West Central Reporter

City of Rushville City Council met Aug. 4.

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, Mike Carey, Terry Dodds, Bob Fishel, Bryan Matteson, Mike Ryan, & Paul Trimble. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. Council Member, Mike Farniok was absent.

Others present included: City Clerk, Stacey Briney; City Attorney, Erin Wilson-Laegeler; Superintendent of Operations, Drew Ralston; Moe Billingsley of The Rushville Times; and Brad Thurman, Schuy-Rush Park Board President.

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

There were no Public Comments at this time.

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 July 21, 2025

b) Approve the Minutes of the TIF Committee Meeting held July 10, 2025; Industrial Park Committee Meeting held July 21, 2025; Ordinance Review Committee Meeting held July 24, 2025; & Parks & Recreation Committee held July 30, 2025

c) Approve “Claims for Council Approval Dated 08/04/25” & Accept Monthly Reports d) Approve Reserving Central Park on Tuesday, August 12th from 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. for Schuyler County Mental Health Dinner & a Movie

e) Approve Improvements at Little League Fields (funding has been secured)

f) Approve Work Change Directive #7 with Leander Construction for Installation of New Water Salesman

g) Approve Proposal of Services with IMEG for West LaFayette Street Project from Jackson to Franklin Streets

h) Pass & Adopt Ordinance No. 1396, Ordinance Amending Section 70-41 of the Rushville City Code

i) Approve Loan Reimbursements

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

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

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

Item “5D”: Council Member, Susan Acker stated that the date for the Mental Health’s Dinner & a Movie should be August 19th instead of August 12th.

Acker MOVED TO APPROVE ITEM “5D”, APPROVE RESERVING CENTRAL PARK ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 19TH, FROM 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. FOR SCHUYLER COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DINNER & A MOVIE. Matteson SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Carey, Dodds, Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Trimble, & Acker; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Farniok.

7. PASS & ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 1397, ORDINANCE AMENDING A PORTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 1327

Matteson MOVED TO PASS & ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 1397, ORDINANCE AMENDING A PORTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 1327. Fishel SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH A ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 5 YEAS – Fishel, Matteson, Ryan, Trimble, & Carey; 2 NAYS – Dodds & Acker; 1 ABSENT – Farniok.

8. DISCUSS & CONSIDER APPROVING LIQUOR LICENSE FOR EL TALISMAN MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Matteson MOVED TO APPROVE A LIQUOR LICENSE FOR EL TALISMAN MEXICAN RESTAURANT. Ryan SECONDED.

Council Member, Bryan Matteson said he agrees with Acker and thinks that a first-time liquor license applicant should come to a meeting before the license would be approved. Mayor Ervin noted the council will have to change the ordinance stating that.

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

9. DISCUSS & CONSIDER 1ST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 1398, ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE PARKING & STORAGE OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND CAMPERS

Ordinance Review Committee Member, Bob Fishel said the committee changed the number of vehicles from three (3) to two (2). Mayor Ervin stated Article 5 lists the descriptions of recreational vehicles and he does not think the city needs to include boat trailers, motorcycles, etc. Mayor Ervin stressed that he thought this ordinance was going to be written to not allow people to live in campers. Mayor Ervin noted from boat trailers on could be eliminated in the second (2nd) reading. A discussion followed.

Fishel questioned if a camper could hook up to someone’s sewer, and City Attorney, Erin Wilson Laegeler said it is a state law that there cannot be two (2) or more “residence” hooked to the same line and that will be part of the permit. Council Member, Mike Carey asked what would keep someone from coming in from Schuy-Rush Park to live in a camper because the permit is a lot cheaper than what it cost out there. Mayor Ervin stated the council would have to approve the permit first. Schuy-Rush Park Board President, Brad Thurman stressed that not everyone at the table will be there forever so he feels the city needs to look into something more permanent. Carey said that maybe the council just needs to pass an ordinance saying it is not allowed. Attorney Wilson-Laegeler noted the council talked about that before and got a lot of pushback from those that rented out campers for Airbnb’s, etc. Ryan felt that maybe the permit should be raised to Two Hundred Fifty Dollar ($250) since that is what Schuy-Rush Park charges, and Matteson felt that it should be higher than what they charge. A discussion followed. This matter died for a lack of a motion and will be referred back to the committee.

