On Monday, the Carlyle City Council approved, in a 5-to-3 vote at their regularly scheduled meeting, to have the Zoning Board hold a public hearing for the possibility of allowing cannabis dispensaries in the city.
The approval was to have the Zoning Board possibly allow cannabis dispensary businesses zoned as a special use in a B-1 (Community Business), B-2 (Highway Business) or I-1 (Industrial) district.
The approval was only to have the Zoning Board hold a public hearing on the matter. No decision has been made whether cannabis dispensaries are allowed in the city limits of Carlyle.
Carlyle Mayor Judy Smith clarified on Tuesday afternoon that the Zoning Board will have a hearing and be the one to set regulations and guidelines on where dispensaries would be located (if approved); and whether they would be located in a certain district.
"Once the guidelines and ordinance is set up by the Zoning Board, it will go back to the city council for approval," Smith said.
Cannabis will become legal for recreational usage in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2020, but has already been legal for medicinal use.
As of now, there are 56 dispensaries in the medical cannabis program (and 20 cultivation centers), in which the state has approved recreational use at those licensed dispensaries, City Administrator Andy Brackett said.
The new law in Illinois allows anyone 21 or older to consume cannabis privately. Municipalities have the right to approve or vote against legal sales in their town/city,
The village of New Baden recently approved to allow sales of recreational marijuana in their village, and while municipalities cannot prohibit legal recreational cannabis use, they can prohibit, by ordinance, all businesses or some businesses in the city/town (to sell cannabis).
Those that opposed sending the issue to the Zoning Board were Aldermen John Hodapp, Michael Jansen and Scott Diekemper.
The council also discussed various ordinances on imposing a Municipal Cannabis Retailers' Occupation Tax at a rate of 3 percent, or an ordinance prohibiting cannabis business establishments, however, no action was taken.
In other business, the council approved offering a $25 credit on the utility bill for homes that have at least 10 strands of holiday lights and/or lighted features outside of a residence.
Smith commented that in the past, the city of Carlyle had attempted to have a holiday lighting contest and it was the same three homes which would win every time, so people stopped participating in the contests.
"I am not a big fan of contests, especially during the holidays," Smith said. "I think that is the time when contests need to be thrown out the window. I would rather encourage people to display holiday lights that are of their choosing, and that we give them some type of credit on their utility bill."
At its Dec. 3 meeting, the Breese city councilors approved a Tax Increment Financing agreement with Southern Bus & Mobility.
The company's local offices are at 12950 Koch Lane in Breese.
Finance Committee chairman Tim Schleper brought the resolution before the council. It authorizes the city to enter into the TIF agreement, for $77,400, with the company, which is making improvements for Americans With Disabilities accessibility to their new addition, going on the front of their existing building.
Schleper also told the council that their annual joint review board will be held at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at city hall.
The meeting is held right before the 7:30 p.m. city council meeting.
Breese Mayor Charlie Hilmes said that all the taxing districts have received notice and are invited to send representatives to the meeting.
The meeting is a review of all of the TIF districts that the city has. Each taxing body is met with, and Breese officials go through related reports with them.
In the meeting's public comments section, Breese resident Allen Huelsmann questioned how much land CSX Transportation owned locally and what the company's plans for that property might be.
He said of the railroad, "I don't see the thing ever coming back."
Huelsmann said, after looking at the tax bills for the railroad-owned property, CSX pays $300 toward the Breese Public Library; he, in turn, is paying $143, and said Trenton is receiving $70.
Huelsmann said he believes the property is under taxed. He asked about the possibility of cities coming together to pressure CSX to sell its property.
Hilmes said taxes are set by the county, and the county assessor would have to follow the rules set for commercial properties, assuming the property is commercial.
Hilmes said the railroads go back to before there was a city here.
CSX Transportation in October 2015 announced it was temporarily shutting down operations from St. Louis to Vincennes, Indiana, part of its Illinois Subdivision Line, which includes track in Clinton County from Trenton to rural Sandoval.
Hilmes said there are groups that, if the property were offered for sale, they would like to try and do something with it, possibly establish a bicycle trail.
