Residents urge council to decline market grant; Belleville groups announce Lincoln walking tour and summer outreach

Several members of the public used the council’s three‑minute public‑comment period on June 1 to raise distinct community proposals and concerns.

Frank Stella Jackson began by thanking the mayor and the police department for their assistance and sensitivity to his family following the death of his nephew, Jim Rose. "The police department, they were professional and very caring," he said.

Bob Skevington (Ward 6) urged the council to stop further planning for a dedicated city market and to decline a state grant he described as awarded in 2023. He told the council the grant amount was "about $425,000" and said the city would be required to provide a local match he estimated at "$439,000," making a combined package he described as roughly "$860,000." Skevington argued that the stated construction budget would not cover ongoing maintenance or payroll costs and noted that a farmers market planned at the fairgrounds would provide accessible parking and vendor interest that could reduce the need for a separate, city‑built facility. The transcript records Skevington's figures and concerns; city staff did not provide a recorded response during the meeting.

Keith Owens, speaking on behalf of a program developed under the umbrella of the Gustaf Kerner House and in collaboration with the Belleville Historical Society, announced a new walking tour titled "The Day Lincoln Came to Town" (Oct. 18, 1856). Owens said the free guided inaugural tour will run June 20 during Belleville History Field Day and that the Lincoln Presidential Library and the Illinois State Archives plan to link the tour on their Lincoln Trail materials. He encouraged council members to preview the tour before the public event.

Pastor Michael Nance of Father's Heart Outreach Ministry described a 90‑day summer outreach initiative beginning June 1 through Aug. 15, 2026, that will include prayer walks, neighborhood outreach, youth engagement activities, school‑supply and backpack drives, community cookouts and plans to renovate 620 North Illinois Street for outreach uses and periodic distributions.

No formal actions were taken on these public comments during the meeting; the speakers’ requests and figures were recorded on the public record and may warrant staff follow‑up for verification or future agenda placement.