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>>> HE HAS BEEN AN ARMY OFFICER, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, CONSERVATIONIST, ACTIVIST, THREE
TERM MAYOR OF CHAMPAIGN, AUTHOR, FREELANCE WRITER AND LOCAL HISTORIAN, AS WELL AS A SUBJECT
OF A SUPREME COURT RULING. WELCOME, DANIEL MCCOLLUM. YOUR NAME IS FAMILIAR
TO MANY THROUGHOUT OUR AREA, BUT IT IS ALSO FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF PEOPLE NATIONALLY BECAUSE
OF LANDMARK SUPREME COURT RULING THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. >>I WAS MORE THE FLY ON THE WALL. MY BROTHER
WAS THE CAUSE CELEB, AS THEY SAY. HE WAS IN A CLASSROOM SITUATION WHERE THEY
HAD RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES THAT WERE REALLY OF A SECTARIAN NATURE. MY MOTHER FOUND
THAT NOT IN THE LINE WITH WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS CONSTITUTIONAL, TRIED TO RESOLVE THE MATTER
BY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THE CLASSES IN AND THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES.
BUT THEY SIMPLY WERE NOT HELPFUL TO HER. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE HISTORY MESSES WITH THE
WRONG PERSON. SO SHE GOT HERSELF A LAWYER, AND TWO AND A
HALF YEARS LATER AND A LOT OF MONEY, THE DECISION CAME DOWN IN HER BEHALF.
SHE WAS DELIGHTED WHEN IT WAS 8-1. >>YOU WERE YOUNG AT THAT POINT.
WHAT WAS ITS IMPACT ON YOU GROWING UP? >> IT MADE GOING TO SCHOOL PROBABLY LESS FUN
THAN IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. IT IS CHARACTER BUILDING, IF YOU SURVIVE IT,
THOUGH. I LOOK BACK AND THINK WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY I HAD.
>>YOUR MOTHER WAS QUITE A HERO TO MANY FOR TAKING ON THAT FIGHT.
>>I DON'T THINK SHE QUITE REALIZED JUST HOW DICEY IT WAS GOING TO BE.
BUT WHEN SHE GOT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAGING STREAM, A LOT OF PEOPLE TURN BACK.
THERE WAS NOT SOMETHING SHE WAS DISPOSED TO DO.
SHE SHRUGGED IT OUT ACROSS THE RIVER, AND REALLY DURING THE COURSE OF THE CASE, WHEN
GENERALLY A PLAINTIFF IN THIS KIND OF A CASE IS RECRUITED, OF COURSE SHE WAS NOT RECRUITED.
SHE WAS THE COMPLAINING PARTY AND REALLY BECAME THE FIELD GENERAL OF THE OPERATION.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT ON YOU? >> I THINK IT PROBABLY ENCOURAGED A LOT OF
SKEPTICISM ABOUT PUBLIC AFFAIRS. THAT'S WHAT MADE ME SOMETHING OF A ACTIVIST.
ON VARIOUS CAUSES. I WAS QUITE ACTIVE IN THE ANTI WAR EFFORT
DURING VIETNAM, AND, OF COURSE, TOTALLY DISTRESSED TO SEE US -- THIS COUNTRY GO TO WAR AGAIN
IN IRAQ WHICH WAS A TERRIBLE HAPPENING. I AM READY FOR SOME PEACE.
>>YOU RETURNED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION.
YOU WENT OFF IN ANOTHER DIRECTION FOLLOWING IN THE 60S, LATE 60S, DIDN'T YOU?
>> I WENT BACK A SECOND TIME TO GET A DEGREE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND THAT PROMPTED
SIX YEARS OF TEACHING IN JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
>>MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LINEAR PATH IN THEIR LIFE, AND YOU HAVE ANYTHING BUT A LINEAR
LIFE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DOTS ON THE TRAIL?
>> I GOT THE DEGREE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION BECAUSE I NEEDED A JOB.
BUT WHEN I BEGAN TEACHING IN CHAMPAIGN, THE CHAMPAIGN SYSTEM, I WAS ASKED TO DO EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITY WHICH I CALLED OUTDOORS AND CONSERVATION. I HAD STUDENTS OUT PICKING UP TRASH, AND THE
PRINCIPAL CAME TO ME AND SAID "I WANT YOU TO TEACH A CLASS IN IT."
