City of Champaign to Hold Town Meeting August 20th on Sale of Township Properties

City of Champaign voters will be asked to weigh in on a proposal to sell off township buildings --- at a special town meeting set for Thursday, August 20th. Champaign City Council members set the date during the township portion of their meeting Tuesday night.

City of Champaign Township Supervisor Pam Borowski wants to sell the townships' two office buildings at the corner of Green and Randolph to buyers interested in re-developing the block. But state law on townships requires an OK from the voters for that to happen --- not voters at the polls, but voters attending a town meeting. Borowski says the event will be similar to the annual town meetings held in Illinois townships every spring.

"Only registered voters will be able to stand up and vote, yea or nay, on whether or not they will allow the township trustees to accept bids and go ahead and sell the township properties," says Borowski. "It's pretty much their call what we

Borowski says approval at the August 20th meeting would only allow the sale, not mandate it. She says it won't go forward until they've identified a new location for township offices. That would involve buying or leasing property ---and perhaps sharing a facility with Champaign city offices. Borowski says she wants township offices to stay in the downtown area, where it will be handy for public aid clients without cars.