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Resident urges council to pause sale of 35.97 acres to MTU 15, requests environmental study
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Summary
A Carbondale resident told the City Council she opposes a prior vote to convey about 35.97 acres to Mobile Training Unit 15, citing potential noise, traffic and environmental harms and urging the city to consider leasing the land or requiring an environmental-impact study and a public plan from MTU 15.
Christine Lecinski, a Carbondale resident, urged the City Council to reconsider a prior conveyance of roughly 35.97 acres of city-owned land south of the Southeast Water Treatment Plant to Mobile Training Unit 15 (MTU 15), saying the community has not seen a full plan and raising concerns about noise, traffic and impacts to nearby Giant City State Park and Crab Orchard Lake.
"I do not want this facility to be built nor do I want MTU 15 training in the city that I live in," Lecinski said during the public-comment portion of the council's meeting. She noted the council previously voted yes on a conveyance resolution at its Feb. 24 meeting and asked the city to provide a clear proposal, an environmental-impact study, and a mitigation plan before finalizing a sale.
Lecinski also questioned reporting about the sale price, saying the city should not sell the land "for far more than $37" without clarity on what that figure represents. She urged the council to consider leasing the land rather than selling it outright so the city could retain leverage and potentially generate ongoing revenue for programs the council has cut.
Council discussion at the meeting did not include reconsideration of the sale; Kilman told residents she had not voted to approve the land sale and invited anyone seeking her rationale to speak with her privately. No staff presentation or formal response addressing the requested environmental study, detailed MTU 15 plans, funding sources or mitigation measures appeared on the meeting agenda or in the council's remarks.
Why this matters: the parcel sits near publicly used open space and Carbondale's high school, and a training center could introduce amplified noise, increased vehicle traffic and other land-use impacts that residents and nearby institutions say deserve transparent review. Lecinski asked for four concrete steps before any final conveyance: a publicly available MTU 15 proposal, an environmental-impact study, mitigation plans for students and ecosystems, and consideration of leasing rather than sale.
Next steps: Lecinski requested the mayor and council reconsider the sale and either provide the requested materials publicly or pause final conveyance. The council did not take formal action on those requests at this meeting.