10. DISCUSS & CONSIDER 1ST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 1399, ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING A MUNICIPAL GROCERY RETAILER’S OCCUPATION TAX AND A MUNICIPAL GROCERY SERVICE OCCUPATION TAX

Mayor Ervin reported this ordinance is a continuation of the existing one percent (1%) grocery tax that is already in place. Mayor Ervin noted the State of Illinois is going to stop collecting this tax and put it all on the municipalities to pass an ordinance. Mayor Ervin again stressed that this it not a new tax but a continuation of what is already in place. Attorney Wilson-Laegeler noted the ordinance maintains status quo.

Fishel MOVED TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 1399, ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING A MUNICIPAL GROCERY RETAILER’S OCCUPATION TAX AND A MUNICIPAL GROCERY SERVICE OCCUPATION TAX TO THE SECOND (2ND) READING. Ryan SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Matteson, Ryan, Trimble, Acker, Carey, Dodds, & Fishel; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Farniok.

11. DISCUSS & CONSIDER HELPING FUND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF LIGHT POLES AND BULBS AT THE BALL DIAMOND IN SCHUY-RUSH PARK

Parks & Recreation Committee Chairman, Paul Trimble reported Schuy-Rush Park Board has approved replacing eight (8) light poles and thirty-two (32) bulbs at the ball diamond at a cost of Sixteen Thousand Two Hundred Fifty-Two Dollars ($16,252). Trimble noted this will all be done with volunteer help. Trimble stated the park has Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($13,500) left in the appropriation line and he wondered if the city could pay the remaining amount. City Clerk, Stacey Briney asked how much money the park had in their fund, not in their appropriation line. Matteson noted Trimble is asking for a motion to approve helping the park with funding not to exceed Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000). Mayor Ervin reminded the council members that Schuy-Rush Park does not get any tax dollars.

Trimble MOVED TO APPROVE HELPING FUND THE NEW LIGHTS AND BULBS AT SCHUY-RUSH BALL DIAMOND AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000). Matteson SECONDED.

Fishel questioned how much Schuy-Rush was going to pay, and Thurman stated the board is asking the city to fully fund this project because they do not have the money. Mayor Ervin noted the park has about Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) in their fund but they need to have money in there to get through the winter. Matteson stated that people at this table never hesitated to vote to pay Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000) for Scripps Park’s project but are upset over Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) for Schuy-Rush.

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

12. COUNCIL MEMBER & OFFICAL’S REPORTS

Water Committee Chairman, Bryan Matteson reported he got the change order request for removal of the building on Logan Street and ground preparation. Matteson noted the building is full of asbestos and he does not think the city can get this done any cheaper. Matteson stated the change order was in the amount of Fifty-Seven Thousand Four Hundred Sixteen Dollars and Sixteen Cents ($57,416.16), which sounds steep to him so he is going to look at it and see if he can get some items reduced or removed. Matteson stressed that this building is very dangerous and the city needs to get rid of it. Acker said that maybe the city could get some of that money back through the new water salesman. A discussion followed. Consensus of the council was to move forward on this, and Clerk Briney was directed to place Consider Approving Change Order Request on the next council’s consent agenda.

Council Member, Bob Fishel asked if there were any updates on the dangerous dogs, and Attorney Wilson-Laegeler stated she is pursuing the tickets in court. Mayor Ervin noted he had heard that the owner of the house issued the owner of the dogs an eviction notice.

13. ADJOURN

Fishel MOVED TO ADJOURN. Carey SECONDED, AND THE MOTION CARRIED WITH AN ALL “YEA” ROLL CALL VOTE AS FOLLOWS: 7 YEAS – Trimble, Acker, Dodds, Fishel, Matteson, & Ryan; 0 NAYS; 1 ABSENT – Farniok. THE MEETING STOOD ADJOURNED ACCORDINGLY AT 7:28 P.M.

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