Peoria Standard

City of Lewistown City Council met Nov. 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

LEWISTOWN TIF COMMITTEE MEETING

Application Canceled at this time.

LEWISTOWN LIQUOR COMMISSION MEETING

PRESENT: Commissioner Douglas Lafary, Kevin Delmastro, Alderperson Sally Clark and John Spotloe, Brad Ward, David Levingston, also Treasurer Deb Brown, and City Clerk Cindy Goddard in the council chambers. ABSENT: Linda Helle

BUSINESS TO DISCUSSS: Liquor License for New Casey's. Manager Brock Richardson is here just checking to see if a license is available for beer, wine and hard alcohol package only. Yes, there is license available. No video gaming will be put in at this time. It will be a couple years before the new Casey's will be open. City Clerk will email the application to corporate office. No suggestion to council at this time. Meeting adjourned at 6:24.

LEWISTOWN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

The Lewistown City Council met in regular session in the council chambers. Mayor Douglas Lafary called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Invocation: Mayor Lafary

ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Alderperson Sally Clark, Jim Long, Brad Ward, Kendall Miller, David Levingston, John Spotloe and Mayor Doug Lafary. Also present: City Clerk Cindy Goddard, City Treasurer Debby Brown, Public Works Director Evinn Palmer, and City Attorney Nathan Collins. ABSENT:

DECLARATION OF QUORUM by Mayor Doug Lafary

CLERKS REPORT/MINUTES: Cindy Goddard.

Alderperson Spotloe made a motion to approve the minutes of October 24, 2023, and Finance Committee meeting minutes of November 6, 2023, second by Alderperson Clark, the motion carried all ayes.

Report- Nothing new to report at this time.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Debbie Brown. Nothing to report.

ATTORNEY'S REPORT: Attorney Nathan Collins. Nothing to report.

ENGINEER'S REPORT: Keith Plavec. Later in unfinished business.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PETITIONS: No one.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Finance/Insurance/Zoning - Alderperson Clark: Nothing to report.

Sewer - Alderperson Spotloe: Nothing to report, but Evinn is waiting to hear on vac truck repairs.

Streets & Allies - Alderperson Levingston: Later on, agenda.

Police/ESDA - Alderperson Ward: Chief Ford wanting to hire another person, he has a space saved at the academy in January 2024.

Water Alderperson Miller: Later on, agenda.

Utilities/Publications - Alderperson Long: Nothing to report.

Public Buildings & Grounds - Alderperson Long: Later on, agenda.

Tourism - Alderman Miller: Later under Christmas.

Tax Increment Financing - Alderperson Spotloe: Nothing.

Citizens Committee - Amanda Sutphen will be getting everything submitted for the water grant.

Christmas Committee - Kenny Haacke meeting last night. Voted to put a large Snowman in the park. Trees will not be delivered till Friday or Monday. At around 45 memorial trees sold at this time. Would like all businesses to buy trees and be in the parade on December 2, at 1:30 p.m. A reminder light up side x side parade at 6:00 p.m.

WORKS DIRECTOR'S REPORT - Evinn Palmer Director talk about later on agenda.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

1. Discuss/Act Upon Engineering Agreement for Ground Storage Improvement (new pump station) Maurer-Stutz - Inspection of tanks have been done inside and out. Looked at costs of new pump station, using grant money only enough for pump station. Tanks are fine for now, could get funding for inside and exterior of the tank. The design, construction time, materials discussed, can purchase ground to the North if needed, but trying to stay on ground we have now. Could keep existing building if want and rehab it. Tank rehab is around $600,000.00 to $650,000.00. The total estimated construction costs $935,000.00, engineering fee estimate is $106,000.00 for project of new Fairground site pump station improvements. Motion by Alderperson Miller, second by Alderperson Clark to approve the Engineering Agreement for Ground Storage Improvements with Maurer-Stutz, roll call vote, motion carried all ayes.

