Peoria Standard

City of Minonk City Council met Oct. 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

CALL TO ORDER: The October 7, 2024, meeting of the Minonk City Council was held at City Hall and was called to order by Mayor Marcoline at 6:00 pm.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Marcoline

ROLL CALL BY CITY CLERK: Those in attendance: Alderpersons Tessa Arndt, Tom Barth, Julie McNamara, Russell Ruestman, Jonathan Stears. ABSENT: Travis Nix

Also in attendance: City Administrator Bill Moline, City Clerk Leta Janssen, City Treasurer Steve O'Riley, City employees Kaleb Garber and Jake Anderson, several community members

CONSENT AGENDA:

A. To approve and file the following:

1. Minutes of September 3, 2024, City Council Meeting

2. Minutes of October 3, 2024, City of Minonk Zoning Board Meeting

3. Minutes of August 29, 2024, Filger Library Board Meeting

4. September 2024 Accounts Payable paid in October 2024 in the amount of $177,830.04

5. August 2024 City Collector's Report in the amount of $241,734.44

6. August 2024 City Clerk's Report in the amount of $247,131.78

7. August 2024 City Treasurer's Report in the amount of $3,962,968.38

Stears moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented, second by McNamara. Roll call vote:

YEAS: Stears, McNamara, Barth, Arndt, Ruestman

NAYS: None

MOTION APPROVED

REGULAR AGENDA:

A. Review and Consider Rezoning Parcels 06-07-407-011 & 06-07-407-010, Heritage Nursing Home Buildings from R1 to R3

Ruestman moved to approve the Zoning Committee's recommendation to rezone named parcels from R1 to R3, second by McNamara.

YEAS: Ruestman, Arndt, Barth, McNamara, Stears

NAYS: None

MOTION APPROVED

B. Island Recovery LLC - Megan Weaver, Director of Compliance Megan Weaver provided background on the proposed in-patient rehab & addiction treatment facility which, if purchased, would be housed in the former Heritage Nursing Home buildings. The facility would accept Medicaid and commercial insurance patients (male and female patients aged 18 and over) who are voluntarily seeking admission; no court commitment patients would be accepted. A question-and-answer session was held following Megan's statement. Community members commenting included: Sandy Whisker, Betty Barth, Pat McGuane, Rose Arnes, Kathy Weese, Joan Osterman, Lynn Cusac, Kristin ?, JR Dunning, Jim Liner, Connie Hutchins, and Bill Moline. Questions centered around the prescreening process of patients; types of patients accepted; safety and security protocols to be in place regarding unsupervised patients leaving the building, visitors, and security in building; types of staffing, effect on surrounding property values, traffic studies, among other things. Per Megan, the extensive pre-screening process considers the reason for treatment, prior criminal background, mental health diagnoses, and other criteria. Acute mental health diagnosis cases would be referred elsewhere. Experienced medical and administrative staff are recruited to fill the positions, which would include a medical director, 24-hour nurses and behavioral health care techs, and counselors. Megan has provided Island Recovery's proposed business plan for review, including needs analysis data for the county. Once the licensing and accreditation processes get started, the timeframe for the facility to be fully operational could take 9-12 months.

ADMINISTRATORS REPORT:

• Work on the Lincoln Street infrastructure continues and is near completion.

A Wendy's is slated to be in the former Woody's location sometime during 2025

• The under construction Mexican Restaurant hopes to open in March 2025.

• Construction is taking place on South Chestnut Street for an overstock items resale business/warehouse.

• The bid package for the future Rec Center has been received and the request for bids will be published soon.

• Jingle Holiday Lighting will be doing the downtown Christman lighting

• Reminded people interested in running for office in the April 2025 Consolidated election packets are available at City Hall and are due back during November 12 through November 18 to City Hall.

• Lisa Blanchard is retiring; her last day is October 18, 2024.

OLD AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

NEW BUSINESS: None

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Susan Drawdy of the Minonk Garden Club requested hanging limbs be cut down at the Chestnut Street Garden location.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: None

CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: McNamara thanked Moline for sharing the rezoning information letter with the community and thanked the audience for their interest and participation in the meeting. Stears commended the Parks & Rec Committee for the successful fall soccer program and thanked the audience for their input. Barth thanked the community for their input in tonight's meeting. Ruestman also thanked the audience for their input and assured them Council will take several things into account including public safety, infrastructure, and effect on the neighborhood regarding the proposed facility in the former nursing home building. He also commended the Garden Club members for the beautification work on Main Street. Arndt also commended the Garden Club members for their work and thanked Megan for tonight's informative presentation.

MAYOR COMMENTS: Thanked the audience for their input.

ADJOURNMENT: Ruestman moved that having completed the business meeting of the Minonk City Council the meeting is adjourned at 7:10 pm, second by McNamara.

MOTION/CARRIED 

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