IT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE. I HAD KIDS TAKING FIELD TRIPS TO THE SANITARY
DISTRICT, HAULED THEM OUT TO THE LANDFILL. THEY SAID I DIDN'T TAKE THEM ANY PLACE THAT
WAS CLEAN OR -- AND IT ALWAYS SMELLED BAD! (LAUGHING) I WAS PROUDEST OF THE PAPER RECYCLING
PROGRAM BECAUSE IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR, WE WOULD PULL OUT LEDGER PAPER.
THIS IS REGULAR GOOD PAPER, NOT NEWSPRINT, SIX THOUSAND POUNDS OF PAPER ALL CLASSROOMS
EVENTUALLY HAD BOXES. I DIDN'T HAVE THE POWER TO ORDER THE BOXES
IN CLASSROOMS, BUT THE STUDENTS SAID TO THE TEACHERS THAT WHERE IS YOUR BOX?
AND I HAD A LADY FRIEND AT THE TIME WHO SAID "IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE--" OF COURSE, WE
HAD TO COLLECT THE PAPER, SORT IT. EVERY DAY A CLASS ON FRIDAY AND SORT THE PAPER.
MY FRIEND SAID, "IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS SORTING PAPER DURING AT CLASS TIME,
YOU BETTER HAVE A DARN GOOD REASON." I WAS ALWAYS ASKED TO GIVE TALKS HERE AND
THERE ON CONSERVATION. I REMEMBER THE TITLE OF MY NEXT TALK WAS "EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF
SORTING PAPER." (LAUGHING)
>>THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN, WHEN, THE 60S? >> IN THE 60S.
>>THIS IS BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT EVEN STARTED?
>>WELL, IT STARTED FOR ME MUCH EARLIER THAN THAT.
I REMEMBER AFTER THE -- OF COURSE, WHEN I GREW UP AS A GRADE SCHOOLER DURING WORLD WAR
II, WE HAD SALVAGE DRIVES. WHEN THE WAR ENDED, SALVAGE DRIVES STOPPED.
I HAD TO NEGOTIATE WITH A LOCAL TRASH DEALER, JACK MARCO, AT LEAST, WILL YOU TAKE MY CANS,
IF I DRIVE THEM DOWN AND GIVE THEM TO YOU FOR NOTHING?
IT WAS DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT STOP. IT WAS SO ENGRAINED IN ME THAT RECYCLING WAS
SOMETHING WE CALLED SALVAGE OR THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT IT WAS JUST ASHAME THAT IT CEASED, JUST PLAIN CEASED.
I COULDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE -- PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RATIONALE WAS TO KEEP THE
PEOPLE ON THE HOME FRONT INVOLVED. AND I HAVE HEARD SUBSEQUENTLY, SOME OF THE
STUFF WE COLLECTED PROBABLY WAS THROWN AWAY OR NOT USED.
>>IT WAS STILL SYMBOLIC, THOUGH. >>IT WAS SYMBOLIC, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE,
NOT ONLY AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE SALVAGING AND SAVING THIS STUFF DURING THE WAR, SHORTLY
THEREAFTER, WE HAD THIS MUSHROOM OF HUMAN CONSUMPTION OF CONSUMERISM.
AT THE SAME TIME, AND, OF COURSE, PROLIFERATION OF PACKAGING.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE WENT FROM THE DUMP WHICH CITIES HAD WHERE YOU WENT OUT AND DUMPED
IT AND THEY WENT OUT AND BURNED TO REDUCE THE VOLUME TO THE SANITARY LANDFILL WHICH
WAS ANYTHING BUT SANITARY. I HATED LANDFILLS. THAT PROBABLY REALLY PUT
ME OVER THE EDGE IN TERMS OF GETTING INTERESTED IN CONSERVATION. I USE THE WORD "CONSERVATION"
BECAUSE I AM A CONSERVATIONIST. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THAT AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
>>IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN AN ENVIRONMENTALIST? >> IT IS DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THERE IS A
CERTAIN PRACTICAL ASPECT OF WHAT WILL WORK. IT IS NOT WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST IN ALL POSSIBLE
WORLDS BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THE BEST IN ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS.
