lincoln/logan county tourism funds

8/19/2019 Lincoln/Logan County tourism funds

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This slideshow is NOTHING PERSO

It’s about DUE DILIGENCE with OCITY OF LINCOLN funds.

NOTE: Some of the information provided pr

a few alderman, committee or board mem


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QUESTIONS & CONCERN

was created using

Logan County Alliance Docume

City Council Meeting Minute

Local Media Articles


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1.Logan County Alliance (Tourism & LCA Agre

Questionable Funds total

approximately168,414

2. Improper oversight of Tourism funds Con

Evidence

follows


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Initial Stages of the ALLIANCE


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Mayor Keith Snyder dis

stages of what is now t

carrying out

Downtown Redevelopinitiative to establish

development organiza

primarily on the do

Redevelopment/Revitalization

ExplorelogancountyClick “Communit

Click “Downtown Linco


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HEAD’s UP in August 2014

Lincoln Courier Article by Dan Tackett


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…Logan County Board

…


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Making the City of Lincoln Better?


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The Alliance-ChamberYEAR END Profit Loss

as reported on tax returns


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Taken from the 2015 Alliance Annual Report

=376,288

=$530,239

-$

D


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Chamber Cash Assets as Reported in Annual Reports

2012 Annual Meeting for 2011

2016 Annual Meeti

2014 Annual Meeting for 2013

Was the financial stability verified before entering into the Ag

Year to date (YTD) is cumulative figure QTD should be used to show accumulated expenditures for ea


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Year-to-date (YTD) is cumulative figure. QTD should be used to show accumulated expenditures for ea

it’s a QTD is the column totals. Misleading or someone not familiar with basic accounting prac

LCA 3rd QTR Report

Jan –Apr 2015 LCA Agreement:

If the CITY paid $15,126

The Alliance spent- $4764.16

= $10,361.84 that should be returned to the

LCA 3rd QTR Report


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2015-2016 Contract:

If the CITY paid $50,420 (figured on 10 months of co

The Alliance spent- $24,969.50

= $25,450.50 should be returned to the CI

LCA 3rd QTR Report

LCA 3rd QTR Report


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What proof of expenditures were produced for the $19

Administrative charges within the LCA Agreemen

Was proof of expenditures questioned or requested

LCA 3rd QTR Report

Not much effort for the


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City of Lincoln’s Welcome Tab on website

Not much effort for the

City of Lincoln

Economic Development Cont


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$264,197

2013 2012011

Events

EXPENSE 2011 2013 2015

Membership Expense $3,944 $4,044 $65,178

Events/Activities $221,749 $264,197 $210,031

Salaries/Benefits $120,545 $134,552 $122,652

Occupancy/Operations $37,427 $40,178 $45,201

Admin & Other $9,992 $9,410 $87,177

Only a $2107 increase with addit

$77,185 increase in

$61,234 increase Membership Expens

Figures from The Alliance Year End Documents Above in a Comparable Format


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Art & Balloon Fest Split Concerns: TRUTH or F

• Where did that Rainy Day fund disappear?

• In the case of a weather event THE ALLIANCE didn’return Sponsor & Vendor money.

• The Chamber charged an Admin fee of $50,000

to handle ABF.HOW was the ABF a bank buster if the ALLIANCE colle

$50,000 Admin Charge + Sponsor + Vendor mon


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Funds for Festivalsare typically

granted in 1

st

Qtr May-July the budg(CITY/TOURISM Contract 5/1/15-4/30/16)


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Why is the Alliance requesting/receiving Tourism mini-grant

CITY SPONSORSHIP TOTALS (Contract Year 5/1/15-4/

LCA Agreement $5,000

Mini-Grants $4,000 & $5,000 for 2015Mini-Grants $4,000 & $5,000 for 2016

Total of$23,000 during 5/15/15-4/30/16 year

• The City historically spent $5000 for THE COMBINED EVENTArt & Balloon Fest.

• The Alliance decision to split the events has effectively shi

the added costs of running the EVENTS to the


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Did the City’s $5000 sponsorship or an award through the Tourism mini-grant fu

Is this appropriate spending?

When did it become a practice of the Alliance to finance non-profit

How was this group chosen

to benefit?

BRANDING through the CHAMBER 2012


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BRANDING through the CHAMBER 2012

The BRANDING price tag in 2012, was included in OUR ME


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DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATIO

Committee, which included Kealready planned for a re-b

So when people as

“Why are we RE-BRANDIN

Because it’s in t

Revitalization P


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A GI


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2009 Chamb

2009 Tourism Logo


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It’s no longer LOOKING FOR LINCOLN.

The question is, Where is Lincoln?

The image of Lincoln has been remove

Is this the direction of those

forcing the Branding Initiative?


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New Path for TOURISM

Excerpts from LDN, Nila Smith, 4/11/13 article,


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Sasse told the council that inside their annual budget, $23,660 is earmarked for use in Lincoln in 2013 an

$9,410 is earmarked for locations throughout the county.

