Jacksonville aldermen continue to toss around ideas on what to do with the ongoing solicitation at a specific high traffic intersection in the city.
Service clubs and Jacksonville groups are a common site at the corner of Main and College, each offering various solicitation efforts for their organization.
On Monday, Jacksonville’s Special Studies Community reviewed some possible alternatives to the “roadblock” system used in the past.
Alderman Lori Large-Oldenettel says the council has a lot to consider before making a final decision.
“If we should abolish it altogether, if we should designate a new area or should we just leave it up to the organizations to find a new area in the community. We want to know if they are relying on those solicitations for their overall budget. What we have asked the members of the council to do is go out to the community and find out how their constituents feel about it. We want to see if the community has any suggestions before we make another decision,” says Large-Oldenettel.
Large-Oldenettel, who solicited at Main and College during the Kiwanis Club’s “Peanut Day”, is torn on what to do.
“I know there are a lot of people that don’t like to be solicited at an intersection. I totally get that. I also know there are organizations in the community that have relied on that to support their bottom dollar in the past. I think it is important to explore all the options that are one the table.” :
One suggestion brought to Large-Oldenettel was having Jacksonville showcase a billboard that would acknowledge what organization is at the intersection and also provide reflective vests. Large-Oldenettel says these items could “make them more visible, less of a target of a pedestrian on the roadway and make the road safer.”
Contact your local aldermen if you have a suggestion for the intersection.