This slideshow is NOTHING PERSONAL.

Its about DUE DILIGENCE with OUR

CITY OF LINCOLN funds.
NOTE: Some of the information provided predates
a few alderman, committee or board members

QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

was created using

Logan County Alliance Documents

City Council Meeting Minutes
Local Media Articles

1. Logan County Alliance (Tourism & LCA Agreement)

Questionable Funds total
approximately $168,414
2. Improper oversight of Tourism funds Continue

Evidence
follows

Did YOU know?

Initial Stages of the ALLIANCE

Mayor Keith Snyder discusses initial

stages of what is now the ALLIANCE
carrying out the
Downtown Redevelopment DDO
initiative to establish economic
development organization focused
primarily on the downtown.
Redevelopment/Revitalization can be viewed at
Explorelogancounty.com
Click Community
Click Downtown Lincoln Study

HEADs UP in August 2014

Lincoln Courier Article by Dan Tackett

Logan County Board Concerns

Making the City of Lincoln Better?

The Alliance-Chamber
YEAR END Profit Loss
as reported on tax returns

Taken from the 2015 Alliance Annual Report

=376,288

-$153,951
Deficit
=$530,239

Chamber Cash Assets as Reported in Annual Reports

2014 Annual Meeting for 2013
2016 Annual Meeting for 2015

2012 Annual Meeting for 2011

Was the financial stability verified before entering into the Agreement LCA?

Year-to-date (YTD) is cumulative figure. QTD should be used to show accumulated expenditures for each quarter. Tip off that
its a QTD is the column totals.
Misleading or someone not familiar with basic accounting practices?

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 CITY.

LCA 3rd QTR Report

2015-2016 Contract:

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

The Alliance spent- $24,969.50
= $25,450.50 should be returned to the CITY.

LCA 3rd QTR Report

What proof of expenditures were produced for the $19,654 of

Administrative charges within the LCA Agreement?
Was proof of expenditures questioned or requested?

Not much effort for the

City of Lincoln
Economic Development Contract.

City of Lincolns Welcome Tab on website

2013

2011

2015

Events

$264,197

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

2011

2013

2015

Membership Expense

$3,944

$4,044

$65,178

$221,749

$264,197

$210,031

Events/Activities

$61,234 increase Membership Expense?

Only a $2107 increase with addition of CEO and 1 employee?

Salaries/Benefits

Occupancy/Operations

$120,545

$134,552

$122,652

$37,427

$40,178

$45,201

$77,185 increase in a generic category?

Admin & Other

$9,992

$9,410

$87,177

Art & Balloon Fest Split Concerns: TRUTH or FICTION

Where did that Rainy Day fund disappear?
In the case of a weather event THE ALLIANCE didnt have to
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 collected the
$50,000 Admin Charge + Sponsor + Vendor money?

Funds for Festivals are typically granted in 1st Qtr May-July the budget is SKEWED.
(CITY/TOURISM Contract 5/1/15-4/30/16)

Why is the Alliance requesting/receiving Tourism mini-grant in February?

CITY SPONSORSHIP TOTALS (Contract Year 5/1/15-4/30/16)
LCA Agreement $5,000
Mini-Grants $4,000 & $5,000 for 2015
Mini-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 EVENT,

Art & Balloon Fest.
The Alliance decision to split the events has effectively shifted

the

added costs of running the EVENTS to the City.

How was this group chosen

to benefit?

Did the Citys $5000 sponsorship or an award through the Tourism mini-grant fund this?
Is this appropriate spending?
When did it become a practice of the Alliance to finance non-profit groups?

BRANDING through the CHAMBER 2012

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

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION STEERING

Committee, which included Keith Snyder,
already planned for a re-branding.
So when people ask,

Why are we RE-BRANDING Lincoln?

Because its in the

Revitalization PLAN

A GIFT

2009 Chamber Logo

2009 Tourism Logo

Its no longer LOOKING FOR LINCOLN.

The question is, Where is Lincoln?

The image of Lincoln has been removed.

Is this the direction of those
forcing the Branding Initiative?

New Path for TOURISM

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

City Debates what to do with tourism bureau.

Sasse told the council that inside their annual budget, $23,660 is earmarked for use in Lincoln in 2013 and
$9,410 is earmarked for locations throughout the county.

Excerpts from LDN, Nila Smith, 5/29/13 article,

City may vote next week on future of tourism bureau.

A much different standard was set for the

Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan
County.
Standards Destination Logan County are not
held to.
More of a We can do what we want.

Alderman asked to review list of tourism

expectations, LDN May 15, 2013 article by Nila
Smith

Tourism Bureau under

The Alliance
is not living up to

the Citys
Expectations
as set forth by

Keith Snyder &

Tom ODonahue
while serving on the City
Council.

Mayor Snyder, Alderman ODonohue,

Andi Hake involved in the Tourism
Director Interview process prior to
taking control.

