3 candidates for Downtown Investment Authority CEO coming to Jacksonville on Monday
Danny Chavez, former Chief Economic Development Officer in Waco, Texas.
Lara Frittz, Division Director of the Frederick County, Maryland, Department of Economic Opportunity.
Colin Tarbert, formerly the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corp.
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The new CEO will be replacing Lori Boyer, whose contract was extended last year.
They will meet with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, Chief of Staff Mike Weinstein, incoming City Council President Kevin Carrico, and the DIA board.
The City Council had been seeing power to fire the next CEO, but dropped the request after a high-profile dust-up between Carrico and Councilman Matt Carlucci.
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Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Evanston commission corrects error after preventing citizens from speaking on controversial project
Evanston's Land Use Commission initially denied some citizens, who are neighbors of a controversial proposed residential building that would be the third-tallest in Chicago's suburbs, the right to speak at a Wednesday meeting at which the Land Use Commission had been scheduled to vote on the project. Commission officials acknowledged their error at the meeting, saying they had misinterpreted two conflicting government codes. They rescheduled the hearing for Aug. 27. The building has been controversial because in addition to its proposed 31 stories and 331 feet in height, some have spoken about density, parking and potential wind issues at its proposed site in downtown Evanston at 605 Davis St. The proposal calls for 430 apartment units and 80 on-site parking spaces, with an agreement proposed for 120 more at a city-owned garage. Some residents have spoken in favor of the site as well, pointing out that the 605 Davis Street site has been vacant for decades, and that the development would provide 86 affordable units, higher than the city's 15% mandated inclusionary housing ordinance requires. Downtown business owners have also supported it for its increased foot traffic and population that could bring in more customers to their stores. Conversations on densifying Evanston, which has a mix of apartment buildings and single-family homes, have been largely divisive. The City Council is also in the process of mulling Envision Evanston 2025, the city's 20-year comprehensive plan which would likely increase density significantly. Per the city's Land Use Commission rules, residents who own property within 1,000 feet of a proposed development can ask for a continuance, or a delay, when it reaches the commission to air their concerns regarding a proposed development. At a continuance, a resident can challenge claims made by a developer, and can present evidence and call on experts to help make their case. At a previous Land Use Commission meeting in July, the commission's chair, Jeanne Lindwall, and city staff said they confused conflicting language in the city's zoning code and Land Use Commission. The commission granted a continuance for five residents who opposed the proposed building to speak at the Wednesday hearing, but mistakenly rejected six other residents from speaking at that hearing, Lindwall said at Wednesday's meeting. 'I'd like to apologize both to the applicant and to the members of the public for the situation, but I believe it's important that we rectify this error as expeditiously as possible,' Lindwall said. Some residents also spoke against the project at the July meeting, but only people who own property within 1,000 feet of 605 Davis St. and submitted a request for a proposal in writing to the commission will be allotted time to speak at the continued August meeting. Residents can also make public comment at that meeting. The city contacted the six residents on Monday, explaining their mistake and offering them a chance to speak. In order to give them time to prepare for the hearing, and to also allow the full commission to be present at the hearing, Wednesday's hearing was continued to Aug. 27. 'I believe this request makes a lot of sense, both in terms of the continuity of the proceeding and the fact that two of the LUC commissioners who were present on July 23 were unable to attend this evening; I believe staff is also supportive of this request,' Lindwall said. Residents who were granted a continuance will have up to five minutes to present their testimony and evidence at the Aug. 27 hearing, Lindwall said. Residents who bring in an expert will have an additional five minutes to hear from the expert. The developer, and experts they wish to invite, will have an opportunity to cross examine the resident's expert after each testimony, and is also allowed a 20 minute closing statement or rebuttal after all residents have testified. Residents who are not able to attend the Aug. 27 hearing can submit their testimony and expert analysis in writing, Lindwall said. After all the testimonies have been heard, the Land Use Commission is expected to deliberate and make a decision on the 605 Davis St. proposal, she said. 'I'd also like to remind the members of the public that it is inappropriate to contact Land Use Commissioners individually regarding this or any other case. We do our deliberations in public and hear testimony, and so please respect our role and the position we're in by not trying to reach out and discuss any case with us individually,' Lindwall said. Once the Land Use Commission gives a recommendation on the proposal, the plans will then head to the city's Planning and Development Commission, made up of six members of the City Council. In order for the development to advance to the full City Council, it will need at least a tie or a simple majority vote from that commission. The development would then need to win a simple majority of votes from the city council.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Quincy's Scott Campbell faces crowded field in bid to retain at-large council seat
