West Central Reporter

The Auburn City Council met May 2 to transfer its website administration from Kyle Freleigh to Kristy Ponsler.

Members of the Auburn City Council come from each of the city’s four wards and serve four-year terms. Council meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month at City Hall, 324 W. Jefferson St. If a council meeting should fall on a holiday, the meeting will be held on Tuesday.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the city.

City of Auburn

Council Minutes

May 2, 2016

Mayor Stamer called the meeting to order at 7:12 PM.

Present: Barb Stamer, Chris Warwick, Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed

Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth Williams. Absent: Tom Appelt and Matt Gillock

Department Heads: Bruce Centko, Bill Karhliker, and Kristy Ponsler. City Attorney: Raylene Grischow.

I. Mayor’s Comments

a. Stamer recommended moving the website administration from Kyle Freleigh to Kristy

Ponsler. A motion was made by Berola to accept the Mayor’s recommendation and add

a $50 a month stipend for the web administration, second by Devos. AYE: Julie Barnhill,

Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth

Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

II. City Clerk’s Report – Warwick

a. Warwick presented the 04/18/16 meeting minutes for the Council’s review and

approval. A motion was made by Williams to approve the meeting minutes and destroy

the recorded copy, second by Johnson. Voice Vote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic

Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth Williams. NAY: None.

PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

b. Warwick reminded the council that the Illinois Municipal League will have their Lobby

Day on May 4th

.

III. City Treasurer’s Report - Appelt

a. Warwick presented the Bills List from 04/18/16 to 04/30/16 for the Council’s review and

approval. A motion was made by Devos to approve the Bills List, second Berola. Voice

Vote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod

Johnson, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-

0-1).

IV. Attorney – Grischow

a. Grischow reported that she is gathering information on how a Home Rule initiative can

be put on the November ballot if the Council wants to proceed. Having Home Rule

would allow greater flexibility for revenue increases for the General Fund.

V. Visitors

a. Hugh Shown of 120 South 4th Street was present. He asked the Council’s permission to

have the sidewalk replaced in front of his residence; Hugh is having other concrete work

done at the same time. A motion was made by Johnson to allow the Shown’s to replace

their sidewalk in front of their home at 120 South 4th Street, second by Williams. AYE:

Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson,

and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

i. Hugh also noted that May 5th is also the National Day of Prayer and he asked

that all present pray for the continued prosperity of this Country.

VI. Department Heads

a. Centko

i. Centko reported that the new squad car was in. He would like to declare the old

squad car ending in VIN 1356426 be declared as surplus property and be sold.

This was tabled until the next meeting when it could be formally placed on the

agenda.

b. Karhliker

i. Karhliker reported that Lewis Electric was finishing up their work at East

Park/Union Park.

c. Ponsler

i. Ponsler reported that 2 bids were received for the cleaning of the City Building

and Community Center. The bids were $9,600 and $8,200 for a year contract.

The council asked that the items be rebid for $6,000 as that was the previous

amount budgeted and paid for cleaning.

VII. Committee Reports

a. Administration

i. Berola made a motion to approve the 2016-2017 fiscal year budget for the City

of Auburn, second by Barnhill. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr.,

Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth Williams. NAY: None.

PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

b. Public Works

i. Johnson made a motion that $104,741.00 be spent from the Motor Fuel Tax

fund to improve roads this year, second by Madaus. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom

Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth

Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

ii. Johnson made a motion for additional funds to be expended for engineering

observation for the sidewalk project at an amount not to exceed $8,000.00;

second by Madaus. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry

Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth Williams. NAY: None.

PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

iii. Johnson made a motion to have a drainage assessment for 15 parcels in the

potential TIF district at an amount of $4,200.00; second by Madaus. AYE: Julie

Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson,

and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-

1).

c. Public Utilities

i. Williams brought up that a citizen approached him about a utility bill dispute.

Hemmerle asked Williams to have the citizen contact the Utility Office to set a

dispute hearing which is part of the dispute process.

d. Health & Safety

i. No report.

e. Health & Housing

i. Berola reported that the house at 403 East Jefferson Street does not have

working utilities and no one is occupying the home. He asked Centko to make

sure no one was living at the residence and if someone was it needed to be

marked as uninhabitable because of the lack of utilities.

ii. Berola will inspect the Painter house at Cheyenne and West Jackson Street

again. There is a lot junk and debris in plain sight.

iii. Another council member brought up the grass height of 101 West Jackson

Street.

iv. Berola noted that if council members see a nuisance issue that they should be

reported to Berola and Ponsler; the Office Manager would make sure the issues

are tracked.

f. Parks

i. Hemmerle made a motion to pay $525 to Lewis Electric to complete work at

East Park/Union Park, second by Barnhill. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic

Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod Johnson, and Seth Williams.

NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-0-1).

g. Library Liaison

i. Barnhill reported that she did attend the last meeting and the Library Board has

question about who pays for what at the Library. The council felt that the

Library receives tax monies from the City and that they should cover the day to

day functions of the Library. Barnhill will find out more information and report

back to the council. It was also recommended that someone from the Library

Board attend the City Council meetings so items could be discussed.

VIII. Adjournment

a. A motion to adjourn was made by Madaus at 8:24 PM; second by Johnson. Voice Vote:

AYE: Julie Barnhill, Tom Berola, Vic Devos, Jr., Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, Rod

Johnson, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Matt Gillock (7-0-

0-1).

Respectfully Submitted,

Christopher Warwick

City Clerk