Council Approves Amusement Tax and License Requirement

The Effingham City Council Tuesday repealed an existing amusement ordinance and enacted a revised ordinance regarding an amusement tax and requiring an amusement license.

The Council has indicated throughout the process that they want to collect revenue from events to help promote future endeavors. 

There has been opposition, though, throughout the process from entertainment venues that what the City is trying to do will discourage attractions.

Singer-songwriter and local promoter Bill Passalacqua spoke to the Council before the vote, suggesting the new ordinance is "overly broad" in attempting to affect too many kinds of amusements. Passalacqua offered that the measure "would apply to everything from concerts large and small to dance and tumbling recitals" and similar events. He suggested the Council consider an exemption for any amusement where 200 or fewer patrons would be buying a ticket or paying dues or admission.

Passalacqua also objected to taxing the sale of tickets locally for events held outside of Effingham. He also suggested that the tax and permitting requirement would chill cultural exchange in the community.

Mayor Jeff Bloemker thanked Passalacqua for his comments, but said he would rather "stick pins in my eyes" than discourage the arts in Effingham. The Mayor said the change is all about supporting activities.

City Attorney Tracy Willenborg explained that she had done a comparative review to see what other communities in Illinois and in other states have on the books and said the Effingham measure is "consistent with other jurisdictions". 

The Council also discussed a proposed Class EEV liquor license that would allow license holders to sell liquor at entertainment and event venues. It was noted the license requires the preparation and serving of food at events where the license is used, as well as a $1,000 license fee.

City Commissioner Merv Gillenwater said he'd like provisions included for security at the events and other accountability measures. The license classification was not up for a vote Tuesday.

The Council named Katie Koester to replace Kristie Campbell on the Tourism Advisory Board following Campbell's resignation; contracted with Economic Development Resources for updated maps and texts for the City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan; and adopted the annual pay plan for all non-union represented employees for the Fiscal Year beginning May 1. The pay plan increase matches the negotiated pay increases provided to union-represented employees.

Council members voted to declare properties at 406 West St. Anthony Avenue and 200 North Forrest Street as "dangerous and unsafe". The move gives the property owners 30 days to make improvements or the City can take action to clean up the properties. One of the properties is still occupied.

The Council discussed a street and alley vacation, some subdivision plats and a rezoning, but did not finalize any of the items. There was the suggestion by Commissioner Kevin Willis that contractors wish the approval process of such projects could be speeded up. City staffers said they thought that was doable, but Gillenwater suggested he wants sufficient time to review such items before deciding whether to approve them. 

There was also a mention that projects where there are no holdups or objections and are recommended unanimously by the Plan Commission without a separate review by the Council at a meeting don't necessarily need another meeting before a vote on them is taken. No action was taken as Willis brought the issue up during the announcements and commissioner comments portion of the meeting.

Effingham Public Library Director Amanda McKay reported the library is working on a strategic plan focusing on the community, including a door-to-door canvass. McKay said they are attempting to determine what citizens would like to see to help the community grow.

McKay, as Effingham Noon Rotary President, also asked for a $15,000 contribution again this year from the City to help pay for 4th of July fireworks. Rotary will raise the balance of the $21,000 cost of the fireworks. The City has contributed toward the cost of the fireworks for a number of years. The carnival rides for the Sacred Heart Parish Picnic will remain in town through the 4th. Bloemker wondered whether other food vendors or others interested in joining the celebration could do so, and McKay said they would be welcome.

The Council discussed the next phase of Calico Trail, on which bids will be opened March 28. This phase will go east from the existing trail, and uphill, connecting with the pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the interstate. This will be the first fully City funded phase of the trail network.

Assistant Fire Chief Matt Kulesza gave the Council a quarterly report on fire inspection activity in the city. He said the vast majority of those where violations have been found have corrected them within the required 30 days. Kulesza said an upgrade of the fire code would be beneficial. Other city personnel said the fire code upgrade should be done in conjunction with upgrades of the building code, electrical code and similar guidelines. City Administrator Jim Arndt said the upgrades are in next year's budget.

Arndt also reported on third quarter fiscal findings for the city. The findings indicate the City is holding its own fiscally. Arndt mentioned that there were 93 planned capital projects in the city in the current fiscal year, with 55% of those completed and another 32% underway. He thinks that's a remarkable number of projects for a community of 12,000 people.