The Galesburg city council has appointed a community task force to take up the issue of a community center.
Each council member put forth two names for the task force and Mayor Peter Schwartzman put forth one.
But several community members expressed concern about some of the nominations during public comment at Monday’s council meeting, saying there aren’t enough young people and not enough transparency about the process and why some people were nominated.
Among those who spoke was Darla Krecji, who is the mayor’s appointment to the task force.
She said she is honored but was surprised she wasn’t asked to submit an application or resume.
Krecji then handed her resume over to the city clerk during the meeting and encouraged other nominees to do the same.
“So that everyone knows who we all are, and where we’re coming from, and what skills we have to bring to the table. It’s kind of hard to vote in people you don’t know,” Krecji said.
In response to those concerns, most council members then explained their nominations. Bradley Hix, who nominated a relative, and Evan Miller did not discuss their nominations.
Sarah Davis was absent. One of her nominations is a former council member.
Council Member Steve Cheesman said he picked the CEO of the Knox County YMCA and a younger Congolese resident.
“So whoever is critical that there’s no young people, I did my part. I chose a young person. I chose a young person that’s a minority. I chose a young person that in my 45 years of being a schoolteacher, I believe cares about his community as much as anyone,” he said.
The nominations to the task force were approved on a 6-0 vote.
Churchill bid rejected
The formation of the task force comes after a new council was seated in May.
Since then, some actions the previous council took toward a community center have essentially been undone.
For instance, late last year the previous council selected the former Churchill Junior High School as the site of the proposed community center on a 4-3 vote.
The city acquired Churchill at no cost earlier last year, after it was vacated by Galesburg District 205. It sits on a 13-acre lot.
But last month, the new council approved an ordinance directing the sale of the Churchill property on a 5-2 vote.
At Monday’s meeting, the council rejected the lone bid for the property, which was for $100.
Maury Lyon, a former educator and current school board member, spoke to the council on the potential Churchill sale.
He said he was speaking for himself, not the school district, but noted a shared interest on the board in ensuring decommissioned school buildings do not become eyesores in the community.
“We thought there was a plan for Churchill and you deciding on that another way is by far your decision,” Lyon said.
But he said he hopes for two things for the Churchill property: that any development ensures part of the large lot remains a greenspace, and that any developer has the resources to develop the property in a timely manner.
“Too many times the school district has sold properties that have become eyesores, and I would hate to see that happen at 905 Maple,” Lyon said.
Task force to provide recommendation
Galesburg has been without a community center since the city sold 150 E. Simmons St. to a developer in 2013.
Opinions vary on the scale, potential location, and need for a community center, as well as what services it should provide.
The task force is charged with reviewing the history of community centers in Galesburg, assessing needs, evaluating what resources are currently available and what are needed, and then providing a recommendation to the city council.
Director of Parks and Recreation Elizabeth Varner will serve as the city’s liaison to the task force.
Those appointed the task force are as follows:
· Mayor - Darla Krejci
· Ward One - Anthony Law III and David Hix
· Ward Two - Cassie Cirimotich and Connie Dennis
· Ward Three - Steve Albert and John Polillo
· Ward Four - Pastor Antonio Franklin Sr. and Del Tolliver
· Ward Five - Maria Salsman and Ted Hoffman
· Ward Six - Jaclyn Smith-Esters and Carl Dortch
· Ward Seven - Adam Sampson and Grael Mulata
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