I HAVE HAD MORE THAN A FEW ENCOUNTERS WITH THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE BONEYARD IMPROVEMENTS WHICH KEPT THE WATER -- I GOT
THE UNIVERSITY'S BONEYARD PART OF THE CAMPUS DRY OUT OF THE -- WITH BONEYARD MOVEMENT.
THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS JUST FOUGHT US ON OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING.
IT WAS EVEN SUGGESTED BY ONE ENVIRONMENTALIST THAT WE BUY ALL THE BUILDINGS IN CAMPUSTOWN
AND REALLY CONVERT THE BONEYARD TO A LITTLE NATURAL PRAIRIE STREAM WHICH IT NEVER WAS.
IT WAS A SWALE. WE IMPROVED IT WHEN WE PAVED STREETS AND HAD
TO GET RID OF THE WATER. ANYWAY, IT WAS AN EXASPERATING FOUR YEARS
FIGHTING FOR THE BONEYARD -- IN FACT, IT WAS PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS GETTING THE BONEYARD
PROJECT DONE THROUGH THE CITY GOVERNMENT. >>NOW, THE BONEYARD WAS AN ISSUE HERE FOR
A LONG TIME, I GATHER. >>FLOODS GO BACK TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
FORTUNATELY, WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET THE BONEYARD FIXED, WE HAD -- EVERY TIME THE INTEREST
BEGAN TO DROP A LITTLE BIT, WE HAD A FLOOD, A STRATEGIC FLOOD.
ALSO AT THE TIME THE UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR WAS MIKE AIKEN, WHO WAS, IN MY VIEW, AN OUTSTANDING
ADMINISTRATOR. HE WAS KIND OF A SHORT RUMPLED GUY WHO YOU
UNDERESTIMATED AT YOUR RISK. I REALLY LIKED AIKEN.
HE WORKED WITH US, REALIZING THAT THE UNIVERSITY WOULD BE THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARY.
BUT I HAVE ALSO SAID ON MANY OCCASIONS THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE ONE NEW BUILDING ON GREEN
STREET IF WE HADN'T GOTTEN THE WATER OFF OF IT.
THAT, WE DID. >>AND LAKE NEIL, I HAVE HEARD REFERENCES TO,
ALSO. >>THE TRACKS WHERE JOHN STREET HITS NEIL STREET,
USED TO BE A SMALL SWALE-STREAM, VERY SMALL STREAM.
BUT WHEN IT GOT BUILT-UP AROUND IT, OF COURSE, PAVED STREETS, ROOFS, AND SO FORTH, THE WATER
IN A GOOD STORM COLLECTED AND -- ONCE THE STREAM WAS PAVED OVER, HEADED DOWN TOWARDS
THE RAILROAD TRACKS AT A GOOD PACE. WHEN IT GOT TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS, THERE
WAS A CONDUIT UNDER THE TRACKS, BUT IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT WHICH MEANT THAT YOU HAD LAKE
NEIL. THE ENGINEERS AT THE CITY DECIDED THEY COULD
FIX THAT, AND PUT TWO FIVE BY FIVE BOX CULVERTS UNDER THE RAILROAD TRACKS, LAKE THIRD JOHN,
AND LAKE THIRD AND GREEN. WE MOVED THE WATER.
OF COURSE, THE WATER AT ONE POINT WHICH REALLY WAS A BENEFIT IN A WAY FLOODED THE DEVELOPING
-- BASEMENT OF THE NEW ENGINEERING LIBRARY DOING SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE.
THAT CAUGHT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AT A TIME WHEN I WAS REALLY HAVING TO FIGHT WITH THE COUNCIL
TO KEEP THIS PROJECT GOING AHEAD. >> WITH THE COMPLETION OR RECENT COMPLETION
OF THE BONEYARD PROJECT, IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THE MAGNITUDE OF IT BEFORE IT WAS BUILT.
AND IT WAS A HUGE UNDERTAKING. >>COLLECTIVELY, WITH THE AREA FROM UNIVERSITY
SOUTH THROUGH SCOTT PARK, AND THE WEST BRANCH WHICH IS ACCOMMODATED BY A HUGE HOLE IN THE
GROUND, THAT TOOK ALMOST 12 YEARS TO COMPLETE. AND IT WAS PROBABLY REPRESENTED THE BIGGEST
SINGLE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT IN THE HEAR OF THE CITY.