Huelsmann asked about who would be responsible for maintaining the railroad crossings in the city.
Hilmes said CSX is, as the city is not allowed to do work on CSX property.
Hilmes said the city would put a request for repairs in with the company, if need be. Hilmes said the crossings "aren't in that bad a shape yet."
In utilities news, Ward 4 Alderman Bob Berndsen said city crews will soon start on their maintenance programs, such as tree trimming and other projects.
In the public safety report, the public is reminded to continue locking their doors — both for homes and vehicles — and for motorists to make sure they are stopping for school buses which are picking up and discharging children.
Ward 1 Alderwoman Deb Koetting said there was a good turnout for the Dec. 1 open house at Bent Oak Golf Course.
She said the Chamber of Commerce's 20th annual lighted Christmas parade was well attended, from what she observed.
The parade, originally scheduled for Nov. 30, was rescheduled for the night of Dec. 1, due to the weather
Koetting also thanked volunteers who helped set up the lights in North Side Park, which is where the parade ended.
"I know there's a lot of hard work that goes into that," she said.
Ward 1 Alderman Jason Davinroy advised that the leaf dump is open until Dec. 22, Wednesdays and Sundays from noon until 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Hilmes noted that Shoal Creek is above level again, that the leaf dump has moved to higher ground, and those using it should respect the open hours.
The council approved the minutes of their Nov. 19 meeting, the payment of city bills and reports from city collector Sandy Hemann and treasurer Robert Venhaus.
The council next meets at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at city hall.
Laying it in — Central junior forward Miah Weems puts in one of her two buckets in the first quarter against the Mater Dei trio of Meredith Innes (left), Shannon Lampe (32) and Claire Tonnies. Weems ended the game with 16 points. (Photo by Jeremy Chawgo) The Mater Dei girls basketball team picked up a pair of big wins last week in victories over Central and Belleville West.
The Knights led from start to finish in the Central game while needing a second-half comeback against the Maroons.
Mater Dei is now 4-1 on the season and they will play at Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Saturday and at Okawville next Tuesday.
The loss to the Lady Knights was the only game of the week for Central as they fell to 4-2 on the season. They play at Columbia on Thursday in Cahokia Conference play.
Mater Dei 51, Central 41: The Cougars dug themselves too big of a hole in their nonconference setback at Fred Rakers Court in Breese on Monday.
The Lady Knights could not have scripted a better start behind a 3-pointer from senior Madi Strieker and a conventional 3-pointer from fellow senior Claire Tonnies.
After the Cougars got a bucket from junior Miah Weems, the Cougars’ offense fell apart and the Lady Knights built a strong lead.
Central went 5:30 without a point as they missed seven-straight shots while the Lady Knights got 3-point buckets from Shannon Lampe and Strieker while Sally Albers put in a short jumper to give Mater Dei a 16-2 lead in the final minute.
“We watched some of their games and they have been getting off to a slow start,” said Mater Dei head coach Dave Kohnen. “I thought our kids did a good job getting off to a fast start.”
Weems connected on a layup to end the drought as CHS trailed 16-4 after one quarter. Central was 2-of-11 from the floor and 0-of-7 from the arc.
“This is really frustrating,” said Central head coach Nathan Rueter. “We are not getting good starts in games right now and we have to figure out how to change that.”
Mater Dei made a living at the free-throw line in the second half with five charity makes and three field goals with Lampe adding another triple as their lead was as 18 in the second quarter.
“We weren’t knocking down shots and we were not creating second chance points either,” added Rueter. “We gave up a lot of things defensively that we talked about not giving up. We just did not execute.”
Emma Wuest and Chloe Book each hit 3-pointers in the second quarter to keep the Cougars in the game as they trailed 28-14 at the break.
Central was 6-of-22 from the floor in the second half and they did not attempt a free-throw. Mater Dei was 8-of-14 from the line in the half and 4-of-7 from the arc.
“We were mixing up things defensively and going from the man to the zone and our kids did well in that,” added Kohnen. “I wish we could have stopped their penetration, but it’s still early in the season.”
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