Today’s news: Morning eye opener
No doubt the morning Journal Star will have ore complete versions of these “breaking news” articles:
- JS reporter John Sharp has some details about the “task force” put together to study the feasibility of running a trail right next to the Kellar Branch. The six member group was appointed by the city of Peoria and the village of Peoria Heights. The names of the task force members aren’t listed. I’d be more comfortable if I knew whether or not a rail backer was on the group. Also, you cannot assume a buy-in from the pro-trail crowd. There are many pro-trail people who simply don’t like the Kellar Branch, and want it removed because they believe it stands in the way of future residential development.
- The SJ-R’s Bernie Schoenberg is following up on something Karen Donald wrote. The comments on camera-shy Aaron Schock are a hoot.
- District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton will meet with education reformer Paul Vallas after Christmas.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
It is my opinion that this is going to be a biased committee since the members will be chosen by the two mayors. We already know that the two mayors are anti-rail on the Kellar and they are most likely to appoint pro-trail folks.There should be committee members appointed that are acceptable to the PIRY . The folks at Pioneer Railcorp are smart and quite willing to help plan for a trail next to the rail and have done some good research . What about the CIRY; since their management seems always to be changing and hard to contact they might be a non-player in any decision made. I believe that the final result of this committee will be that yes, a trail can be built next to the Kellar Branch rail but it will be too expensive and that the City of Peoria and Village of Peoria Heights should continue their efforts to remove the track. This of course means more years of legal fighting in front of the STB and many more lies being printed in the Journal Star and still no trail. What is needed is folks with a win-win attitude that are willing to work hard to get the job done. Anti-rail folks sitting around a table trying to plot new strategies to remove the tracks and telling each other lies about the PIRY or CIRY will not get a trail along the Kellar tracks. We need a true unbiased committee to get this project properly done. I urge Mayor Ardis and Mayor Allen to be very careful as to who they appoint so we have a very workable and open-minded committee.
Mister Ed,
While I would hope the Mayors would picked an unbiased group (or at least a balanced one), please don’t forget that this is a representative democracy. Ardis and Allen are the elected mayors, and it is their perogative to appoint who they see fit. My guess is that everyone sees the writing on the wall — the STB isn’t going to change their mind. So it is the city and village’s best interest to figure out the rail-beside-trail option.
Somehow, I think Mr. Ed wouldn’t have posted his comment if Billy was announcing that CJ, David Jordan and Mike Carr were the appointees.
I do not know who the appointees are. I haven’t had time to ask. I’m fairly certain is .J. or David Jordan were on this task fore, I’d already know.
Also, why should the committee be acceptable to PIRY. What right do they have to tell the city who and who should not be on a committee/task force? They don’t own the rail, they have the right to operate on it.
I’m all for the rail-beside-the-trail concept — and I’d like to see a variety of options with their attendant costs. But your insistence that PIRY have some say in who gets appointed to study the matter is a bit ludicrous.
Billy,
I gathered from reading the article that the task force has not been picked yet. Why don’t you email Randy Oliver or Randy Ray (or the Mayor)? They seem to respond to you pretty quickly. Do you know if this committee would be subject to OMA? If so, would the appointees need to be approved by the respective councils?
Full article is up on PJS. Says that Peoria hasn’t selected their appointees, but might be on the Jan. 8 agenda. P.Heights has selected three for approval on Jan. 2. The three selected are Vern Kimberlin, Sherryl Carter and Alexis Khazzam. I’m sure the inclusion of that last name will get some folks in an absolute tizzy.
Sud O. Nyn, Pioneer Railcorp was asked to pay a share of the costs of the study to be done by this committee. This gives them the right to be part of the deliberations. Pioneer has also done research and found a company that would “turn-key” the entire financing and building of the trail next to the rail tracks. This too gives them a right to be part of this committee. Please stop being so arrogant and adopt a win-win attitude to this project. The trail will get built sooner with a positive inclusive attitude than it will by continuing the fight.
Dude, then why didn’t you say that in the first place. You just said that PIRY should get a say. Now they have some skin in the game. (Being asked to contribute isn’t the same as contributing, though.) If Pioneer helps pay for the group, then they should get some say. As for the “turn-key” group, that should be included in the options.
I’m not arrogant — you are the one that demanded that a private corporation be heeded. I was just saying we live in a democracy, and that the Mayor and Council get to pick. My guess is that you are a PIRY insider (since that last bit wasn’t in the paper.) I want to see the rail-and-trail; in fact, I could care less about the trail. But your insistence on a right that is not yours is the arrogant position.
Yes Sud O. Nym, I am a railfan ( I have never worked for a railroad or received any payment from any railroad nor does any member of my family work for a railroad). I also like trails. I walk trails often and sometimes on days like today when you see no one else on the trail or maybe one or two. IOt makes me wonder how much most of the trail folks really care about fitness. A point of information about the committee and democracy (actually we are not a democracy but a democratic republic); the mayors will do the appointing and not the respective councils.
C. J. Summers and Sharon Deckard should be appointed by Mayor Ardis.
Actually, Mr. Ed, you are wrong on two accounts: 1) I already said we live in a representative democracy (i.e. republic.) I doubt you’d want the trail thing going to a ballot. 2) Mayors appoint, but Councils confirm. I believe that was said in the article by Randy Oliver.