VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS ACT
I am surprised that your article described the reason for the failure of Sam Cahnman's elected officials recall referendum as a "technicality" ("Sangamon County Board blocks referendum to allow voters to oust future sheriffs," Aug. 15). This "technicality" was a violation of the Open Meetings Act for which our respectable media and this good paper have always been among the foremost champions.
The Open Meetings Act requires that a public body must give advance notice to the public of all substantive issues on which it proposes to act. This protects the people's right to know in advance what their government is planning to do. That means no one, not even Mr. Cahnman, can tell the public his resolution will do one thing and then – without any notice to the public – offer an amendment that does something completely different.
Mr. Cahnman's evening entertainment provides a good illustration of the of the common sense behind the Opening Meetings Act. On Tuesday evening, when introducing his new amendment, Mr. Cahnman assured us he had done all the legal research and his new recall proposal was indisputably lawful. But by the light of the next morning your intrepid reporter, Dean Olsen, was able to learn that the Illinois State Board of Elections doubted county governments had the powers Mr. Cahnman assured us we had. At the very least, this suggests the wisdom of the Open Meetings Act's required advance notice about a proposed resolution with some time for research and reflection.
Perhaps your headline might more accurately read, "County Board blocks Open Meetings Act violation."
Sonya Massey's death was a tragedy for which the only solace is a determination to examine ourselves unflinchingly and an irrevocable resolution to do better. Mr. Cahnman and his coterie seek issues and advantage. The rest of us, however imperfectly, seek solutions.
Andy Van Meter
Chair, Sangamon County Board
THANKS FOR COVERAGE
I thought the article "Downtown fire sparks calls for action" was very well done (Aug. 1). I just wanted to say I really appreciate Karen Witter's journalism and commitment to our community.
David Lee
Springfield
BUSINESSES ARE TO BLAME TOO
This article highlights the issues with downtown, but not in the way you might expect. There are many fingers being pointed as to why it isn't bringing business downtown, or what can be done to improve things. Blame Carlos (Ortega), hire an urban planner even, but has anyone sat down and reviewed the business models for the businesses downtown? Shouldn't they be able to bring in business based on what they offer, not only when there's a festival or farmers market?
None of these businesses are out in front of their shop selling during the farmers market; most of them are not even open for 25% of the market since they don't open until 9 or 10 a.m.
I love our downtown, I want to see it thrive and I do shop downtown as much as I can. But until these businesses start taking on some of the blame for their performance, nothing will get fixed.
Kristin Miller
Springfield
DOWNTOWN IS DESTROYED
And who's going to pay for this? What about the insurance money to help pay the city? Downtown has been destroyed all these years and there's still nothing worth shopping. I grew up showing downtown in the 1960s; all the good stores are gone. There is nothing worthwhile downtown.
Pamela Meyer
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
STILL WORTHWHILE
Just because it is not the downtown of your youth does not mean there is nothing worthwhile downtown. My only hope is that the negative comments spur others to go visit our downtown to make that determination themselves, instead of relying on one person's viewpoint. Everyone gets nostalgic for the things from their youth, but time marches on, and Montgomery Wards is no longer. They simply long for a past place and time that we will not be able to recreate. These types of comments are not helpful to the downtown business community working to try and revitalize our downtown.
Ami Shelton, The Keep Store