QUINCY ‒ Incumbent Councilor-at-large Scott Campbell's bid for a second term pits him against seven competitors for three seats. A Tuesday, Sept. 2, preliminary election will whittle the crowded field to six candidates who will appear on the ballot for the November general election. During an interview at the city council's offices in City Hall, Campbell said he's running on making housing affordable and continuing the council's support for Mayor Thomas Koch's transformation of the city. Campbell described himself as a lifelong Quincy resident and the youngest of eight in a family committed to community service, primarily through sports. Campbell said he continues that legacy to this day by coaching and organizing an annual golf tournament for alumni of Quincy and North Quincy High's football program. "I stayed involved my entire life," Campbell said. "Not because it's something good to do. It's a responsibility." Campbell began his professional life working in sales and customer relations for the telecommunications sector, including such firms as Granite Telecom and AT&T. But when he turned 30, he determined it was more of job than a vocation. In 2001, Campbell joined former Quincy city councilor, state treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill as a special aide, later rising to the position of chief of staff. Campbell described Cahill as a role model in politics. "The stances he took may not always have been popular," Campbell said. "It was the right thing. It wasn't always the easy thing." Campbell began a new job in January with the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association as director of government affairs. He was elected to city council in 2023 in an uncontested race. Quincy City Council candidate Scott Campbell: On affordability Asked what he hopes to accomplish if reelected, Campbell said he's focused on making the city affordable to live in for three generations of families. He said there are existing options, such as property tax abatements for veterans and seniors, which everyone may not know how to access. Campbell also named the Affordable Housing Trust Fund as part of a strategy to bring down housing costs. Private developers building market rate housing in the city can pay into the fund in lieu of building affordable units as part of their own projects. "Can we find a way to utilize that money," Campbell said. Quincy City Council candidate Scott Campbell: On the raises In the spring of 2024, Campbell and the rest of the council approved a 79% raise that Koch proposed for himself, increasing the mayor's salary from about $159,000 to $285,000. At the same time, Koch proposed a roughly 50% raise for the councilors, which increased their pay from $29,500 to $44,500. The council approved that raise as well. After the State Ethics Commission launched a conflict-of-interest inquiry, Koch and the councilors deferred the raises until after the next elections. The raises take effect in 2026 for the councilors and 2028 for the mayor. Or perhaps not for the mayor. A group of Quincy residents are working to put a citizen petition on November's ballot that would set the mayor's salary at $184,000 and take away elected officials' ability to increase their own salaries. Campbell defended his support for the mayor's raise by highlighting what he sees as the city's progress over the 17 years of Koch's tenure. "This is a national story here with the transformation of Quincy," he said. "By and large, it has been extremely successful." Asked why he didn't recognize that the mayor's and council's actions may have violated state conflict-of-interest law, which bars public officials from participating in matters in which they have a direct financial interest, Campbell said that others led the "process" which he only followed. "We were relying on a process," he said. "That process was presented to us." Asked who presented him with the process, Campbell named City Solicitor Jim Timmins and Council President Ian Cain. Performing arts, presidential center: Quincy reveals big new plans. With no price tag. Or address Courts: Quincy health commissioner will fight drunken driving charge at trial, lawyer says Quincy City Council candidate Scott Campbell: On the statues Speaking on the two, 10-foot-tall bronze statues of St. Michael and St. Florian planned for the façade of the new public safety building, Campbell said his initial response was concern over their pricetag, but ultimately he supports them. "My biggest issue was the cost," Campbell said. "At the end of the day, they fell within their budget." The statues cost $850,000, according to city officials. Commissioned as early as 2023, they were not disclosed to the city council, which approved the project's budget, or the residents until The Patriot Ledger reported on them in February. "By and large, (the public safety building) was managed in a really great way," Campbell said of the $175 million project. "We're talking about a landmark building, a 100-year building. To over simplify it, you don't buy a new suit and wear old shoes." Campbell said he doesn't think the statues violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Rather than Catholic figures, he said St. Michael and St. Florian are "accepted symbols of spirituality" for police and firefighters and "less about religion and more about protection." Three civil liberties organizations sued the city on behalf of 15 residents, claiming that Koch violated Article 3 of the state constitution, which bars government from elevating one religion over others. The plaintiffs are seeking a court order prohibiting installation of the statues, which are scheduled to go up in early October. Peter Blandino covers Quincy for The Patriot Ledger. Contact him at pblandino@ Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Incumbent at-large councilor Scott Campbell runs for re-election Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
DC Council rips Trump's ‘manufactured intrusion on local authority'
The D.C. City Council condemned President Trump's federalization of the city's police force and plans to deploy the National Guard to fight crime in the city. 'This is a manufactured intrusion on local authority. Violent crime in the District is at the lowest rates we've seen in 30 years. Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department is unwarranted because there is no Federal emergency,' the council said in a statement. 'Further, the National Guard has no public safety training or knowledge of local laws. The Guard's role does not include investigating or solving crimes in the District. Calling out the National Guard is an unnecessary deployment with no real mission.' Under the Home Rule Act, Trump can temporarily take control of the District's police department if he determines 'special conditions of an emergency nature exist.' The president announced Monday he was declaring a public safety emergency in the District. 'It's becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness,' Trump said at a Monday morning press conference. But that claim does not align with crime rates in the city. According to the council, violent crime in the city has decreased by almost 50 percent over the last two years, a dynamic they credit to staying 'laser focused on driving down crime' to some of the lowest figures in decades. 'The President was unable to cite any evidence that our MPD is not able to do the job. Let's stay focused,' the council wrote. 'Taking over our police department and deploying hundreds of National Guard members is not the hard work of public safety — it is a show of force without impact.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