I MEAN PROBABLY 30, 40, $50 MILLION. IT WAS A BIG JOB.
>> IT WOULD BE HARD TO IMAGINE IF IT HAD NOT HAPPENED WHERE CHAMPAIGN AND THE UNIVERSITY
WOULD BE TODAY. >>THERE WOULD BE NO TALL BUILDINGS ON GREEN
STREET. UP UNTIL THE 80S, YOU HAD NOT ENTERED POLITICS
OFFICIALLY. YOU HAD A LOT OF OPINIONS, BUT SOMETHING CHANGED.
>>THERE WAS A VACANCY ON THE COUNCIL. I WAS A LITTLE TIRED OF THE GOOD OL BOYS RUNNING
THE CITY. A POLITICAL SCIENCE TEACHER AT PARKLAND, I
ASKED HER TO RUN FOR THE POSITION, AND I WOULD BE HER CHAMPAIGN MANAGER.
SHE POLITELY DECLINED. I APPROACHED ANOTHER LADY UP IN HER NUMBERS,
SHE DECLINED. AND HERE I'D OFFERED TO BE THEIR CAMPAIGN
MANAGER AND WILLING TO DO MY BIT. THE THIRD WOMAN SAID "IF YOU RUN, I WILL BE
YOUR CAMPAIGN MANAGER." RULE, DO NOT DELIVER YOURSELF IN THE HANDS
OF AN EFFICIENT WOMAN. I WOUND UP ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
AFTER THREE AND A HALF YEARS, I DECIDED I WASN'T REALLY MAKING THE IMPRINT THAT I HAD
WANTED TO, AT LEAST FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF TIME, I WAS NOT GETTING THE RESULTS I WANTED.
SO IT WAS EITHER UP OR OUT. AND I RAN AGAINST INCUMBENT AND TWO OTHER
PEOPLE, IN THE PRIMARY, I FINISHED SECOND, THAT MEANT IT WAS DOWN TO JUST TWO OF US.
THE INCUMBENT, UNFORTUNATELY, FOR HIM, DIDN'T EVEN PLACE.
HE WAS THIRD MAN OUT WHICH WAS -- SO HE WAS NOT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
WITH A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT FOR MY OPPONENT IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, I STILL MANAGED TO
WIN. NOTHING LIKE KNOCKING ON 9,000 DOORS.
>>SHEER HARD WORK. YOU WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT THEN?
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY I ALWAYS HAVE REFERRED TO COINING OF THE PHRASE FROM HENRY MENCKEN,
IT WAS A BIZARRE JUST OF THE GODS THAT I WOUND UP MAYOR OF CHAMPAIGN.
YOU WERE NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY DURING YOUR TERM.
ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE MARKERS, WAS GAY PRIDE DAY BEING ANNOUNCED JOINTLY, CORRECT?
>> THAT WAS REALLY QUITE AN INTERESTING TWO WEEKS.
IT PLAYED OUT OVER TWO WEEKS. ROBERT MICHAEL DOYLE, AN ACTIVIST ASKED ME
IF I WOULD DO A GAY PRIDE PROCLAMATION, AND I SAID, OF COURSE.
HE SAID, I WANT THE MAYOR OF URBANA TO DO LIKEWISE, A JOINT PROCLAMATION, JEFF MARKLAND
AGREED. WE ISSUED THE GAY PRIDE PROCLAMATION.
SOMEHOW THE NETWORK OF PROBABLY THE MORE EVANGELICAL ORIENTED GROUPS SEEMED TO HAVE DONE A CALL-AROUND.
WHEN I SHOWED UP AT CITY COUNCIL MONDAY MORNING FOLLOWING THAT, EVERY LINE TO CITY HALL WAS
LIT UP. I REALIZED -- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE DEMAND
OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD CALLED AND HAD RECEIVED -- WHEN SOMEBODY ANSWERED THE PHONES, THEY
WANTED THE PROCLAMATION TO BE WITHDRAWN. I WASN'T GOING TO DO THAT.
IT WAS NOT IN THE FAMILY. I MEAN -- (LAUGHING) MY MOTHER DIDN'T BACK
DOWN. I DIDN'T INTEND TO BACK DOWN!
(LAUGHING) I TOLD THE SECRETARY, CANCEL EVERYTHING I AM DOING FOR AT LEAST TODAY, AND MAYBE TOMORROW.
