury the utilities, encourage private investment with incentives and zoning and appearance standards. And hey, let's see if a round about would work...these are my ideas. They can have them for 10K. I'll even whip up a brochure.

Anyone in the Community Developent office, who is already on the payroll, could have come up this (the "study"). And it would not have likely occured to them to spend upwards of a million on a couple of statues. Half a mill, maybe...

Private investors in Nebraska built an arch over I-80. It's been successful and isn't too bad looking.

Well maybe an arch constructed over Cunningham Ave could, like the arch referenced in the above link, contain a museum about local history.

 One exhibit might honor those who left Bozo Urbana in the 19th century to create West Urbana, which eventually was renamed Champaign

Another exhibit might immortalize how Urbana lost its competitive advantage and earned its bozo image in the 1980's while Jeff Markland was mayor, and  Bruce  Walden was chief administrative officer.

illinipunditposter

"As to charges that spending so much money is unwise in a bad economy, Bowersox responded, "To me, when the going gets bad, you don't start cutting back.""

When the going gets bad, we should apparently spend $1.2M on public art.  I wonder how the taxpayers of Urbana feel about comments like that when they don't even support the park district referendum. 

Unsuprisingly, the News-Gazette negatively spins the story by failing to present important points voiced at the council meeting.  Charlie Smyth clarified during his comments about the study that the city is not suggesting they spend anything close to the suggested money on public art, but that the city's role is to provide seed funding with the balance coming from grants and fundraising.  That is an appropriate role for the city.

This also appears to be their intended approach for the road improvements as well.  Cunningham is a US highway, so a lot more grants are possible for this corridor.  Smyth pointed out that a recession is a good time to get the plan in order so that when things turn around and grants become available the city is ready and able to move very quickly to apply for those funds.

Thanks for the clarifications.  The Wikipedia article says that modern roundabouts are safer for vehicular traffic, but not cyclists.  Is this likely to be a problem?

It sounds like the Planning Commission was caught completely unaware on this issue.  Were they not informed that the study was being commissioned?  If not, why not?

For me this whole thing started with being flabbergasted by the price of a marginal (at best) piece of work from the consultants. No value for the money spent. Its not bad that a study was done, but the cost/benefit  ratio here is pretty low. As I said before, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out several very useful things to do - including now in less certain fiscal times - that would begin making the corridor more attractive, both for now and in the future when things start to rev back up.

Pie-in-the sky million dollar proposals, however they are to be paid for, need to wait for some intital commitments by both the city and state to do some of the very basic things for the area. And again, those things are simple, straight forward and apparent to anyone that spends one hour looking the area over. It did not require 100K in fees.

I think the immortal words of "When the going gets bad, you don't start cutting back" should be placed  on bumper stickers, t-shirts, coffee cups, etc.  Doesn't someone want to make some money? (giving proper accreditation to Mr. Bowersock, of course).

Curious and ano.

No, I did not tell them.

I rarely divulge my thoughts on any issue, unless specifically asked. If asked what I stand for, my response is, rather than waste your time, you ask me what you want to know, or are concerned about and I will tell you my position. Consequently, I was only asked about it (salting)and mostly that was after the article on the entranceway. Because I had been walking most of the time when the papers came out, it was being told to me during conversations, I did not take the time to read some back articles. I neither confirmed it nor denied it, but many did indicate they thought Urbana was not salting. I did ask some if they had read the article about salting and many confirmed it. I am not sure why so many misunderstood it. Perhaps it was the column breaks on the paper or because the first part was about not salting, they read that into the last part which contained both salting and non-salting references. Who knows?

My guess is out of the 300 or so homes I actually talked with someone, maybe 30 or so commented on the salt, and maybe 100 on the entranceway.

I will be happy to correct it if asked the same question, thanks for the heads up. Thanks for the courtesy in the manner of your asking.

Personally, I am not a big fan of salting except on major streets, it is caustic material, and that in combination with the existing development codes is really tough on the environment. I will change both of those when elected.

My policy is that if I am not aware of the facts or don't know, I acknowledge their concerns and say I will try to find out more, if I can. ( I sometimes even take phone numbers, or will walk back there to give them an answer)

The real hot issue was the entranceway. Usually someone will bring that up right after I introduce myself and include my engineering background in my greeting statements. Another statement which did come up sometimes was why didn't they use local firms or City of Urbana staff?

My response to that question was I did not know, but that was a very reasonable question.

Again, I am not a big fan of using outside firms for Local Studies, unless none possess the expertise. If none, then I would turn to the University of Illinois Professors who have such expertise, before going outside the area. Every dollar spent in this area usually turns into $7 by the time it clears this area.

My health has been poor for a couple of days and I was not able to walk much, so I noticed in today's paper, a big article how the City Council strongly stood behind their support of the entrance concept. It that does not bode well for them in the upcoming elections. People of both parties view this entrance study as really strange.

Additionally the other issues like an additional multipurpose path, "run around", etc. are VERY expensive issues that are not necessary at this time. Additionally along Cunningham Ave. right of way is already "smushed" and any additional right of way would involve encroachments into existing businesses, graveyards, and remove any buffer zones that are already stressed. Where is the right of way going to come from?

I found it very interesting that the money was going to come from Federal Grants and from the enterprise zone (which apparently has insignificant amounts). No Urbana Money and No State money. Good luck. Why in the Hell would the Federal Government grant money for that specific reason, if Urbana would not also participate?

Remember my 4 rules for responsible legislation? I can't see that even one has been satisfied.

Wrong place, wrong funding and wrong time, and most are saying so.

(Incidentally, the most asked question was my position on the proposed City of Urbana property tax increase.)

Candidate for Mayor of Urbana
Rex Bradfield

I rarely divulge my thoughts on any issue, unless specifically asked.

And we have a winner for my new quote contest!

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I rarely divulge my thoughts on any issue, unless specifically asked. - Rex Bradfield on 2008-12-02 @ 11:23pm

"(Incidentally, the most asked question was my position on the proposed City of Urbana property tax increase.)"

Are you talking about just an increase in the levy or also an increase in the tax rate? 

Local pundit MJFuerst has penned a pithy and pointed epistolary to the local paper---

Champaign is increasing its competitive advantage over inept Urbana.

Downtown Champaign still is attracting upscale retail and residential development. Examples include the recent openings of The Estate Sale store on North Neil, the new B. Lime store and new apartments on West Washington, and the nearly completed parking garage and M2 building.

Meanwhile in Urbana, the shopping center on the northwest corner of University and Cunningham remains mostly a large store-less parking lot, the stores on the northeast corner remain mostly unoccupied, and, after a year, a coffee shop in the Stratford residences building on North Race remains unopened.

Champaign can attract new retail to lower-income neighborhoods, indicated by a new Dollar General store and a new carry-out restaurant about to open at Market Street and Bradley Avenue. Urbana lacks comparable success.

read more...

 Regnad, what the heck is "WQ" in relation to Mayor Lunt Prussing?

Not hearsay, simply saying what the public perception was by input from the public. You should try going door to door sometimes. Public perception is not what goes on here. People are busy and frustrated and have little time or patience to address all the facts.