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Alderman Defends Withdrawing from City Council Vote
A Galesburg alderman who declined to take part in part of last week's city council discussion on the sale of vacant parcels of land says he was just exercising caution in doing so.

Second Ward Alderman Wayne Dennis says he got a lot of calls after it was reported that he withdrew from voting on the sale of two parcels of city land to the owners of Saint Mary's Square Living Center, instead of to neighbors who had taken care of the land.

Dennis told Mayor Sal Garza he was contacted by one of those property owners.

"She came up and asked me to look at her property," Dennis said. "At the time that we were talking I did not know this was one of Mr. Fike's properties, RFMS. I think it was that I called you and said I think I should recuse myself because of a conflict in interest."

"Again, I want to apologize to anyone who thought I walked out of the meeting last week-- which I didn't."

Dennis claims he didn't think it was, quote, "written up in the paper right." Both WGIL and the Register-Mail reported that Dennis recused himself, which means stepping outside council chambers during the discussion until after the final vote is taken.

RFMS has since withdrawn its bids on only the two parcels, and the council will soon consider giving the parcels to the neighbors instead.
02 15 12 by Newsroom
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