WE WILL SEE HOW IT WORKS. I WILL TALK TO EVERY ONE WHO CALLS.
JUST TAKE A NUMBER IF I AM ON WITH SOMEBODY ELSE, I WILL CALL THEM BACK, AND I DID.
I SPENT A BETTER PART OF THE FIRST THREE DAYS MAKING PHONE CALLS OR ANSWERING THEM.
AND IT WAS -- WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS AT LEAST PROVIDE THEM WHAT THEY
SHOULD HAVE LEARNED IN CIVICS CLASS. PEOPLE TOLD ME I WOULD NEVER GET REELECTED.
I SAID, WELL, (LAUGHING) BUT JEFF MARKLAND STOOD FIRM AS WELL AS I DID.
I DIDN'T CALL HIM. WE DIDN'T TALK.
HE STOOD FIRM ON IT AS WELL. BY WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, THE CALLS WHICH
HAD BEEN PREDOMINANTLY OVERWHELMINGLY VILIFYING US BEGAN TO THINK MORE SOBER PEOPLE BEGAN
TO THINK ABOUT IT, BEGAN TO RATIO BEGAN TO CHANGE.
IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE MANAGING -- OR I SHOULD SAY THE OPERATOR OF THE NEWS
GAZETTE, JOHN HIRSCHFIELD DID A COMMENTARY. I WAS KIND OF QUIET TO LET THE THING DROPPED.
BUT HE WENT AFTER US, AND THERE WAS A COLUMN IN THE PAPER.
SO I TOOK A DEEP BREATH, AND I REALLY TOLD HIM WHAT I THOUGHT!
(LAUGHING) BUT IT WAS, IN FACT, THE GAYS WERE A PROTECTED -- SPECIFICALLY PROTECTED GROUP IN OUR HUMAN RELATIONS ORDINANCE.
BESIDES, EVEN IF IT WASN'T, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT.
BUT THE FACT, IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I AM GLAD I SPENT A LITTLE TIME THINKING ABOUT
IT, EVEN THE COUNCIL GOT INVOLVED. THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE MAYOR'S PREROGATIVE
OF ISSUING PROCLAMATIONS. >> TAKE IT AWAY?
>> YEAH. WHAT I FIRST THOUGHT WAS "I AM THE MAYOR,
I WILL PROCLAIM ANYTHING I WANT TO PROCLAIM." BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND I SAID, I ASKED
THE SECRETARY, PHYLLIS, PUT DOWN ALL THE PROCLAMATIONS THAT I HAVE ISSUED SINCE I HAVE BEEN MAYOR,
DAIRY PRINCESS DAY, GOOD COMPLEXION DAY! (LAUGHING) I SENT THAT OUT TO THE COUNCIL.
I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOHN MEMBERS, JOHN SCHUMAKER, SLAPPED THE MEMO ON THE TAKE,
AND SAID "I AM NOT GOING TO FOOL AROUND WITH THIS."
(LAUGHING) OF COURSE, IF I'D ALIENATED THE COUNCIL, WHICH MY FIRST INCLINATION WAS TO
DO, I WOULD HAVE HAD BAD RELATIONS. IT WAS JUST BEST THEY UNDERSTOOD, HEY, MAYBE
THIS WAS -- WE HAVE NO BUSINESS IN FIDDLING WITH THIS.
>>NOW, JOHN HIRSCHFIELD HAD A RADIO SHOW. HE WAS A LITTLE AHEAD OF HIS TIME, IT SOUNDS
LIKE. IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE I WAS ON "RICOCHET."
I SAID, BE CAREFUL, YOU WILL COST ME VOTES. >>YOU WENT OUT OF ELECTED ROLE , BUT YOU FAR
FROM RETIRED. VIRGINIA THEATER, ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS
OF CHAMPAIGN WAS IN A TRANSITION PERIOD. >>I MANAGED TO GET THE COUNCIL, WE LEANED
ON THE OWNER, KERESOTES, TO DO UPGRADES TO THE BUILDING.
EVEN AFTER IT STOPPED SHOWING PICTURES, IT WAS ENTERTAINMENT VENUE.
