West Central Reporter

City of Rushville City Council met Sept. 16.

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 called the meeting to order and directed City Clerk, Stacey Briney to call the roll. Upon ROLL CALL, the following answered present: Council Members: Susan Acker, Richard Davis, Terry Dodds, Mike Farniok, Bob Fishel, Bryan Matteson, & Mike Ryan. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. Council Member, Paul Trimble was absent.

Others present included: City Clerk, Stacey Briney; City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler (arrived at 7:03 p.m.); Superintendent of Operations, Eric Thurman; Chief of Police, Rick Wright; Moe Billingsley of The Rushville Times; and Anthony Miller of Hutchison Engineering.

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

Anthony Miller of Hutchison Engineering reported a set of plans for the improvements to West LaFayette Street from the west side of Jackson Street to Monroe Street were created in 2014. Miller noted he does not remember the targeted funds and there were never any funds put forward to get the project going. Miller stated there was an ITEP cycle in 2022 with a lot of municipalities submitting applications for funding. Miller explained the scoring and point system on the application and said the reason the city did not make the last cycle was because there was not a historic district but there is now so he is hopeful the city will score better.

Miller wanted the council to be aware that there is One Hundred Forty Million Dollars ($140,000,000) statewide for these ITEP projects with the federal government putting in Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000) and the state putting in One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000). Miller noted the State of Illinois has already said they are putting all their funds into the bike trails, railroads, etc.

Mayor Ervin informed Miller that another selling point for this grant might be that West LaFayette Street has several old Scripps family homes. Miller stated the public meeting was held tonight because this is something that has to be done before spending federal funds. Miller said if the application is not approved then the project just stalls unless the city has another source of funding. Miller stated the applications are due by September 30th, but we will not know until spring if the city gets the grant.

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 September 3, 2024

b) Approve the Minutes of the Police Committee Meeting held September 10, 2024; & Sidewalk & Lighting Committee Meeting held September 11, 2024

c) Approve “Claims for Council Approval Dated 09/16/24” & Accept Monthly Reports

d) Approve Closing McAllister Street to Bessie Street on Friday, September 27th & Saturday, September 28th (next to The Lipsticked Pig – as per past practice)

e) Approve Advertising for Bids for Surplus Property (Gordley Property)

f) Approve Removal of Tree at 205 E LaFayette as a Cost not to Exceed $1,500

g) Approve Hiring Kolton Rice as Full-Time Police Officer

h) Approve Hiring James Ward and Mandy Edwards as Part-Time Police Officers

i) Pass & Adopt Resolution No. 1158, Resolution Supporting ITEP and the West LaFayette Street Restoration Project

Acker REQUESTED TO HAVE ITEM “5F” REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

Fishel MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM “5F”. Ryan SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Acker, Davis, Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, & Ryan; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble.

6. ITEMS TO BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA – IF APPLICABLE

Item “5F”: Council Member, Susan Acker wanted to make sure the tree that was going to be cut down was on East LaFayette and not West LaFayette Street. Mayor Ervin noted the tree is a big sycamore that keeps dropping limbs on East LaFayette Street.

Acker MOVED TO APPROVE ITEM “5F”, APPROVE REMOVAL OF TREE AT 205 E. LAFAYETTE STREET AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $1,500. Dodds SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Davis, Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, & Acker; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble.

7. DISCUSS & CONSIDER WEST WASHINGTON STREET SIDEWALK

Sidewalk & Lighting Committee Chairman, Terry Dodds reported Mayor Ervin and himself met with some employees with G M Sipes Construction regarding the sidewalk in front of Ryan Murray’s property. Dodds stated Sipes’ said they would grind down the sidewalk if that is what the city chooses but if that does not solve the problem, then they will remove the section and pour it again.

Dodds MOVED TO APPROVE GRINDING THE SIDEWALK THE WAY G M SIPES CONSTRUCTION FEELS NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND IF THAT DOES NOT WORK, SIPES’ WILL REMOVE THE SECTION AND REPOUR. Fishel SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Acker, & Davis; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Dodds.

8. DISCUSS & CONSIDER DONATION TO SMILES DAY

Mayor Ervin stated this was not on the agenda for the last meeting. City Clerk, Stacey Briney said the committee was asking for One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500) but there is only One Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($1,300) left in the appropriations. Dodds noted this all happens on city property but it has to do with the entire county but the county board does not donate.

Dodds MOVED TO APPROVE DONATING ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000) TO THE SMILES DAY COMMITTEE. Davis SECONDED.

Council Member, Bryan Matteson asked if the city has anything coming up for the remaining Three Hundred Dollars ($300), and Clerk Briney said no one knows but we have six (6) months left. Mayor Ervin said the city has until May 1st to go on that amount.

THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Farniok, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Acker, Davis, & Dodds; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble.

9. DISCUSS & CONSIDER WORK CHANGE DIRECTION

Water Committee Chairman, Bryan Matteson reported the water and sewer committee met last week with Bryan Cannon of Benton & Associates. Matteson said, through discovery, Cannon and Superintendent of Operations, Eric Thurman expressed the need for additional valves, mechanical junctions, and line stops on Contract “A”. Matteson stated the original contract was in the amount of Four Hundred Ninety-Three Thousand Two Hundred Two Dollars ($493,202) and the additional items would raise that amount to One Hundred Six Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Dollars ($106,380). Matteson noted Thurman expressed how much this would help them when there is a problem. Matteson said this was discovered when the water towers were switched.

Matteson MOVED TO APPROVE AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED SIX THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS ($106,380) TO SPLIT 50/50 WITH CONTINGENCY AND WATER FUNDS. Farniok SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Acker, Davis, Dodds, & Farniok; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble.

10. DISCUSS & CONSIDER APPROVING CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RUSHVILLE & THE ILLINOIS FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE

Police Committee Chairman, Mayor Ervin reported the only changes in the contract were the wages of five percent (5%) for the first year and four percent (4%) for the next two years and taking the twenty-five (25) mile radius out.

Farniok MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RUSHVILLE & THE ILLINOIS FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE. Fishel SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Matteson, Ryan, Acker, Davis, Dodds, Farniok, & Fishel; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble.

11. COUNCIL MEMBER & OFFICIALS’ REPORTS

Industrial Park Committee Chair, Susan Acker asked Attorney Wilson-Laegeler if she had spoken to the attorney from Beardstown that is in charge of the Zach Fletcher issue, and Attorney Wilson-Laegeler said she is working on it.

Cemetery Committee Chairman, Bryan Matteson reported the cemetery is all caught up. City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler reported she has a few ordinance violation cases this month.

Mayor Jeff Ervin reported him and Dodds will be meeting Pete Hamm of G M Sipes Construction tomorrow to go through with what the city wants for a step at the Schuyler Penney Event Venue. Dodds noted this was already discussed with owner, Mark Schoonover.

12. ADJOURN

Matteson MOVED TO ADJOURN. Ryan SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Ryan, Acker, Davis, Dodds, Farniok, Fishel, & Matteson; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Trimble. THE MEETING STOOD ADJOURNED ACCORDINGLY AT 7:25 P.M.

https://rushvilleillinois.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24-09-16.pdf