Lincoln, Illinois
City Council Committee's Meeting
January 11, 2011
Minutes of the City of Lincoln City Council Committees' Meeting held in the Council Chambers
on Tuesday, January 11, 2011.
Those present were Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman
Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and
Alderman Wilmert. Also present were Police Chief Greenslate, City Engineer Mr. Mathon,
Interim Fire Chief Miller, Street Superintendent Mr. Jackson, Safety and Building Officer Mr.
Lebegue, and EMC Manager Mr. Tackett. Also present were Mayor Snyder, City Clerk Mrs.
Martinek, City Attorney Mr. Bates, City Treasurer Mr. Conzo, and Recording Secretary Mrs.
Riggs.
Mayor Snyder called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. There were nine Aldermen present
(Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Busby, Alderman
Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and Alderman Wilmert)
and one absent (Alderman Tibbs).
Everyone present recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Recognition for Ward 4
Ward 4 by Alderman Busby and Alderman O'Donohue to Bill Gossett. Mayor Snyder presented
Mr. Gossett with a city ornament.
The Mayor asked for the Committees' Issues to be Presented:
Finance, Policy and Procedure:
Chairman Alderman Anderson said she wanted to remind department heads of their budget
requests in by month end. There were will be two budget meetings in March and are set for
March 12 and 26 and will be from 8:00 a.m. to noon. They will get out to the department heads
when they will have to be here the 12th.
Mayor Snyder said he had some things and had some good news and some bad news from the
State of Illinois. In May of 2009 when the General Assembly passed the capital bill we had
some projects that Senator Bomke had earmarked for the city. There were three and they were
$156,000.00 go towards new roof which we had to take out a loan and the work is done and
gutter work, also a project for $100,000.00 for costs associated with resurfacing downtown
parking lots and lighting so we can use that money for that purpose and they also have a
$40,000.00 grant for costs associated with general repair work in the downtown area. At the
time we requested this, this $40,000.00 was to go towards the exhaust system at the firehouse
and we have since a federal grant took care of that so this $40,000.00 is available for general
repair work in the downtown area.
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City Council Committee's Meeting
January 11, 2011; Page -2-
Mayor Snyder said he got emails about all three of those from the Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity yesterday and they have submitted to us the paperwork to fill out and
they call it a grant survey. He passed it on to Mr. Mathon to start looking at. He thought it was
20 pages long.
Mr. Mathon said the last three are instructions.
Mayor Snyder said he did contact the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and
ask them about the grant for the roof since we have already under taken that work and it has been
completed and now we have financing that we are paying back if we could use this to take care
of that financing and they said we could. That's good and it will take care of that bank loan for
that work and that will all be completed once we get the money because the next to last sentence
of this letter says the departments provision of the survey form does not serve as a guarantee of
future funding availability. We received paperwork to process these grants and we will see if we
finally do get these funds. We appreciate the work of Senator Bomke in getting these in May
2009 and we just got the paperwork for them January 2011. We will proceed to get them filled
out and turned in. He said the bad news was from the state. He didn't know if they all got the
emails from the Municipal League but he just received this afternoon this story on the Municipal
League website entitled "City's get nothing from the proposed tax increase". The state is raising
the individual rate from 3-5% but they have drafted in such a way that municipalities will see no
new money from these tax increases. There are some unsettling comments in the article about
how if the state spends too much tax rates will roll back. The state could be prohibited from
making tax sharing distributions that they have always made to us. There is language about
mandates where the Governor could have the power to unilaterally cut the money that comes to
us. Not only are not getting any money out of it but we may see money cut in the future.
Fire/Water & ESDA:
Chairman Alderman Horn said she did not have a report.
Grounds, Buildings and Local Improvements:
Mayor Snyder said Chairman Alderman Tibbs is still in the warm weather.
Sewer Treatment Plant, Sewers and Drainage:
Chairman Alderman Busby said he had contacted American Water but hasn't heard anything
from them. He said the new building is just about complete.
Police:
Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said the Police Chief had handed out some highlights in his
department. He said he had a petition from Route 66 Foundation for permission to use Postville
Park to hold the annual Route 66 garage sale on May 13 and 14. He asked to have that on the
agenda.
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City Council Committee's Meeting
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Mr. Bates said as long as they have insurance naming the city as an additional insured it will be
sufficient.