I saved 2013 news article because of the misleading and inaccurate statements
made on the Citys behalf by Alderman Tom ODonohue
regarding the Tourism Board Members
I apologize I do not know the author.

Article in the local press late Summer or Fall of 2013

LINCOLN continued

FALSE!

TRUE!
Was-The Tourism Bureau & Main Street set up to fail with EXPECTATIONS set BY those who are NOW IN
CONTROL &

do not hold themselves to the Standards and ACCOUNTABILITIES they SET.

Logan County Tourism Bureau Profit Loss 2015

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 Directors Salary Spent.
$70,280 -30,441.66=$39,865.21 What happened to $39,865?

7280
39865
=$47,145

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

This pertains to the Tourism 2014 Line Item entries regarding

TOURISM FUNDING on the next slide

TOURISM 2015 YEAR END FINANCIALS

APRIL 21, 2014 CITY

COUNCIL MEETING
Mrs. Rohlfs asked
about the
organization for the
Unified Committee.
Mayor Snyder said
$81,000.00 is a
combination of the
support the City of
Lincoln typically gives
to organizations such
as Regional Planning
Commission, Balloon
Festival, and
remaining funds will
streamline the
organizations.

Why is the 2014 Revenue $100,000 over

the budgeted amounts

City Administrator, Clay Johnson

mentions on his Rumor page?

Were funds deposited from the $81,000 used

to streamline The Alliance organization?

506.90
11324.22
8433.05
37249.05
=$57,513

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS

1300.
11879.97
4615.11
4775.75
=$22,571.

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS

1000.
4373.76
$5374.

(Cut/Paste from previous screens for comparison)

?
$132,603 Total Tourism Questionable Expenses in 2014

TOURISM 2015/2014 YEAR END FINANCIALS

In the past Mr. Snyder refers to,

was at a time when the

City of Lincoln did not control the

Motel/Hotel tax within his
control.

Why didnt support, from the City of Lincoln,

come out of our Tourism fund of $263,864.13?

Tourism February 2016 Report

Sue McLaughlin Excerpt from LDN, Nila

Smith 4/11/13 Article, City Debates
what to do with tourism bureau.

She also commented on where the priorities lie for the bureau. "I think it is a little telling when they only
spend $2,500 on sports projects and $5,000 on preservation projects, when actually you're generating more
than three times as much on sports events," she said.

Why is Tourism no longer supporting sporting events?

What happened to the Sports Tourism account? Where is THE Sport Tourism account recorded?

Who sold the CITY OF LINCOLN the TAG LINE, Make Your MOMENT

The TAG LINE is on the billboard from Springfield to Lincoln.

Does it seem that it infers Lincoln has nothing more than a RESTROOM STOP.

The Route 66 BRAND

Remind you of anything?

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!

Clay Johnson , CITY Administrator

wants to lead yet another FOUNDATION with
City of Lincoln Tourism dollars?
Was the money from Hotel/Motel tax earmarked for Public Art, Amenities, Bike Trail?

How will this organization prove HEADS in BEDS & ROI (return on investment)
which is a requirement of all TOURISM fund requests?

Council discusses new landscape ordinance, Civic Foundation

proposal
by T.A. Bergin February 24, 2016

City Administrator, Clay Johnson was included

on the questionable Tourism Year End Financials for 2014/2015 &
still states,
This is not a dissatisfaction with any product prepared by the Alliance to this date

City Administrator, Clay Johnson, has designed his

own GOLDEN PARACHUTE.

Chuck Conzo AGAIN addresses concerns with The Alliance.

These expenditures have NOT

generated value consistent with
the dollars spentnorwith
accountability and
transparency

So how does this all speak to questionable issues with The Alliance which includes the Chamber,
Tourism & Economic Development?
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. One Committee is the
Steering Committee for the City of Lincoln Downtown Revitalization & Redevelopment, which Keith Snyder serves.
The plans are quite clear and posted ExploreLoganCounty.com/Community/Study Overview/Study Documents
Start Planning
Establish Historic District
Establish TIF District
Hire City Administrator
Branding
Coordinate Downtown Development Organization (The Alliance) which would be housed in the The Depot &
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 publication task prior to the
ALLIANCE)
They have designs for parking, green spaces & which businesses will be collateral damage of the their planning.

It shows quite clearly who is STEERING the CITY OF LINCOLN!

Keith Snyder and other re-occurring names on Boards & Committees have steered the votes
and dollars for their agenda & their design.

RECURRING NAMES on Committees & Boards

Downtown Lincoln Redevelopment Plan

Steering Committee

Page 57 Revitalization

#12 & #14 would take out 2 businesses for parking lots.
I thought we were trying to develop business for downtown.

Pocket park beside Lincoln 4

Theater

Guzzardos Alley planned for a potential pocket park.