City Debates what to do with tourism bureau.

A much different stand

Abraham Lincoln Touris

Count

Standards “Destination Lo

held to

More of a “We can doExcerpts from LDN, Nila Smith, 5/29/13 article,

City may vote next week on future of tourism bureau.

Alderman asked to review list of tourism


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expectations, LDN May 15, 2013 article by Nila

Smith

Mayor Snyder, Ald


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Andi Hake involved

Director Interview

taking control.

I saved 2013 news article because of the misleading and inaccurate statementsmade on the City’s behalf by Alderman Tom O’Donohue


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y y

regarding the Tourism Board Members

I apologize I do not

Article in the local press late Summer or Fall of 2013LINCOLN —continued FALSE!


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FALSE!

TRUE!Was-The Tourism Bureau & Main Street set up to fail with EXPECTATIONS set BY those w

CONTROL &

do not hold themselves to the Standards and ACCOUNTABILITIES they

Logan County Tourism Bureau Profit Loss 2015


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• Guestimate $15 per hour for Interim Tourism Director 2014.

• Interim salary, at the $15 rate, for about 6 months =$14,400 in Salaries

• Fulltime Tourism Director started approximately 9/17/14.

• Guestimate $55,000 Salary =$4583. per month x 3.5 months = $16,041.66

$14,400 + $16,041.66=$30,441.66 possible Tourism Director’s Salary Spent.

$70,280 -30,441.66=$39,865.21 What happened to $39,865?


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Organizational chart does not show an Administrative Assistant directly reporting to Tourism.


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This pertains to the Tourism 2014 Line Item entries reg

TOURISM FUNDING on the next slide

TOURISM 2015 YEAR END FINANCIALS


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Why is the 2014 Revenuethe budgeted amou

City Administrator, Clamentions on his Rumor

Were funds deposite

to “streamline” The


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TOURISM 2015/2014 Y


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TOURISM 2015/2014 Y

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS


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$132,603 Total Tourism Questionable Expenses in 2014

?

(Cut/Paste from prev

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS “In the pastwas a


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City of Linc

Motel/H

Why didn’t support, from the

come out of our Tourism fund of

Tourism February 2016 Report


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She also commented on where the priorities lie for the bureau. "I think it is a li

spend $2,500 on sports projects and $5,000 on preservation projects, when actu

than three times as much on sports events," she said.

Sue McLaughlin Excerpt from LDN, Nila

Smith 4/11/13 Article, City Debates

what to do with tourism bureau.

Why is Tourism no longer supporting sporting evenWhat happened to the Sports Tourism account? Where is THE Sport Tourism accoun

Who sold the CITY OF LINCOLN the TAG LINE, “Make Your M


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The TAG LINE is on the billboard from Springfield to L

Does it seem that it infers Lincoln has nothing more than a REST


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Has any money been set aside for

restoration or preservation?

Are there matching funds being

budgeted in anticipation of

additional grants?

Missed opportunity for The Mill?

It would have made a great Tourism Bureau!

The Route 66 “BRAND” Remind you of anything?

Clay Johnson , CITY Administratorwants to lead yet another FOUNDATION with


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y

City of Lincoln Tourism dollars?

• Was the money from Hotel/Motel tax earmarked for Public Art, Amenit

•

How will this organization prove “HEADS in BEDS” & ROI (retuwhich is a requirement of all TOURISM fund requests?

Council discusses new landscape ordinance, Civic Foundation

proposal

by T.A. Bergin February 24, 2016


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City Administrator, Clay Johnson was includedon the questionable Tourism Year End Financials for 2014/201

still states,

“This is not a dissatisfaction with any product prepared by the Alliance


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City Administrator, Clay Johnson, has designed his

own GOLDEN PARACHUTE.


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“These expenditures

generated value cons

the dollars spent …no

accountability and

transparency …

Chuck Conzo AGAIN addresses concer

So how does this all speak to questionable issues with The Alliance which includes tTourism & Economic Development?


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One group orchestrated The ALLIANCE & continues to be active participants.

In my research, the same names kept re-occurring so this morphed into much broader scoped report. O

Steering Committee for the City of Lincoln Downtown Revitalization & Redevelopment, which Keith S

The plans are quite clear and posted ExploreLoganCounty.com/Community/Study Overview/Study Do

• Start Planning• Establish Historic District

• Establish TIF District

• Hire City Administrator

• Branding

• Coordinate Downtown Development Organization (The Alliance) which would be housed i

eliminate the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau & Main St. & control their funds)

• Greenscaping (New bush, landscape & garbage ordinance being presented)

• Create a walking tour. ( 2013 Mainstreet was tasked with financing this COSTLY publicationALLIANCE)

It shows quite clearly who is STEERING the CITY OF LIN

Keith Snyder and other re-occurring names on Boards & Committees have stee

and

dollarsfor their agenda & their design.