Mayor Snyder said in addition to asking to use the park they are asking us to upgrade the
electricity from 110 to 220 and it says with an additional pole. They also ask if the city has any
plans to add running water to that location. He knew that years ago the Park had running water.
Mr. Jackson said they had checked on the running water three years ago and there is 75 foot of
all new line that would have to be run to the fountain. When they turned it on there were all sorts
of leaks and it would all have to be replaced. As far as the power goes it is $2,200.00 for a pole
and he didn’t know how many feet of cable it would be so it would be over $3,000.00 to run it
over to the Washington Street side. He said the power comes from Main and 5th. He was going
to check and see if the county has any poles.
Alderman Hoinacki said that Mr. Mathon had passed out some information about the downtown
parking map.
Mr. Mathon said there were a few areas that when they get to the point discussing specifics or
any changes there are some adjustments that need to be made in a couple of areas to either make
changes that have occurred since those ordinances were last amended or to basically pick up
areas that we thought were in here but on a close read with the map to illustrate where they are
there may be a couple of signs posted for areas that are not included in the ordinance.
Alderman Anderson said they have parking enforcers that are enforcing per the ordinance and
there are not signs in places that there should be so rather than going to the expense to put up all
the extra signs it would make sense review first then if need to reduce and move some signs and
save money. Police Chief Greenslate said they have greatly reduced the number of complaints.
Streets and Alleys:
Chairman Alderman Neitzel said she was waiting on the gentleman to come back to work on
light at Kickapoo and Pulaski.
Mr. Jackson said they were going to start early in the morning to start clearing downtown.
Alderman Neitzel said Mr. Jackson is holding his budget good on supplies and repairs and she
wanted to thank him yet. They were not sure of the cost yet.
Ordinance and Zoning:
Chairman Alderman O’Donohue said he wanted the Flood Plain Ordinance on the agenda. He
asked to have the Ordinance to change the direction of the alley on the agenda. Mr. Bates said it
would be to enter or exit on Pekin Street and to enter only on Broadway Street. Mr. Bates said
they needed to get the Flood Plain ordinance passed before February 18, 2011.
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City Council Committee's Meeting
January 11, 2011; Page -4-
Mayor Snyder said there is a Resolution declaring February 7-14 National Marriage Week and
asked to have that on the consent agenda.
Alderman O'Donohue said at some point they needed to have a conversation about the gambling
ordinance.
Sidewalks, Forestry and Lighting:
Chairman Alderman Armbrust said he did not have a report.
Alderman Armbrust said the lights downtown are in a museum for lights.
Sanitation/Technology:
Chairman Alderman Wilmert said he did not have a report.
Insurance:
Chairman Alderman Bacon said she had been talking with other insurance companies.
Mr. Gossett said that he was so stunned that he didn't extend proper thanks. He thanked the
Council.
Alderman Anderson said I move to go into Executive Session under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) to
discuss employee hiring, compensation, discipline and performance and 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(3)
to discuss the selection, appointment, performance, discipline or removal of a Public Official
and Alderman Horn seconded it. City Clerk Mrs. Martinek called the roll call. There were
nine yeas (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Busby,
Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and Alderman
Wilmert), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Tibbs); motion carried. The meeting adjourned
to Executive Session at 8:15 p.m.
The meeting returned to regular Session at 8:32 p.m. City Clerk Mrs. Martinek called the
roll call. There were nine present (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman
Bacon, Alderman Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman
O’Donohue, and Alderman Wilmert), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Tibbs); motion
carried. Also present were City Attorney Mr. Bates, Mayor Snyder, City Clerk Mrs. Martinek,
City Treasurer Mr. Conzo, and Recording Secretary Mrs. Riggs. Also present was Interim Fire
Chief Miller.
Mayor Snyder said there would be a change in the Policy and Procedures on the workers
compensation on benefits being paid.
Mr. Bates said they would need to have a discussion on the upcoming contract negotiations.
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City Council Committee's Meeting
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Alderman Busby made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Alderman Neitzel seconded it.
There were nine yeas (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman
Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and
Alderman Wilmert), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Tibbs); motion carried.
The City of Lincoln Committee’s as a Whole Meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Risa Riggs
Recording Secretary