Lincoln, Illinois

City Council Committee's Meeting

November 23, 2010

Minutes of the City of Lincoln City Council Committees' Meeting held in the Council Chambers

on Tuesday, November 23, 2010.

Those present were Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman

Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and

Alderman Tibbs. Also present were Police Chief Greenslate, Street Superintendent Mr. Jackson,

Fire Chief Hulett, and Safety and Building Officer Mr. Lebegue. Also present were Mayor

Snyder, City Clerk Mrs. Martinek, 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 Tibbs) and

one absent (Alderman Wilmert).

Mayor Snyder asked who played with erector sets as a child. Alderman Hoinacki raised his

hand. Mayor Snyder asked who liked Perry Mason as a child. Alderman Anderson raised

her hand. Mayor Snyder said that Mr. Mathon was at a continuing education class and that

Alderman Hoinacki would be the honorary City Engineer for the night. Mayor Snyder said that

Alderman Anderson would be the honorary City Attorney for the evening since both Mr. Bates’

were absent and out of town.

Everyone present recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Mayor asked for the Committees' Issues to be Presented:

Finance, Policy and Procedure:

Chairman Alderman Anderson said they had a levy for property taxes to be paid next year.

City Treasurer Mr. Conzo said as Alderman Anderson explained we are at the time of the year

when we need to look at that again. In talking with the County Clerk they found out their

allocation that they have the opportunity to increase their levy request and that amount will be

about $60,000.00 and that comes from new property as well as the consumer price index for the

State of Illinois which is 2.7%. With that in mind he submitted to the Council they will need

to make a decision on where you want to request that levy. In looking at the current levy h is

recommendation would be the police pension and the firefighter’s pension allocation because

he thought going into the future they would need money in those. He knew there were several

places they could use them but those two things were the things he thought the best use of the

money. He said it wasn’t his decision but was entirely up to the Council. They need to have that

on file with the County Clerk by the 4th Tuesday of December.

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City Council Committee's Meeting

November 23, 2010; Page -2-

Alderman Anderson added to that they will be preparing one for everyone and since they are tax

capped just because they have those extra dollars doesn’t mean they can put them right where

they need them. It could exceed what the cap is. The two pension plans are not a capped line

as well as some others but they have to take that into consideration. It is a little bit more money

than they got last year between new property and a little higher CPI. They needed it put on the

agenda for Monday, December 6, 2010. She was hoping they would have a new extension out so

they could see what it looked like.

Fire/Water & ESDA:

Chairman Alderman Horn said she did not have a report. Fire Chief Hulett handed out a few

comments and went over them.

Grounds, Buildings and Local Improvements:

Chairman Alderman Tibbs said they had a Petition for the Art and Balloon Festival for the use of

the lot at the corner of Pekin and Kickapoo Streets and asked it be put on the agenda.

Mayor Snyder said it is earlier this year because the Chamber is looking at some different things

they still have the use of the corner lot of Pekin and Kickapoo as mentioned. They would also

like the closures of Kickapoo Street to Scully Park leaving Broadway open for the emergency

vehicles and also leaving Clinton Street open. They would like to do the parade again as they

did last year but they are also asking for some additional areas for a new potential they are

looking at that would involve the closing of McLean Street from Broadway to Clinton and

Pulaski Street from Kickapoo to Hamilton. They can put this on the agenda but they may need

to revisit this at some point because it may change. He knew there had been discussions with

the Post Office with regard to the closure of McLean Street from Broadway to Clinton the Post

Office needs to have access in and out for their loop around for trucks that come in and out

throughout Friday and Saturday. There may be some adjustments there and the main reason they

got this in so early is the difference from previous years.

Alderman Hoinacki said he thought they could put just the first four bullet points on and thought

the other was still up in the air.

Mayor Snyder said he thought they were proceeding with plans for that. The question is how

much of McLean Street in front of the Post Office could they close off and at what time.

Alderman Hoinacki thought it was an awful big stretch on Pulaski Street as well. Alderman

Tibbs said she could understand a project so big this is a huge thing for Lincoln that they start

their planning early and they can see what they are doing here. Alderman Hoinacki asked to

have it on the regular agenda. Mr. Jackson explained how they do McLean with the barricades

for the Post Office.

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City Council Committee's Meeting

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Sewer Treatment Plant, Sewers and Drainage:

Chairman Alderman Busby said he handed out a contract from American Water. He said that

page 4 item 4 Section B “sole gross negligence” it is in every contract they have had and thought

they would have to live with it. He wanted to wait until Mr. Bates was back and for them to go

through it and if they had any questions. He did not want it on the agenda yet.

Mayor Snyder said he had 2 concerns about the sole gross negligence that they would be

agreeing to liability coverage that is outside our typical liability coverage and he had talked

to Mr. Bates and it is assumed liability. When they assume liability as they would in this

contract our liability coverage would not provide for that and if there was an award made they

would have to come up with that out of the city’s general funds. The gross negligence issue

is the difference between the water company’s negligence versus the gross negligence. As he

understood the difference gross negligence is simply the standard of reasonably proven for a

careful and gross negligence somehow involves willful and wanton misconduct so it has to be

intent to be negligent as well. He said Mr. Bates concern is that say there is a claim made against

the city for something the water company did we would have not only the lawsuit involving the

claimant but we would probably also have a lawsuit against the water company trying to prove

they were grossly negligent.

