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City of Harrisburg City Council met Nov. 21.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The Harrisburg City Council met on November 21, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. at the City Hall located at 110 E. Locust Street, Harrisburg, IL.

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

Pastor Lynette Barnett of the First United Methodist Church led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to approve the consent agenda.

Public Hearing Minutes – November 07, 2024

Regular Meeting Minutes – November 07, 2024

D & D Electric - $15,924.02 – #4109 - Business District

D & D Electric - $28,263.37 – #4110 - Business District

D & D Electric - $5,000.00 - 4123 - Business District

Southern Il Redi-Mix - $1,260.00 - #93297 – Business District

Moran Economic Development - $560.00 - #2536 – TIF

Barter Masonry - $8,500.00 - #28 – Downtown TIF

AR Martin - $24,397.25 - #0030 – MFT

Siegel’s Uniforms - $479.48 - #587128-1 – Council Contingency – Fire Department

Mike Sullivan Electric - $7,866.96 - #666 – Business District

Harrisburg Car Care - $5,000.00 – TIF Façade Grant

Shawnee Square LLC - $5,000.00 – TIF Façade Grant

Harrisburg Lake

Relinquish Lake Lot – B. Farris – 2nd Add, Block 1, Lot 7

Petition Lake Lot – Douglas/Nadine Black – 2nd Add, Block 1, Lot 7

Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Citizen Sharon Vandenburg would like the city to address the holes left behind from the fiber boring. She said the holes are just covered with straw and are not being filled in properly. The council assured her it will be addressed.

Mayor John McPeek stated a bid letting was held at City Hall on Friday November 15, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. for the Fire Department concrete project. The city received three sealed bids as follows: Hicks Concrete: $35,000.00; Womack Concrete: $33,300.00; and AR Martin: $30,785.00.

Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to award AR Martin the Fire Department concrete project in the amount of $30,785.00. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated Josh Knight and Nathan Sumner has presented a Façade Improvement Grant Application. They will be improving the front wall by taking it down and replacing it with vinyl shake. The total cost is $13,050.00. This grant will match up to $5,000.00. Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to accept the Façade Improvement Grant Application from OTTD, LLC. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

City Attorney Kolby Smithpeters presented an ordinance implementing a non-home rule municipal retailers’ occupation tax and a non-home rule municipal service occupation tax. This is a .25% sale tax increase. It will not increase groceries, medicine, or titled vehicles by the State of Illinois. Mayor John McPeek stated this council can increase sales tax or increase property tax, and he is against raising property tax. He stated the ambulance service is killing the city financially. He said that he would be the first to admit that the dumbest thing the city did was getting the ambulance. It is costing the city a fortune.

The city is not receiving any assistance from neighboring communities to help fund the ambulance, yet the ambulance provides service to the neighboring towns. The extra sales tax will help pay for the ambulance. Commissioner Roger Angelly said this increase of .25% in sales tax will affect everyone who shops in the city rather than increasing just the Harrisburg citizen property taxes.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson stated the city should have its own ambulance. He said Abbott has made over $3 million dollars. Mayor John McPeek stated the city ambulance has not even received $30,000 from our own ambulance service. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said that is because Abbott is toned out first. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said there are more ways than raising sales tax to generate revenue.

Commissioner Roger Angelly says he is not necessarily against having our own ambulance service, but there is still a cost in doing it. He is not in favor of raising property taxes. There was an open discussion regarding a city ambulance. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said this is a service provided to the citizens. He doesn’t look at it from the revenue side, but rather a service. Commissioner Roger Angelly stated you must be able to pay for it.

Commissioner Roger Angelly is not in favor of raising property taxes. The sales tax is paid by everyone who visits our town. Commissioner Jonathan Brown stated this increase will have everyone pay for this service rather than just the citizens of Harrisburg by raising property taxes. The citizens are already paying for this service. The increase is .25 for every $100.00 spent.

Commissioner Jonathan Brown and Mayor John McPeek stated there will be an equipment freeze and a hiring freeze if things continue going this way because the city will not be able to afford anything. City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated whatever decision is made today will affect the tax levy which is property taxes. Mayor John McPeek stated the health insurance is going up $275,000. She expects the other insurance premiums to go up as well. She has calculated the tax levy based on the .25% sales tax increase. If the council chooses not to increase sales tax, she will have to recalculate the tax levy to include the health insurance increase.

