Springfield City Council covered a lot in one night. If you care about the budget, pensions, how meetings are run, local media or police transparency, this one’s worth a watch.
Watch Public Meetings
Keep up on local governance by watching Springfield City Council and School Board Dist. 186 meeting sessions
Bus accountability and superintendent search timeline
Springfield District 186 Board of Education packed a lot into this meeting — worth a watch if you’ve got students riding buses or heading to high school next fall. Highlights and key takeaways:– Celebrations: Students earned spots in the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State programs and will head to Peoria in January. Southeast’s Best Buddies […]
Massey commission report and data center debate
The Sangamon County Board handed the mic to the Massey Commission — then the room got real. The Commission kept Sonya Massey at the center, shared the work across nearly 50 community members and put forward 26 calls to action — 13 the county can move on now. What you’ll see: Related You’ll also hear […]
Massage parlor enforcement questioned; promoting downtown
Springfield City Council had a range of topics this week — from promoting downtown to confronting hard truths. If you care about downtown vitality and public safety, this one’s worth your time.
Urban League land purchase faces hold request
A proposed sale of eight city-owned lots to the Urban League hit pause — then came a pointed plea to keep it moving. Watch for the clash between urgency and process, and how “hold it” vs. “prove it” shaped the night.
South side school site plan and Lanphier honor
It was a big night for District 186 — one win and one big what-if. Plus: Fairview’s improvement plan, upcoming levy actions and winter break/teacher institute dates. Watch to see how the board framed the lease and boundary change and what happens next.
Community aid and calls for landlord accountability
The council heard a lot about housing, accountability and how last week’s landlord registry vote went down. If you care about safe housing, fair process, and who answers when things go wrong, this one’s worth a watch.
Landlord registry debate and a failed vote
The council weighed whether to put landlord licensing and inspections on the ballot — and it got intense. What you’ll see: Related Curious how five votes didn’t pass an ordinance — and why the mayor voted without a tie? Watch the breakdown and the back-and-forth on rules, accountability and what’s next for housing standards in […]
Should landlord oversight go to voters?
The council spent most of the night on one question: Should voters weigh in on a landlord licensing/registry proposal by way of a referendum this March? Highlights you’ll hear: If you rent, own, manage or care about safe housing, this one’s worth a watch — and yes, the council wants people at the upcoming sessions […]
Superintendent Search Focus and Tax Levy Process Started
The council moved its superintendent search into high gear: 18 focus groups in two days, 166 people weighing in—from staff and students to parents and union leadership. What did they say the next 3–5 years will demand? Strong budget management and fiscal sustainability, plus recruiting and keeping great teachers and staff. Recruitment got a timeline […]
Greenway funding clash and 19th Street promises
The council wrestled with a tough trade-off: push ahead on a greenway or hold the line for long-promised 19th Street rail corridor work. Staff warned that slowing greenway work during the 19th Street feasibility study could risk losing $2.7 million from a $10 million grant. One alderman pushed back hard, saying the east side has […]