AND A LOCAL COUPLE HAD KEPT IT OPERATING FOR WHICH I WAS DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
IT WOULD HAVE CLOSED LIKE THE ORPHEUM, AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR DETERIORATION OF
THE BUILDING OF BUT WE KEPT PRESSURING THE OWNER, KERESOTES TO MAKE THESE UPGRADES.
WE KEPT LEANING ON THEM, AND WE HAD A CODE INSPECTION OF THE PLACE.
WE PRETTY WELL IDENTIFIED WHAT HAD TO BE DONE TO MAKE IT SAFE BY MODERN STANDARDS.
BUILDING HAD SURVIVED VERY WELL. BUT THE FACT IT WAS BUILT IN 1921.
THIS WAS IN THE MID 80S. AND AFTER LOOK WHAT HAPPENED ORPHEUM.
BY LEANING ON KERESOTES LONG ENOUGH, HE REDUCED THE PRICE TO HALF MILLION DOLLARS, AN I GOT
THE COUNCIL TO FOOT THE PURCHASE. IT DIDN'T WORK OUT QUITE THE WAY I WANTED.
I WANTED THE CITY TO BUY IT. THE COUNCIL WOULD GO ALONG WITH US LOANING
A NOT-FOR-PROFIT THE HAVE MILLION TO BUY IT. THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL BECAUSE THE
NOT-FOR-PROFIT SIMPLY COULDN'T RAISE THE MONEY TO EITHER PAY THE CITY BACK OR EVEN KEEP THE
BUILDING GOING. SO IT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE GOT A MAJOR BOOST FROM ROBERT TOLSON WHO WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER
OF THE PARK DISTRICT, AN OUTSTANDING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR.
HE AND STEVE CARTER JUST STAND MILES ABOVE EVERY OTHER PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR I EVER MET.
AND BOB DECIDED THAT THE PARK SHOULD TAKE IT OVER.
SO I LOBBIED ALTHOUGH I WAS OUT OF OFFICE TO HAVE THEM -- THE CITY FORGIVE THE DECATUR,
AND THE PARK HAS REALLY RUN WITH IT. >>IT REALLY WAS A VERY KEY ELEMENT IN THE
REBIRTH OF CHAMPAIGN, AT LEAST THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
>>I WAS INTERESTED IN OLD BUILDINGS TO START WITH.
I FINALLY, BECAUSE WE WERE LOSING OLD BUILDINGS SO FAST, GOT THE COUNCIL TO AGREE TO ALLOWING
THE LIQUOR COMMISSIONER, THE MAYOR, TO ISSUE A LIQUOR LICENSE.
THAT'S A TAVERN LICENSE TO ANYBODY WHO WOULD REDO A BUILDING ABOVE A CERTAIN SQUARE FOOTAGE.
THEY HAD TO DO A CERTAIN SQUARE FOOTAGE. BUILDING HAD TO BE OLDER THAN 1940.
FUNCTIONING, THAT MEANT BACK BEFORE THE DEPRESSION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BUILDING GOING ON DURING
THE DEPRESSION. THEN YOU HAD WORLD WAR II.
THERE WAS NO BUILDING GOING ON THERE. IT MADE IT SOUND MORE REASONABLE, BUT THE
FACT WAS IT WAS AIMED FOR BUILDINGS THAT WERE MID 20S OR OLDER.
THERE IS A LOT OF BARS DOWNTOWN. MY RATIONALE WAS, NOT THAT I WANTED TO CREATE
MORE BARS IN THE DOWNTOWN, ALTHOUGH I DID WANT TO SUPPORT THE DOWNTOWN BECOMING A VENUE,
ENTERTAINMENT VENUE WHICH IT IS MORE THAN DONE.
BUT IT WAS -- YOU WOULD HAVE A REDONE BUILDING, A BUILDING -- IF THE BAR FAILED BEING THEN
SOMEBODY ELSE COULD USE IT. IT WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL.
>>THIS AREA, ONE OF THE SIGNATURE ITEMS THERE ARE STILL STREETS PAVED WITH BRICKS, AND THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT WE PERHAPS TAKE FOR GRANTED, BUT SHOULDN'T.
>>I WAS INVOLVED IN AFFAIRS LONG BEFORE I WAS A POLITICIAN.