Alderman Busby said one other thing that a lot of them may not realize if we have a court case

that is against the city which comes out of the general fund we have a right to pass a special tax

to cover that cost.

Police:

Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said he did not have a report.

Streets and Alleys:

Chairman Alderman Neitzel said she had a petition at 327 Lincoln Avenue for a curb cut and

asked to have that on the agenda.

Ordinance and Zoning:

Chairman Alderman O’Donohue said they had a Resolution for the Illinois National Guard

Yellow Ribbon Day December 11, 2010 and asked to have it on the consent agenda.

Sidewalks, Forestry and Lighting:

Chairman Alderman Armbrust said he did not have a report.

Sanitation/Technology:

Mayor Snyder said there was nothing that he was aware of.

Insurance:

Chairman Alderman Bacon said she did not have a report.

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Alderman O’Donohue said they are trying to get the workers compensation online with the city’s

fiscal year.

Mayor Snyder asked for Mr. Lebegue to discuss a letter he received from Albert Brothers.

Mr. Lebegue said Mr. Albert was glad for the changes and was in support of them. Alderman

Anderson thanked Mr. Lebegue for sharing that since they don’t often hear that. Alderman

Busby asked if the state checked the plumbing.

Mr. Lebegue said they do but most municipalities do have their own individual available to do

that and it gives you more local control over that. Currently the state plumbing inspector checks

it as he can get there which means sometimes people are waiting up to 4 days before he can

make the circuit.

Mayor Snyder said the General Assembly when it comes back next week in the veto session

one of the things they are supposed to be talking about is the pension reform which affects

municipalities and he thought he would be drafting a letter to send to legislators to express our

concern. He was hoping they could find a better solution and a little more solidity for those

pension issues and he would share a copy.

Alderman Busby said if you are going to send a letter put in there, he had contacted Bomke at

one time with regard to a special tax strictly for pensions instead of using our real estate taxes.

Mayor Snyder said he knew that was an issue that had come up and trying to fund them

appropriately and we are basically going to sock all of our new dollars into the pension fund. He

said we had stepped up and now it is their turn to step up.

Mayor Snyder said the city licenses, food handlers’ license and he asked Mr. Blinn Bates to

update our application for that because he noticed in the ordinance that if the city issues a license

they are required to comply with a sanitary food preparation act so he redid the application so it

is clear when they sign the application they assure them they are complying with the state act.

They are going to look at other ones for our city permits that might need to be tweaked.

Mayor Snyder said he passed out the monthly safety notes and is part of the Workers

Compensation carrier request for a safety committee.

Mayor Snyder said they received a letter from Main Street about the city’s participation in the

Christmas Parade. They will meet at City Hall and will either be in a police car or in the fire

truck.

Mayor Snyder reminded them the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area workshop is going

to be held in Lincoln and is December 1, 2010 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Mayor Snyder said they had an invite from the Chamber of Commerce for their annual holiday

open house on Friday, December 3, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and everyone is invited to

that.

Mayor Snyder said they had a lot of things to be thankful for living in Lincoln. We live in a

great community. We are reminded by a few Salvation Army in conjunction with the Oasis

Senior Center is doing a Thanksgiving Dinner at the Knights of Columbus with the meal at

1:00 p.m. and it is an outreach for Seniors, Grandparents raising grandchildren, Veterans,

disabled single adults and single parents unable to be with family members over the holiday.

He thought they were planning on serving 300 meals. Also, Guzzardo’s once again is doing

their Thanksgiving effort and they will be serving over 500 meals to people in the community

and they get some assistance from Sysco for the cost of the food and volunteers and it’s a meal

of turkey and dressing, green beans, rolls and butter, cranberry salad and pumpkin pie. It is a

terrific thing the Guzzardo’s do. All are to be commended and grateful to live in such a caring

community.

Mayor Snyder presented a plaque to Fire Chief Hulett. He heard a story this afternoon from

Mike Fak. He said that he started May of 2008 and Mr. Fak was at the Courthouse during

Balloon Fest that year and he was talking to Alderman Neitzel and Alderman Tibbs and Mr. Fak

said he didn’t know what to think of the new Fire Chief because he was everywhere. As soon as

Mr. Fak made the comment Chief Hulett walked out the door of the Postville Courthouse. He

said certainly all of those things had an impact.

Alderman Tibbs said he was a part of the community and showed up everywhere. She said the

kids will miss him for 4th of July water fight.

Alderman Anderson thanked him for his commitment and efforts. Alderman Horn said she

appreciated all that he had done for Lincoln while he was here.

Alderman Busby said to have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember it is National Bible Week.

Alderman Busby made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Alderman Anderson 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 Tibbs), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Wilmert); motion carried.

The City of Lincoln Committee’s as a Whole Meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Risa Riggs

Recording Secretary