Published: October 07, 2008 10:50 am            

Belle Rive board tackles parking issue

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

BELLE RIVE — The village board is one step closer to deciding how to address parking issues and an Internet tower placed on public land after a special board meeting Monday night.

“No decision this board can come up with would make each of them say it’s wonderful,” trustee Guy “Butch” Choate said. “We need to make a decision and if there are any legal repercussions, we deal with it.”

Problems in the village about parking center on the two businessmen located on Main Street, Mayor Donnie Wilkey, who owns Wilkey’s restaurant, and village fire chief Lance Thackrey, who along with his wife own a styling salon and water softening business across the street.

Before tackling the parking issue, the trustees started with discussions on an Internet tower, which a survey conducted in September revealed was located on village property. The tower had been placed with permission of Wilkey, who was under the impression the land belonged to him.

“I talked to Mt. Vernon Net on [Sept. 30],” trustee Bill Cross said. “The contracts entered with Mayor Wilkey included two options, free service or $100 per month, and the contract included a legal description of the property provided by Donnie based on his taxes. We could have them move it, they didn’t want to.”

Cross said Mt. Vernon Net had offered the village the same options as it was paying Wilkey.

“I for one don’t believe Donnie knew the tower was on a street when he made the contract,” Cross said, adding that after the survey, it was discovered that some things that were thought to be 1 foot off property lines were as much as 4 feet off. “I don’t think he intended in any way to enrich himself with village property.”

Wilkey said he didn’t know about either of the payment provisions in the contract.

“I just signed it without reading it,” Wilkey said.

Choate made the recommendation that Mt. Vernon Net be contacted and asked to attend the next board meeting to present a contract to the board.

“I’d like for it to be a board decision, and have them address the board together,” Choate said. “I’m not in a hurry to get the tower out of here, but I think the village should be compensated and we as village trustees should have the opportunity to talk to them.”

Wilkey said he believes if the village were to enter into a contract with the Internet service provider, it would open the issue of homes, utility poles, and phone lines “which are in the same situation.”

“I think you’re trying to compare apples and oranges,” Choate told Wilkey, who said the survey shows homes and barns sitting in the middle of platted streets.

“Someone came in and set up a tower and didn’t come to the board,” Choate said. “I don’t want to open the flood gate again.”

Wilkey was the sole no vote to ask Mt. Vernon Net to come to the board meeting with a contract for the tower.

Village Clerk Doris Mallory started the discussion on the parking issue by mentioning the board had received several letters from the public. She read one from that stated the issue was “one big mess” and didn’t like “being made fun of on the Internet.” In addition, Thackrey’s wife was criticized in the letter stating that if they didn’t like Belle Rive, to leave.

Other letters were mentioned in addition to two letters which were sent to the newspaper as letters to the editor. Writers of both the letters are not residents of the village, Mauser pointed out.

“Not one of those people ever attended one of these meetings,” Mauser said. “How can they criticize if they don’t attend and don’t know what’s going on. Mrs. Payne is doesn’t live here, she lives in Dahlgren and Sarah is out of town too. Everyone has a right to an opinion, but if you do, have enough interest to sit in on some meetings.”

Wilkey defended the letters, saying the writers spend their money in Belle Rive.

“You don’t want them to spend their money here every day?” Wilkey questioned Mauser. “Do you want them to spend their tax dollars somewhere else?”

Cross said the issue could have been settled years ago, and Choate interrupted to say that letters like the ones received are “a dime a dozen.”

“If you want to sit here and be a little dictator, go right ahead,” Cross told Choate. Choate said the letter he received from residents who live in town “weigh heavier.”

Wilkey took the comments to be an allegation that he had “solicited” the letters.

“I brought them to let you know they will be published in the paper,” Wilkey said. “Citizens are concerned. ... You’re sitting there criticizing your family relation. ... I’d take Shirley Payne’s word over yours any day,” Wilkey said.

Choate went on to make a recommendation the village to adopt an original plan presented by the village street and highway committee, which was brought to the board in April.

The recommendation was that no parking be allowed within 30 feet south of the existing curb next to the stop sign on the east side of Main Street to avoid any potential “blind spots” pulling out onto Illinois Route 142; and, no parking in the 24 feet of the drive-thru entrance that accesses the parking area of the salon. The recommendation further stated parallel parking only would be allowed on Main Street.

The motion was made to update the village parking ordinance, which Choate said had been written in 1925.

Cross said if some of the public property were taken from parking at the Main Street entrance to Thackrey’s property, he believed it would be vacating part of the street and parking area.

“Any entrance off a a street, the law says you can’t block it,” Fred Gowler said. “Just because he has an asphalt entrance to his business, ... and he accesses it from Main Street, it’s still his entrance.”

When questioned why entrances on and off roadways should be blocked by parking, Cross said the difference was that the discussion involved downtown businesses, adding that he believes if no public parking is allowed in the 24 foot entrance from Main Street, that Thackrey could not park in the area either.

“There’s no difference in my deciding to block my own driveway,” Gowler said. “No one else can block it, but it’s my entrance and I can block it if I want to.”

Wilkey said if Thackrey were to be allowed a 24 foot entrance to his property, he should also be allowed a 24 foot entrance.

“If you have the room to have a driveway, put one in,” Gowler told Wilkey. “It’s not our fault you don’t have the room.”

Cross said by blocking not only the 30 foot near the stop sign but the driveway, it would affect parking for Wilkey’s.

“It sounds like we’re trying to run someone’s business out of town,” Cross said. “No one is trying to run anyone out of business ... If the salon had sufficient business to warrant more parking it would be an issue, but [Donnie] doesn’t have enough. ... I think [Thackrey’s] after Donnie because he happens to be mayor and after him to run him out of business.”

Shorb said as he understands the law, parking isn’t allowed within 30 foot of the stop sign anyway, that blocking entrances to property are prohibited, and the current parking ordinances call for a 60 degree angle, which would provide about six more parking places on the street, which is part of the existing ordinance.

Thackrey was allowed to present a proposal to the board which drew sharp comments from Wilkey. Thackrey offered to sell the village a strip of property on his north side of the old drive through and up the western border of his property for $10,000.

“I’d veto that motion in a second,” Wilkey said. “The village has property there necessary to put up blocks there so he couldn’t call a tow truck. For over 30 years, people have parked there, it’s been public parking. ... Over 30 years ago Belle Rive paid to have both sides paved. ... Then the bank came in and tore things out. ... This wasn’t an issue until Lance came to town and hung buckets and ran people off, people spending their tax payer dollars. ... [Former mayor] Bill Neal told him if he didn’t stop, he’d put in poles, now [Thackrey] just has people towed, and I got criticized for painting lines. His privileged friends can park there anytime. ... It makes no difference to me whatsoever what you vote. You decide what to do, and then I’ll decide what I have to do.”

Cross voted against changing the parking ordinance, and Shorb also voted in the negative, stating the only reason he voted against it is because he believes the current ordinance should be enforced.

An attorney will have to be contacted to draft the ordinance, and Cross recommended getting one that could give an opinion on the issues. “I’m still not sure we’re not giving away public land in that 24 feet and about changing what’s been customary for 30 years,” Cross said.

        

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