I DON'T THINK I WAS EVER A POLITICIAN EVEN BEFORE I GOT ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE. THEY
GOT SOME REVENUE SHARING MONEY. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEVY
THE MONEY, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO SCRATCH IT OUT OF THE TAXPAYERS DIRECTLY, IT COMES
FROM AS A GIFT FROM DISNEYLAND EAST, WASHINGTON D.C.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
AND THEY WERE WASTING AWAY A GOOD DEAL OF IT OVERLAYING BRICK STREETS.
BRICK STREETS WERE MADE BY THE TIME 80, 90 YEARS EARLIER, AND THEY WERE STILL THERE.
THEY WERE THE BEST PAVEMENTS WE EVER LAID. IT WAS DAMAGED BY THE FACT, WHENEVER YOU DID
UTILITY WORK, YOU HAD TO DIG OUT THE BRICKS, AND PUT A BIG UGLY PATCH ON IT. I DECIDED
I WAS GOING TO SAVE THE BRICK STREETS. SO I WENT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND
I SAID "ART," WHO I LIKED, ART DILLMAN. "ART, IF YOU OVERLAY ANOTHER STREET, I WILL
FIGHT YOU ON IT." THEY KIND OF LAID OFF THE OVERLAY WHEN I GOT
ELECTED, I WROTE AN ORDINANCE WHICH STATED IF YOU HAD TO DIG OUT A STREET, EITHER WHETHER
IT WAS CITY OR PRIVATE UTILITY, YOU HAD TO PUT THE BRICKS BACK.
THAT LED TO MY CONTENTION THAT IT WAS FAR CHEAPER TO -- EVEN THOUGH IT WAS EXPENSIVE
TO FIX A BAD SPOT ON A BRICK STREET, FAR MORE EXPENSIVE, IT WAS BETTER THAN RELAYING A WHOLE
STREET OVERLAYING A WHOLE STREET AFTER THE OVERLAY FAILED.
SO THE CITY ACTUALLY NOW WENT INTO A PROJECT OF TAKING OUT ALL THE PATCHES AND PUTTING
BRICKS BACK. WE BOUGHT HALF A MILLION BRICKS FROM SOMEWHERE
ELSE WE STILL HAVE STORED WHICH WE USE EVERY OTHER YEAR, THERE IS A BRICK STREET PROJECT
WHERE THEY REPAIR SMALL SECTION OF BRICK STREETS. WE STILL HAVE TODAY NINE AND A HALF MILES
OF BRICK STREETS THIS CHAMPAIGN. >>THAT'S FANTASTIC.
IN THE LONG RUN, IT TURNED OUT TO BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE?
>> WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS INORDINATELY EXPENSIVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
>>NOW, YOU RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE ONE MORE TIME IN 2002.
THAT -- WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS. >>I WAS ASKED TO RUN FOR THE STATE SENATE.
THERE HAS BEEN A REDISTRICTING AND LOOKED LIKE A DISTRICT THAT WAS COMPETITIVE.
I WANTED DAVID THIES TO RUN. I COULDN'T PERSUADE HIM TO DO IT.
THEY DECIDED I HAD THE MOST NAME RECOGNITION. I DID.
IT REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE WORST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.
THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OBVIOUSLY WAS BACKING ME, BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF WITHOUT
ANY OF THEIR HELP. THEY WANTED ATTACK PIECES.
I AM NOT THAT WAY. I TRIED TO TELL THEM.
"SELL ME. I AM THE CANDIDATE.
FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER GUY." IT WAS A HAIR THIN VOTE.
I LOST BY -- I THINK OUT OF 52,000 VOTES, HALF OF ONE PERCENT.
AND THAT WAS THE SEAT HELD BY REPUBLICANS FOREVER.
BUT I DECIDE, EVEN THOUGH I WORKED HARD TO WIN BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPENDED MONEY AND TIME
AND OTHER RESOURCES TO HELP ME, MY WIFE AND I DECIDED BEFORE THE VOTE, I WOULD BE BETTER
OFF LOSING. >> SOMEHOW I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE GIVEN UP
YET. YOU HAVE LED BY EXAMPLE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU, DANIEL MCCOLLUM BECAUSE YOU WERE TRULY AN ILLINOIS PIONEER.
>>THANK YOU. I WILL TAKE THE COMPLIMENT.
>>FOR "ILLINOIS PIONEERS," I AM MARK LEONARD.