They have designs for parking, green spaces & which businesses will be collateral damage of the the

RECURRING NAMES on Committees & Boar


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Downtown Lincoln RSteering C

Page 57 Revitalization

#12 & #14 would take out 2 businesses for pa


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I thought we were trying to develop business


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Guzzardos Alley planned for a “potential pocket park.”Pocket park beside Lincoln 4

Theater

Who is going to mow all these new green spaces?????


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• Is the Steering Committee of the Downtown Revitalization really interested in marketing

• Is INDUSTRY being sought or are we just dressing up for this potential BEDROOM COMM

• The Steering Committee “DOWNTOWN” boundaries were crossed insinutating the City o

on Industry.

• “Every small town” doesn’t have our LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION.

• NOT EVERY CITIZEN is ready to throw in the towel on industry.


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The Redevelopment Stee

Committee also reveals t

Council’s role-

•

Take a step back• Don’t micro-manage

• No day-to-day involvem

From the outside looking in it appears that this group is micr

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman confirms The City of Lincoln isfollowing the Redevelopment Steering Committee directives…c

ld


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…

e

e

b

b

…

e

t

a

c

ald

go

m

m

ad

do

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman confirms The City of Lincoln isfollowing the Redevelopment Steering Committee directivcontinu


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Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman, Mayor, City of Lincoln, Ill., May 1, 2001-May

Downtown Steering Committee recommen


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Code enforcement co

considerable CASfor the City of LI

Slippage of code comp

gone unnoti

Are members of the Steering Committee


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City ordinances?

Properties under a variety of MMIL companies.

Business partner

John Rooneypurchased in 2007.

Transferred to

MMIL in 2008

Aquired in

Aquired in 2012


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Property owned by MMIL business behind the original Theate

St. Shows the constant debris & trash that is always over flow

Owned since 2013.

How will these properties meet the new landscape & garordinance when they are not meeting the current ordinan


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Property owned MMIL business at 209 Chicago St. since 20

y g

Marketing present


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p

DCC Ma

10/9/

What does attract tourist visits to sm

Just because you build it d

h ill


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That would have been nice to know before the tr

“HISTORY” #3 tourist draw.

So why are we removing “LINCOLN” from our BRANDING e

Are we doing enough to support/promote Lincoln Heritag

mean they will come

Did our TIF pro


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It’s kind of like…Your child gets their first job & moves out.


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• Buys a new car with big car payment attached.

• Buys the latest phone with big payment attached.

Your child comes to you for funds to meet monthly obli

You ask, “Where’s your money going?”

Child responds, “Car payment. Cell phone payment”

You ask, “Was the new car necessary? Was the newest

necessary?”

AND you have to explain, that the first obligation is for your rent. Not to say that those amenities can’t be wor

budget later.

You have to prioritize to live within your mean

It’s easy to follow the bright shiny object, BUT can Lincol


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The statistics above only represent 50% of our residents.

What other job categories could there be? Retired? UDo we have a population that can support a Revitalization?

Lincoln, IL Da


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Stop using inequitable comWe are not a Chicago s

Why:

Comparison Cities population are alm

Median income for Lincoln is MUCH le

Which also means CITY OF LINCOLN R

less disposable income

Lincoln falls solidly in the Mi

LaGrange & Willowbrook fa

Upper Middle Class & UPPE

AS I SEE IT…


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It appears all the issues, the Citizens of Lincoln have been sha

heads about, have risen from the

Steering Committee Agenda & Directives of The MASTER PLAThe DOWNTOWN LINCOLN CITY REDEVELOPMENT/REVITALIZ

Propaganda & misdirection disseminated through the Counc

Minutes, Articles & publications are clear once you identify threalize their tentacles are far reaching into other areas of LIN

I felt a CIVIL DUTY to share what I had learne

SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO Linco


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SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO Linco

• Jobs-Industry

• FUNDING our CIVIL Servant Pensions-not long discussioshrubbery ordinance.

• Sewers (no matter how beautiful things may appear it still smells)

• Having faith in ourselves & believe this COMMUNstep up if an inclusive process is developed.

• A COMMUNITY that has proven THEY WILL STEP U

WHO DOESN’T‘ WANT TO SEE LINCOLN FLOU

BUT


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• SHOULD THIS GROUP BE ALLOWED TO CON

TO HANDLE ANY CITY FUNDING with ZEROTRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY?

• Is this group really addressing what’s impor

The Citizens of Lincoln?

• What efforts were/are in place to pursue th

recovery of our tax dollars?

BUT...

Have you ever heard an Air l ine Safety B r ief ing?

“Please take a few moments to locate the nearest exit. In some cases, the nearest exit may be


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Let’s take the initiative to GO AGAINST THE FLOW & CHART new territ

Together let’s help LINCOLN SURVIVE!

• In an Emergency Situation people panic.

• Can you imagine a flow of passengers running toward the open exit they see in f

• But a survivor thinks differently.

•

They go against the flow.• The Survivor looks for alternatives that aren’t obvious or apparent at the time t

emergency is declared.

• They survive!

This is a call to action for all

those citizens who think like the survivors!