Published: August 20, 2008 10:50 am      

Council says good-bye to O’Kane

DANVILLE — Ward 4 Alderwoman Nancy O’Kane said she wouldn’t cry at her last city council meeting Tuesday night.

But a teary sendoff by Mayor Scott Eisenhauer ruined that plan.

“I’m not dying,” she told him as he started getting emotional, which then made the room full of aldermen, city staff, police and firefighters showing their support, family members and others laugh.

Eisenhauer said the tough alderwoman and strong city advocate also was a dear, personal friend of his. He said she would get teased because her appointment to the city council 13 years ago wasn’t unanimous. But he said the city is far better now than it was since she started serving.

“Her dedication and compassion for neighborhoods has been unmatched,” Eisenhauer said. “We will truly, truly miss her as an alderwoman.”

After Eisenhauer presented her with a plaque, she told the aldermen she plans to come back to meetings to voice her opinion, even though she no longer will have a vote.

“I take with me a lot of good memories. I take with me some that were frustrating … and some unpleasant,” she said.

She said aldermen get accused of things, such as being self-serving. She said this is false.

“We do it for the community,” O’Kane said.

O’Kane is stepping down to spend more time with her grandchildren. She no longer could put 110 percent into being alderwoman, she said.

This leaves only one alderwoman on the council, Lois Cooper.

O’Kane’s current four-year term expires next year. Eisenhauer has 60 days to replace O’Kane. The appointee then will have to seek election.

“A few names have been suggested and I will interview them,” he said.

Anyone else interested living in Ward 4 should contact Eisenhauer before the end of August.

Also Tuesday, the city council, with an 11-3 vote, approved a billing services contract with the Danville Sanitary District for the sanitary sewer and solid waste charges.

Ward 2 aldermen Rick Strebing, Cooper and Ward 4 Alderman Terry Baldwin voted against the contract.

“I agree with bringing it back home,” Strebing said about the local billing. But he said landlords shouldn’t be taking care of their tenants by paying their bills. Property owners will be billed.

Under the five-year contract starting Jan. 1, the city will pay the district $16,667 a month, or about $200,000 annually, for the billing distribution and collection.

Commercial customers will still see usage-based sewer bills. Residential customers will see a flat rate for sewer bills, as they now see for garbage.

Aldermen are expected to act on billing ordinances setting the fees next month.

Ward 7 Alderman Ron Candido calculated his sewer bill increasing 74 cents a month under the new proposed fee schedule of a minimum $9 a month charge.

Homeowners also will have an appeal option.

Eisenhauer said consumption-based charges would’ve required the city to pay $1 per structure each month for Aqua Illinois meter readings. Also, the city can’t rely on Aqua’s data, he added. The city will enter into a separate agreement with Aqua for water shut-offs for non-sewer payments.

The city has written off several thousands of dollars of uncollectible past bills. Charging property owners/landlords is expected to help with the issue.

Eisenhauer said the biggest strike against Aqua continuing with the billing was moving the billing system out of the area.

“City bills should be paid locally,” he said.

He added that the flat rate sewer fee could not be added to property taxes.

“I’m very happy to establish this partnership with the Danville Sanitary District,” Eisenhauer said.

In other business, the council approved:

--A pump station replacement contract with Cross Construction of Urbana for $535,000.

--The appointment of the Rev. Kenneth McCray to the zoning commission.

--Everett Tims’ request to vacate an alley adjacent to his home at 3 Grace St.

He’s concerned about the crime, trash and people walking through. He wanted a partial closure.

Public Safety Director Larry Thomason reported that more than 700 police calls are made annually in this area of Main, Cleveland, State and Delaware.

--Changing the city’s zoning ordinance to allow for yards for storage of inoperable vehicles in the I-1 light industrial zoning district upon issuance of a special-use permit.

Aldermen Foster, Cooper, Candido and O’Kane voted against the change.

Concerns included I-1 areas in Ward 7 and allowing businesses to remove car parts on the lots.

FYI

The fire department revenue subcommittee meeting Tuesday was canceled.