Carbondale council approves consent agenda including $250,000 EPA grant and forwards emergency-training zoning change to planning commission after public push‑a

The Carbondale City Council on Oct. 8 approved its consent agenda, which included a $250,000 Illinois Environmental Protection Agency grant to fund energy audits and subsequent implementation at city-owned buildings, purchases of police vehicles and related FY2026 budget adjustments, and authorized staff to initiate a text amendment related to an emergency services training facility.

Councilmember Stanfield moved to approve consent agenda items 7.1 through 7.5. The council recorded a roll-call vote in which Councilmember Stanfield, Councilmember Colombo, Councilmember Lowes, Councilmember Maxwell and Mayor Carolyn Harvey voted Yes. Item 7.3 (a resolution to initiate a text amendment relative to an emergency services training facility in the Ag General Agricultural District) had been pulled for separate consideration and public comment before the vote.

During the public-comment period multiple residents questioned whether the proposed code change would allow facilities, including MTU 15, to avoid the typical planning-commission review process. Victor Ludwig, who said he no longer lives in Carbondale, asked the council “not to make an ordinance change for the sake of MTU 15's planned development,” arguing that a zoning variance and planning commission review are the standard pathways and that an ordinance could “stunt public oversight.” Lane Smith, a southeast-side resident near the proposed site, raised concerns about noise, environmental impacts and a potential conflict of interest because the city manager formerly served as chief of police.

The city manager responded that the agenda item is a resolution to forward the matter to the planning commission and that a public-safety training facility has existed in the area since the 1970s. City staff also said MTU (Mobile Training Unit) operations have been in Carbondale in several locations since the 1980s and that any site plan would still be subject to planning‑commission review.

Councilmember Lowes and Councilmember Colombo said they support the effort to ensure surrounding agencies have access to consistent training standards, and Lowes noted instances in which local officers' de‑escalation avoided use of force. After discussion the council voted by roll call to forward the text amendment resolution to the planning commission; the vote was recorded as Councilmember Stanfield: Yes; Councilmember Colombo: Yes; Councilmember Lowes: Yes; Councilmember Maxwell: Yes; Mayor Harvey: Yes.

The consent agenda included warrants for FY26 (warrant number 1520) totaling $1,645,956.83; purchase awards for a 2026 Ford crew cab police pickup for $49,130 and four police SUVs totaling $201,068 from Vogler Ford; and a budget adjustment to increase the police department FY26 budget by $30,198. The Illinois EPA grant of $250,000 will be used to conduct energy assessments of city‑owned buildings and to fund implementation of audit recommendations, the city’s new sustainability coordinator, Hannah Weber, told the council.

Council members said the planning commission process will provide an opportunity for additional public input when and if a site plan is proposed.