The Auburn City Council met Jan. 3 to recommend appointees.
Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the council:
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.
City of Auburn
Council Minutes
January 3, 2017
Mayor Stamer called the meeting to order at 7:00PM,
Present: Barb Stamer, Chris Warwick, Tom Appelt, Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. Absent: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson,
Department Heads: Bruce Centko, Bill Karhliker, and Kristy Ponsler (Absent), City Attorney; Raylene
Grischow.
I, Mayor's Comments
a.
II. Visitors
2. Stamer recommended Larry Hemmerle as the council appointee for the TIF District Joint Review Board, Madaus made a motion to accept the Mayor's recommendation, second by Barnhill. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2). Stamer mentioned that a $750 ice sculpture was destroyed and a local resident has offered a $100 award for information leading to the apprehension of individual(s) that damaged the ice sculpture. Stamer also reported that Christmas lights had been cut in people's yards. Most present felt that most of the damage was from rabbits and Squirrels chewing through the Christmas lights.
None of the visitors present wished to speak.
Ill. City Clerk's Report - Warwick
Warwick presented the 12/19/16 meeting minutes for the Council's review and approval. A motion was made by Madaus to approve the meeting minutes and destroy the recorded copy, second by Gillock. Voice Wote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None, PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2). Warwick read aloud a Thank You card from the Auburn High School Student Council for Mayor Stamer's welcoming them and explaining how local government works.
V. City Treasurer's Report - Appelt,January 3, 2017
Appelt presented the 2016 Draft Audit Report for the Council's review and approval, A motion was made by Hemmerle to approve the 2016 Draft Audit Report, second by Gillock, AYE: Julie Barnhill, Wic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams, NAY: None, PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2). Appelt presented the Bills List from 12/20/16 to 01/03/17 for the Council's review and approval. A motion was made by Devos to approve the Bills List, second by Williams, Voice Wote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Wic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed
Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson, (6-0-0-2). W, Attorney - Grischow
a. Grischow presented for second reading Ordinance 1424-16 regarding Travel Reimbursement. She added different hotel rates based on the location of the stay, Chicago vs. Metro East area. A motion was made by Madaus to approve Ordinance 1424-16, second by Barnhill. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None, ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2).
b. Grischow presented for second reading Resolution 65-17 a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the access easement and temporary fence easement for the property located at 304 Maple Avenue, the Auburn Nursing Home. A motion was made by Gillock to approve Resolution 65-17, second by Williams. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: Nome. PRESENT: Nome. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2),
i. Williams asked about a past conversation of moving the natural gas regulation station. Karh liker gave an estimate of around $50K to move the station north of town; he could get more details from the city's gas engineer. He also noted that some of the equipment at the regulation station will need to be replaced in the future so the move might be coordinated with the replacement, Putting the station north of town would move it further from residential areas. Karhiker indicated it could be looked at for the FY2018.
c. Grischow presented the wholesale water agreement between Otter Lake Water Commission and the City. She noted that the new contract allows the Commission to change water rates every 60 days as the old agreement was once a year, Another item was if the Commission cannot handle the capacity of a city or one of the city's customers, the city would be liable for the upgrades and not the Commission. This could be an issue in the future if Auburn or any town in the Commission grows, all cities should contribute. She went on to say that it is a 40 year contract that auto renews in 5 year increments, and the city would have to give a 3 year notice to leave the commission, Grischow will send back comments to the Commissions attorney and once the changes are made, she will put forth an Ordinance to the council.
d. Grischow asked about the council's willingness to do an intergovernmental Agreement between the City and Sangamon County regarding the demolition of the Barton Estate, Berola was not at the meeting and the Council felt this should be discussed further upon his return. The item will be added to the next agenda, e. Grischow reported that the Social Media policy was last updated in 2013, Grischow made some updates to the Policy to safeguard against a change in employees or who has access to the page, She also noted that Facebook page would be governed by the Records Retention Act and FOIA. Stamer still likes the idea of a Facebook page; Madaus had concerns about records retention, Warwick stated he will check with the Attorney General's office about Facebook usage and FOIA. Hemmerle made a motion to table the issue to the next meeting, second by Madaus. Voice Vote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None, PRESENT: None, ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2).
VI. Department Heads
a. Centko
i. No report.
b. Karhiker
i. No report.
C. Ponsler
i. Warwick reported that Berola had relayed to him that Ponser requested the carry over vacation day for Pisarek because of a clerical error on her part, A motion was made by Gillock to allow the carry over day for Pisarek into 2017, second by Devos. AYE: Julie Barnhill, Wic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: Nome. PRESENT: Nome. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson, (6-0-0-2).
WI. Committee Reports
a. Administration
i. Warwick reported that Berola is still looking at dates for a Public Hearing regarding the dispatch Center.
ii. Grischow noted that there would not be a cost for the City to move the dispatch to the County. Gillock noted that costs would still come back to the citizens via the County.
b. Public Works
i. No report.
C. Public Utilities
i. No report.
d. Health & Safety
i. No report.
e. Health & Housing
i. No report.
f. Parks
i. No report,
VIII. Adjournment
a. A motion to adjourn was made by Williams at 8:10 PM; second by Hemmerle, Voice Wote: AYE: Julie Barnhill, Vic Devos, Jr., Matt Gillock, Larry Hemmerle, Ed Madaus, and Seth Williams. NAY: None. PRESENT: None. ABSENT: Tom Berola and Rod Johnson. (6-0-0-2).
Respectfully Submitted,
Christopher WarWsck City Clerk
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