Councilman Calls For Stava-Murray to Resign:
Naperville City Councilman Kevin Coyne called for the resignation of Illinois 81st District Representative Anne Stava-Murray. At last night’s council meeting, Coyne spoke out about Murray’s January Facebook comment in which she said Naperville has a “history of white supremacist policies.”
“It is very apparent that Anne Stava-Murray has a fundamental misunderstanding of both the Naperville community and what it means to represent a constituency,” said Coyne.
Public speakers and council members weighed in, including Benny White, the dais’ only black member. He said though he does not agree that Naperville is a community with white supremacist policies, he does believe there’s work to be done concerning diversity and discrimination in our city. He suggested the formation of a committee to listen to issues from minority Naperville residents. Today on Facebook Stava-Murray said though in retrospect perhaps her comment could have been better worded, she is glad for the public conversations it has prompted.
Wagner Farms Development Approved:
Also at the meeting, council unanimously approved plans for the residential development of the Wagner Farms Property. A lawyer representing the land’s owner, Pulte Home Corporation, presented the proposal to council, which will include three connected neighborhoods and a location for The Compass Church. Dozens of members of the church were there to show support for the development.
SECA Allocations Approved:
The meeting concluded with a vote approving the allocation of SECA funding to over 50 projects for 2019. Two representatives of the Naperville Jaycees came forward prior to the vote, requesting the full $189,979 in their application. Some council members suggested using underspend from last year’s allocation to fulfill their request, but others felt the money would be better used for other purposes. In the end, the Jaycees were awarded $171,000 of their request. The SECA Commission will present its vision for the future of the fund to council on April 29.
Digital Leader Summit:
KidsMatter has partnered up with Districts 203 and 204 for the inaugural Digital Leader Summit. The two-day event brought over 100 middle schoolers to the Community Christian Church to learn about how to leave a positive digital footprint. Breakout sessions focused on cyber bullying, cyber safety and security, and realizing leadership possibilities. Students will go back to their schools with plans to teach what they learned to their peers.
