Michael Gall
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[1. My name is Michael Gall. I have lived in or around Harrisburg all my life. I graduated from Harrisburg High School, attended Southeastern Illinois College and graduated Murray State University. I am married to Sharon Evans Gall, who is cashier and vice-president at Farmers State Bank in Harrisburg. We have three children.
I have been employed at the Bank of Harrisburg (7 1/2 years), Sahara Coal Company (15 1.2 years) and most recently at Gall and Williams Real Estate. I was one of the owners who started Gall and Williams Real Estate in 1996. I am presently the managing broker at Gall and Williams. I am a member of the First United Methodist Church in Harrisburg.
2. I believe zoning can be beneficial to the city of Harrisburg. Commercial business and residential properties should be in separate areas and not intermingled.
On several occasions I have had the opportunity to drive out-of-state prospective buyers around Harrisburg Their first question: "Do you have zoning in Harrisburg?" Due to the lack of zoning, they choose not to purchase a home in Harrisburg. I believe that in order to improve and have growth, you must project an appearance that people feel comfortable with.
Most potential businesses expect ordinances and zoning. It is imperative that the city attracts business for job opportunities and to help offset the current tax base which the homeowner bears.
3. Ideally, it would be beneficial to have an area which is easily recognizable as the city's boundaries. While I was walking the city in an effort to meet the people, I found myself talking to people who were living outside of the city's boundaries.
This interior annexation would increase the tax base and the distributions from the state. Additionally, these citizens annexed into the city would have the opportunity to vote and voice their opinions regarding city issues.
4. I believe the council has to weigh the advantages of annexing adjacent properties into the city. The city gains the new tax base on these properties and gains the distributions from the state; however, there is the initial cost of supplying city utilities to those properties. Therefore the council would need to weigh the advantages against the cost to make the proper determination.
5. The city as a whole, mayor and city council, must work as a unit to improve the appearance, attract new businesses and place the city's improvement above individual desires or the city will continue "as-is" or worse.