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

Is the Steering Committee of the Downtown Revitalization really interested in marketing LINCOLN?

Is INDUSTRY being sought or are we just dressing up for this potential BEDROOM COMMUNITY?

The Steering Committee DOWNTOWN boundaries were crossed insinutating the City of Lincolns position
on Industry.

Every small town doesnt have our LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION.

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

The Redevelopment Steering

Committee also reveals the City
Councils role Take a step back
Dont micro-manage
No day-to-day involvement
From the outside looking in it appears that this group is micro-managing OUR City.

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman confirms The City of Lincoln is

following the Redevelopment Steering Committee directives

KEY POINTS
circumventing an
aldermanic form of
governmentwhile
moving to a
mayoral/city
administratordominated regime..

Monetary
expendtures of any
type shoud be
approved via roll
call with 2/3 vote
Substantial
expenditures, some in
excess of $200,00 are
buried in payment of
bills ..

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman confirms The City of Lincoln is

following the Redevelopment Steering Committee directives.
continued

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman, Mayor, City of Lincoln, Ill., May 1, 2001-May 1, 2009

Downtown Steering Committee recommends CODE ENFORCEMENT

Code enforcement could create a

considerable CASH FLOW
for the City of LINCOLN.
Slippage of code compliance has not
gone unnoticed.

Are members of the Steering Committee exempt from

City ordinances?

Business partner
John Rooney
purchased in 2007.
Transferred to
MMIL in 2008
Aquired in 2012

Properties under a variety of MMIL companies.

Aquired in 2013

Property owned by MMIL business behind the original Theater on Chicago

St. Shows the constant debris & trash that is always over flowing.
Owned since 2013.

How will these properties meet the new landscape & garbage
ordinance when they are not meeting the current ordinances?

Property owned MMIL business at 209 Chicago St. since 2010

Marketing Playbook
presented by
DCC Marketing
10/9/14

What does attract tourist visits to small towns?

See next page for
close up view.

Just because you build it doesnt

mean they will come.

That would have been nice to know before the train left the station

HISTORY #3 tourist draw.

So why are we removing LINCOLN from our BRANDING efforts?
Are we doing enough to support/promote Lincoln Heritage Museum?

Did our TIF project Qualify?

Its kind of like

Your child gets their first job & moves out.

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 obligations
You ask, Wheres your money going?
Child responds, Car payment. Cell phone payment
You ask, Was the new car necessary? Was the newest model phone
necessary?
AND you have to explain, that the first obligation is for your home,
your rent. Not to say that those amenities cant be worked into a
budget later.
You have to prioritize to live within your means.

Its easy to follow the bright shiny object, BUT can Lincoln afford it?

The statistics above only represent 50% of our residents.

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

Lincoln, IL Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2015

Stop using inequitable comparisons.

We are not a Chicago suburb!
Why:
Comparison Cities population are almost double of Lincoln.
Median income for Lincoln is MUCH less. (as much as 48% less)
Which also means CITY OF LINCOLN Residents have
less disposable income

Lincoln falls solidly in the Middle Class Category

LaGrange & Willowbrook fall on the line between

Upper Middle Class & UPPER CLASS

AS I SEE IT
It appears all the issues, the Citizens of Lincoln have been shaking their
heads about, have risen from the
Steering Committee Agenda & Directives of The MASTER PLAN which is
The DOWNTOWN LINCOLN CITY REDEVELOPMENT/REVITALIZATION

Propaganda & misdirection disseminated through the Council Meeting

Minutes, Articles & publications are clear once you identify the PLAYERS &
realize their tentacles are far reaching into other areas of LINCOLN.
I felt a CIVIL DUTY to share what I had learned.

SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO Lincoln?

Jobs-Industry

FUNDING our CIVIL Servant Pensions-not long discussions of a

shrubbery ordinance.

Sewers (no matter how beautiful things may appear it still smells)
Having faith in ourselves & believe this COMMUNITY will
step up if an inclusive process is developed.

A COMMUNITY that has proven THEY WILL STEP UP!

WHO DOESNT WANT TO SEE LINCOLN FLOURISH?

BUT...
SHOULD THIS GROUP BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
TO HANDLE ANY CITY FUNDING with ZERO
TRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY?
Is this group really addressing whats important to
The Citizens of Lincoln?
What efforts were/are in place to pursue the
recovery of our tax dollars?

Have you ever heard an Airline Safety Briefing?

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

In an Emergency Situation people panic.

Can you imagine a flow of passengers running toward the open exit they see in front of them?
But a survivor thinks differently.
They go against the flow.
The Survivor looks for alternatives that arent obvious or apparent at the time the
emergency is declared.
They survive!

This is a call to action for all

those citizens who think like the survivors!
Lets take the initiative to GO AGAINST THE FLOW & CHART new territory for Lincoln.
Together lets help LINCOLN SURVIVE!