Public Funds
Read more about the article City’s small grant program helps reduce speeding issues in MLK Subdivision neighborhoodDarrell Hoemann
Sign for the Martin Luther King Subdivision neighborhood on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

City’s small grant program helps reduce speeding issues in MLK Subdivision neighborhood

During one of its quarterly neighborhood association meetings this year, the MLK Subdivision brainstormed about how to reduce speeding on its streets. Kerri Wiman, the director of the Champaign neighborhood services department, happened to be sitting in on the meeting. Hearing the group’s concerns, she decided to direct them to the Neighborhood Services Small Grant Program — and it helped get them results.

Continue ReadingCity’s small grant program helps reduce speeding issues in MLK Subdivision neighborhood
Read more about the article Champaign County’s removal of property tax search by name sought by officials seeking privacy, but decision confounds other assessorsDarrell Hoemann
Brookens Admin Center in Urbana, IL 61801 on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

Champaign County’s removal of property tax search by name sought by officials seeking privacy, but decision confounds other assessors

Champaign County eliminated the ability for a person to search property tax records by an owner’s first and last name in 2018's new tax system, despite almost every other county in Illinois still allowing it and seeing improved service quality as a result.  However, the property records, including names, can be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act and put into a searchable database. In other words, not allowing one to search by name in the software simply makes finding a property owner’s name more difficult, rather than preventing it altogether.

Continue ReadingChampaign County’s removal of property tax search by name sought by officials seeking privacy, but decision confounds other assessors
Read more about the article United Garden Hills lighting, flooding projects underway after years of resident complaintsUnited Garden Hills, Facebook
Flooding on Anita Dr. in the Garden Hills neighborhood in June 2021.

United Garden Hills lighting, flooding projects underway after years of resident complaints

In June, the city was awarded $25 million through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), a COVID-19 economic relief plan disbursing emergency funds. Half of the funds have already been given to the city, while the other half will be received next year. Kay Nees, finance director of the city, said the ARP was like a “key missing piece” in order to get to work on Garden Hills.  The two efforts, a drainage project to target flooding, and a lighting project to make the streets safer, have their own timeline, budget and design. The first phase of the drainage project has already been completed: creating greenspace to install detention basins. The city worked with residents to demolish properties that were frequently getting flooded to make room for detention basins.

Continue ReadingUnited Garden Hills lighting, flooding projects underway after years of resident complaints
Read more about the article Pay gap between Champaign and Urbana employees actually widening, new data revealsGoogle Maps Street View
Urbana City Building from Google Maps.

Pay gap between Champaign and Urbana employees actually widening, new data reveals

Recently released data on employee salaries of the City of Champaign and City of Urbana show that Urbana pays substantially less than Champaign and that the pay gap between the two cities has actually increased over the past two fiscal years, according a CU-CitizenAccess review.  When the data for employees receiving under $75,000 a year is included, the number of employees increases to 315, more than double the 145 employees included in the compensation report the City of Urbana publishes. 

Continue ReadingPay gap between Champaign and Urbana employees actually widening, new data reveals

Champaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same

Champaign’s cash outflow reports show that business assistance funding has dramatically increased during the pandemic, aided by a fund program that wasn’t designed to…

Continue ReadingChampaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same
Read more about the article Restaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans
Source: U.S. Farm Credit Administration

Restaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans

The Small Business Administration released more data about businesses who received Paycheck Protection Program loans under $150,000. Previously, the SBA did not release business names for businesses that received loans under $150,000.

Continue ReadingRestaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans
Read more about the article Central Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travelUniversity of Illinois Willard Airport
COVID-19 safety information is part of Willard Airport's plan to recover revenue lost by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Central Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travel

The impact of COVID-19 on central Illinois airport revenue has been substantial as passenger travel was reduced by almost two-thirds.

Continue ReadingCentral Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travel
Read more about the article Veterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop
File photo. The hands of veterans as they wait outside the meeting room for the Veteran's Assistance program on the first Monday of the month at Brookens Champaign County Building on Monday, November 3, 2014. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Veterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop

The commission has assisted 432 veterans through November this year, but it has had to turn away many requests because donations that supplement the county money were down, said Brad Gould, the commission’s superintendent.

Continue ReadingVeterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop
Read more about the article Small Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistanceDarrell Hoemann
Habitat for Humanity, Champaign Executive Director Chad Hoffmanon in the Restore in Champaign on Friday, December 11, 2020. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Small Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistance

Forty-eight out of approximately 90 small businesses in Champaign received a total of $520,000 in grants from the Small Business Incentive Program COVID Relief Grants. The money for these grants came from the Federal CARES Act fund. The city council amended the pre-existing Small Business Incentive Program so that the program could be used to distribute this new funding in an efficient and productive way.

Continue ReadingSmall Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistance