City of Rushville City Council met Aug. 21.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
1. ROLL CALL & CALL TO ORDER
The Rushville City Council met in the meeting room of the City Hall Building. Upon convening, Mayor Jeff Ervin directed City Clerk, Stacey Briney to call the roll.
Upon ROLL CALL, the following answered present: Council Members: Susan Acker, Richard Davis, Terry Dodds, Bob Fishel, Bryan Matteson, and Mike Ryan. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. Council Members, Barry Rebman and Paul Trimble were absent.
Others present included: Stacey Briney, City Clerk; Erin Wilson-Laegeler, City Attorney, Rick Wright, Chief of Police; David Haney of The Rushville Times; Terri Belville, Scripps Park Board President; Andy Ebey, Groundskeeper; Schuyler Isely, Economic Development Director (arrived at 7:02 p.m.); and Amy Anderson.
2. OPENING PRAYER
The Opening Prayer was led by Mayor Jeff Ervin.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Ervin.
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Amy Anderson addressed the council again about the intersection at North Liberty and East Jefferson Streets. Anderson said the city felt the solution was to make diagonal parking, but she feels that just made it worse. Anderson noted a person has to be in the middle of the intersection before they can see anything coming. Mayor Ervin reported the city knows this is not the perfect fix, but it never will be. Anderson stated she was told by someone that lives around that intersection that there has been a half dozen accidents there. Chief of Police, Rick Wright said there have been a couple, but not that many. Chief Wright reported the intersections at Moreland & Devitt and the Court House are bad too but the city cannot do away with parking everywhere because of that. Street Committee Chairman, Mike Ryan said he will call a committee meeting to discuss this issue again.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
All items on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council Member so requests, in which event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as the first item after approval of the Consent Agenda.
a) Approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held August 7, 2023
b) Approve the Minutes of the Public Buildings Committee Meeting held August 15, 2023
c) Approve Claims for Council Approval Dated 08/21/23 & Accept Monthly Reports
d) Approve Hiring Austin Myers as Full-Time Police Officer
Matteson MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. Fishel SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 6 YEAS – Acker, Davis, Dodds, Fishel, Matteson, & Ryan; 0 NAYS; 2 ABSENT – Rebman & Trimble.
6. ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA – IF APPLICABLE All items were approved on the Consent Agenda.
7. DISCUSS & CONSIDER APPROVING RED GRANT FOR THE SCHUYLER PENNEY EVENT VENUE
Economic Development Committee Chair, Susan Acker reported the committee met earlier and recommended the council approve a RED Grant to the Schuyler Penney Event Venue.
Acker MOVED TO APPROVE A RED GRANT FOR THE SCHUYLER PENNEY EVENT VENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000). Dodds SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 6 YEAS – Davis, Dodds, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, & Acker; 0 NAYS; 2 ABSENT – Rebman & Trimble.
8. DISCUSS & CONSIDER ACCEPTING BID FOR IRRIGATION SYSTEM AT THE GOLF COURSE
City Clerk, Stacey Briney opened the one (1) bid the city received for the irrigation system at the golf course. Mayor Ervin reported the bid was from Liebold Irrigation, Inc. in the amount of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000). Mayor Ervin noted this company is the one Groundskeeper, Andy Ebey has been working with and they have come highly recommended from other groundskeepers. Ryan asked if the entire thing was going to be renovated and Ebey stated there will be new pipe, wiring, and heads but the pumps and current pump house will be used. Acker questioned if this project would be started next fall, and Ebey said that was correct unless they have a cancelation. Mayor Ervin stressed that if the city does not do this for the golf course, we will lose golfers and eventually the park will fold.
Dodds MOVED TO APPROVE ACCEPTING THE BID FROM LEIBOLD IRRIGATION, INC. FOR A NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM AT THE GOLF COURSE IN THE AMOUNT OF SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($600,000). Ryan SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 6 YEAS – Dodds, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Acker, & Davis; 0 NAYS; 2 ABSENT – Rebman & Trimble.
9. COUNCIL MEMBER & OFFICIAL’S REPORTS
Cemetery Committee Chairman, Bryan Matteson reported there had been an incident the other day and he has been working with Animal Control Officer, Dave Edwards to try to resolved the complaints of dog owners allowing their dogs to run at large in the cemetery. Matteson said he thought the first step was to remind people that their dogs have to be under their control.
Public Buildings Committee Chairman, Richard Davis reported the committee met last Tuesday to discuss a lease with Two Rivers Regional Council for a portion of space in the old city hall building. Davis presented a drawing and a discussion was held. Said drawing is attached and a part of these minutes.
Council Member, Bob Fishel asked Chief Wright if he had a chance to look at this and if he was okay with it. Chief Wright said he has talked with Economic Development Director, Schuyler Isley about this. Davis feels it would be handy to have both entities in the same location. Isely stated the lease with Two Rivers should be separate from the Economic Development lease. Iseley noted Two Rivers is currently under a lease with the Schuyler County Health Department but that is coming to an end in September.
Davis said the legal description for Two Rivers shows seven hundred fifty (750) square feet. City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler stated she will put in just the room but note that Two Rivers will have access to the other rooms. Davis noted the lease is for one (1) year but the city would like to have a three (3) year lease as well as SCEDC’s be a three (3) year lease as well.
Street Committee Chairman, Mike Ryan reported he is still getting complaints of the dip in the road in front of the cemetery.
City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler reported she sent the statutory notice for the Gordley property on East LaFayette street which gives them fifteen (15) days to fix it. Attorney Wilson-Laegeler noted if nothing is done, then we can proceed with the next step.
Attorney Wilson-Laegeler also reported she sent a draft animal ordinance for review and this should help alleviate some of the animal problems with not only dogs, but cats as well.
10. ADJOURN
Dodds MOVED TO ADJOURN. Acker SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 6 YEAS – Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Acker, Davis, & Dodds; 0 NAYS; 2 ABSENT – Rebman & Trimble. THE MEETING STOOD ADJOURNED ACCORDINGLY AT 7:19 P.M.
https://rushvilleillinois.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/23-08-21.pdf
Alerts Sign-up