SE Illinois News

City of Harrisburg City Council met Jan. 4.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The Harrisburg City Council met on January 04, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Harris-Pruett Building located at 107 E. Church Street, Harrisburg, IL.

Mayor John McPeek called the meeting to order. Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Roger Angelly, Rupert Johnson and Cynthia Potter answering roll call. Commissioner Raymond Gunning was absent.

Pastor Jerry Wells, Dorrisville Social Brethren Church led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to approve the consent agenda.

Regular Meeting Minutes – December 21, 2023

Check Register and Warrant Report – December 2023

Southern Illinois Inflatables, LLC - $4014.56 – Veterans Drive TIF

Brown & Roberts, Inc. - $552.36 - #2023-249 – MFT

Lane Erectors, Inc. - $65,800.00 - #6893 – DCEO/Energy Transition Grant Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek opened the only sealed bid for 119 Park Street from Jeff Baker in the amount of $1025.00. Commissioner Rupert Johnson made the motion to accept the sealed bid from Jeff Baker in the amount of $1025.00 for 119 Park Street. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek opened two sealed bids for the interior painting project of City Hall. The first sealed bid was from Jeff Landis in the amount of $33,600. The second sealed bids from Lane Erectors in the amount of $59,500.00. There was an open discussion about this project. Commissioner Rupert Johnson would prefer his department paint the interior of City Hall. Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to accept the sealed bid from Jeff Landis Wall and Ceiling Construction in the amount of $33,600.00. Seconded by Commissioner Cynthia Potter. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes, except Commissioner Rupert Johnson voting no. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek stated there was no sealed bids for the fence project at 1 Poplar Street at this time.

Mayor John McPeek stated council will not discuss collective bargaining in executive session.

Mayor John McPeek stated council will go into executive session to discuss potential litigation.

A new ordinance is being presented regarding remote attendance. This will allow council members to remotely attend council meetings and vote. The guidelines state the reason a member cannot attend is due to illness, employment purposes or family emergency. Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to adopt Ordinance 1873 establishing a remote council meeting attendance. Seconded by Commissioner Cynthia Potter. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek made the motion to remote call Commissioner Raymond Gunning into the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried. Commissioner Raymond Gunning joined the meeting via telephone.

Attorney Kolby Smithpeters presented council with the agreement for the new ambulance provider. Payments will be made monthly to the new provider. There is a 150-day notice to terminate the contract and the city will be provided with one BLS and one ALS ambulance.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson expressed his concerns about the City of Harrisburg being responsible for the entire expense of this ambulance. This puts the entire expense on the Harrisburg tax payers. Commissioner Cynthia Potter stated that she and Mayor John McPeek attended a county board meeting, and their Finance Commissioner has informed her that the county will work with the city on some type of offer to help the city with this expense.

Commissioner Raymond Gunning stated at the last meeting, council agreed to provide coverage for the county. Commissioner Roger Angelly said he believes the city should help the county because we do receive a large sum of revenue from Wal-Mart which is not just from the citizens of Harrisburg; however, he does believe the county should help with this expense.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to authorize Mayor John McPeek to sign the agreement with the ambulance provider with Abbott EMS. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes, except Commissioner Rupert Johnson voting no. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek stated the most important thing about this agreement is that the City of Harrisburg is taking care of the citizens. Commissioner Raymond Gunning wants to make sure this contract does not affect the staffing at the fire department. There are plenty of calls for everyone. He stated the city is getting a good ambulance service.

Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to approve Ordinance 1874 establishing an exclusive ground ambulance service. Seconded by Commissioner Cynthia Potter. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes, except Commissioner Rupert Johnson voting no. Motion carried.

Fire Chief John Gunning talked to council about Deaconess and their lack of services of rigs. He wants council to know his department has been covering shifts due to this issue. The staffing at Deaconess will start decreasing in the next two weeks.

Fire Chief John Gunning would like council to pass a resolution at the next council meeting to allow him to participate in the surplus property program. This program allows him to obtain equipment at a discounted rate or possibly at no cost. Council agreed that Attorney Kolby Smithpeters will work with Fire Chief John Gunning to draft the resolution for the next meeting.

Fire Chief John Gunning he has received a mutual aid agreement with Abbott EMS. He can have it ready to send to the Heartland Regional Hospital.

Mayor John McPeek stated council will need to discuss Arrowhead Shopping Center later in the meeting.

Commissioner Cynthia Potter talked with council about the possibility of repairing the mausoleum. She would like Attorney Kolby Smithpeters to look into the legal matter of being able to repair the building due to it being a health hazard. The open discussion involved options about the issue at the mausoleum. Attorney Kolby Smithpeters found a county statute, not city, that will allow a county to repair/restore a mausoleum due to deterioration issues.

Commissioner Cynthia Potter has reached out to Beecher Mausoleum, who actually built it, and she has not heard back from them yet. She would like to look at options to just maintain the building. She thinks if they work together, maybe there can be a solution to restore or repair. Commissioner Raymond Gunning suggested a pole barn style roof. She said other towns are having the same issue with old mausoleums.

Commissioner Roger Angelly wished everyone a Happy New Year.

Mayor John McPeek announced the new Timber Trails apartment complex will break ground in March 2024 with a 50-unit complex. He also reminded everyone to stop littering.

Citizen Les Yarber asked the city to look at his driveway. There seems to be a water issue. Superintendent Jason Haney stated his department looked at the area, and there does not seem to be any issues. Mr. Yarber said his driveway holds water. Commissioner Roger Angelly stated someone will look at it again.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to go into executive session to discuss potential litigation. Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Adjourn: 6:33 p.m.

Reconvene: 6:53 p.m.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to return to open session. Seconded by Commissioner Cynthia Potter. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Mayor John McPeek called the meeting to order. Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Raymond Gunning, Roger Angelly, Rupert Johnson and Cynthia Potter answering roll call.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to authorize Attorney Kolby Smithpeters to begin the acquisition of the property for the demolition to obtain the property at Arrowhead Point Shopping Center. Seconded by Commissioner Cynthia Potter. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Adjourn: 6:54 p.m.

https://www.thecityofharrisburgil.com/minutes