2. Discuss Act Upon Hiring Public Works Employee - Two things Evinn Palmer wants to know starting wage and details if they have to have CDL before or get after being hired. Start at minimum wage maybe have them a sign a promissory note, pay will be adjusted according, also they stay as an employee a couple years. Discussion among aldermen. Decided to start at $14.00 with no CDL, or $15.25 if they have CDL already, must get license within 2 years, if no CDL the city can send to Spoon River College to the 15- week course, pay will be $14.00 with a signed agreement, then pay will rise to$15.25 but the city keeps the $1.25 as repay of CDL class. Motion by Alderperson Clark, second by Alderperson Ward, to hire a new public works person at $14.00 with no CDL, or $15.25 if they have CDL already, must get license within 2 years, if no CDL the city can send to Spoon River College to the 15-week course, pay will be $14.00 with a signed agreement, then pay will rise to$15.25 but the city keeps the $1.25 as repay of CDL class, roll call vote motion carried all ayes.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Discuss/Act Upon Liquor License for the New Casey's - will get application sent to corporate office. Table at this time.

2. Discuss/Act Upon Aclara New Programming fees - Phil Knight to discuss upgrade fees, progress has been made. As of April 1, 2024 the program we have now will die. Aclara understands that this is not in the budget. They can hold the bill till May 1 for new fiscal year to start so it can be put in budget. Server will die. Mobile program will be cloud based. Alderperson Miller asked if this is going to be an ongoing problem, have to upgrade all the time? No, was the answer by Phil Knight, because it will be cloud based now. He also asked if Aclara as a company was strong, that answer was yes. Phil also added that everyone that has this program has to upgrade to cloud base. Mayor asked if meters can still be read if program dies, yes but would have to go enter every house to get the reading. Would take a lot of employee's time. Alderperson Levingston wants to hold out to see if more problems are solved. The 10% discount is till December 31. Clerk reminded them only one meeting in December because of holidays. Move to table by Alderperson Miller to November 28. second by Alderperson Long all ayes but one no by Alderperson Ward, he said we have discussed it and have to do it so why wait?

3. Discuss/Act Upon Work Comp/Property Insurance Renewal and discuss adding Sales Tax Interruption Coverage with Illinois Counties Risk Management Trust - City Clerk mentioned that the insurance was going up around $3,000.00. Sales Tax Interruption was explained by Clerk, coverage is for the largest businesses in town, if one of them is destroyed the insurance covers a percentage of the sales tax that would be lost waiting for them to reopen. Table at this time. Clerk to get sales tax numbers to present to council to see if worth adding the Sales Tax Interruption Coverage.

4. Discuss/Act Upon Purchasing a Used 2015 McLaughlin VS50-800 (potholer/vac machine) - Currently have a 2000 model, parts are obsolete. Vermeer brought and demonstrated a used potholer; price is $49,373.00 from Vermeer Midwest. No other used ones available. New ones are over $100,000. Motion by Alderperson Levingston, second by Alderperson Miller to purchase a used 2015 McLaughlin VS50-800 potholer/vac machine, roll call vote, motion carries all ayes.

5. Discuss/Act Upon Using ARPA funds to repair West Avenue E - Started to just repair the one spot on hill on West Avenue E, then decided to price the whole hill from top to bottom, so to mill 3" deep and lay 3" of asphalt it will be $64,500.00. Evinn checked with local businesses and they had already closed everything for the winter. Tazwell County Asphalt Co., can start tomorrow, and finish on Monday. Motion by Alderperson Long second by Alderperson Spotloe to approve to use ARPA funds to pay Tazwell County Asphalt Co. to mill and lay asphalt on West Avenue E hill, roll call vote, motion carried all ayes.

6. Discuss/Act Upon Approval of Tax Levy Ordinance The finance committee had a meeting on November 6, the decision was made to suggest to city council that the city would not increase tax levy leave at 0%. Need to approve at this meeting then vote on it at the next meeting November 28. Move to approve the 0% by Alderperson Spotloe second by Alderperson Long, roll call vote, motion carried all ayes.

PRESENTATION OF BILLS:

Alderperson Miller made a motion to approve all bills properly endorsed; Seconded by Alderperson Clark roll call vote, the motion carried with all ayes.

CLOSED SESSION: No closed session

ADJOURNMENT:

Alderperson Ward made a motion to adjourn at 7:30 p.m.; Seconded by Alderperson Miller motion carried all ayes.

https://lewistownillinois.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Nov-14-2023-City-Council-min_11292023082247-1.pdf