Commissioner Raymond Gunning asked if the council raises the sales tax a quarter of a percent where does it make the city with other communities. City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated the City of Harrisburg sales tax will still be lower than other communities. Commissioner Roger Angelly said the citizens of Harrisburg drive to Marion and pays the sales tax in Marion so the .25% is not that much considered to raising property taxes. He agrees the ambulance services need to be addressed.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson said we can’t keep raising taxes because of the mistakes the council has made. Commissioner Roger Angelly said this is the first step and he is not sure the city can keep Abbott. Commissioner Roger Angelly said the city still needs money to start an ambulance. Commissioner Raymond Gunning believes the Fire Department can provide an EMS service. Commissioner Roger Angelly said we are not just taking care of Harrisburg; we are taking care of other communities.

There was an open discussion on a city ambulance service. The question being asked was how the city pays for the upfront investment and to fund the ambulance service when the state does not pay timely. Commissioner Rupert Johnson stated the funds could come from the Business District. City Treasurer Alex Jackson said an ambulance service cannot be paid for out of Business District. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said there has to be a way to pay for it.

Police Chief Nathan Moore suggested talking with UMR since they now have a home base in Harrisburg. Commissioner Jonathan Brown stated everyone agrees that something needs to be done with the current ambulance service. He said we must do something now. He does not want to raise property taxes. He does not want the men to be on an equipment freeze. He does not want there to be a hiring freeze. He believes that it takes services away from the citizens.

Commissioner Jonathan Brown stated if the city does its own ambulance, we must have the funds to run it. The city treasurer has done everything she can to make this as painless as possible. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said you can buy equipment through a note, borrow the money, and pay for it when you get the revenue. Commissioner Jonathan Brown stated you would be paying interest on a loan. City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated the interest rates are just too high right now.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson said Abbott made $3 million dollars. Fire Chief John Gunning said they are running high on their numbers. Commissioner Raymond Gunning asked if that is what Abbott billed or collected. Fire Chief John Gunning said he is not sure. There is a difference between billing and collecting. Mayor John McPeek stated we were told in the beginning the city would make a million dollars year and we have not done that. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said that is because we put another ambulance in competition with ours.

Commissioner Raymond Gunning said Abbott does not charge the City of Benton for their service. Fire Chief John Gunning confirmed this information. Commissioner Roger Angelly stated they should have that discussion with Abbott during the meeting on Monday. He believes even if the city does not have Abbott as their ambulance provider, it will not take care of the financial problem. It will take the city a long time to get to $3 million dollars to run an ambulance service. He stated Abbott is already established as an ambulance provider. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said so is the City of Harrisburg. Commissioner Roger Angelly stated the city only has one ambulance nor the manpower. Commissioner Rupert Johnson suggested stealing Abbott’s help. Commissioner Roger Angelly said he doesn’t want to steal anyone’s help.

Mayor John McPeek asked Commissioner Rupert Johnson if he was okay with sending an ambulance bill from the City of Harrisburg to a citizen for $4,000 instead of spreading .25 on a $100.00 purchase to everyone who shops in Harrisburg. Commissioner Rupert Johnson said they might not pay the ambulance bill, but they are still going to get a bill and he is not okay with the .25 tax increase.

Commissioner Jonathan Brown made the motion to approve Ordinance 1902 for a non-home rule municipal retailers’ occupation tax and a non-home rule municipal service occupation tax. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes, except Commissioner Rupert Johnson voting no. Motion carried.

City Attorney Kolby Smithpeters presented an ordinance implementing a municipal grocery retailers’ occupation tax and a municipal grocery service occupation tax. The State of Illinois is removing the 1% grocery tax and is leaving it up to the local governments to replace this tax. Commissioner Jonathan Brown made the motion to approve Ordinance 1903 for a municipal grocery retailers’ occupation tax and a municipal grocery service occupation tax. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes, except Commissioners Raymond Gunning and Rupert Johnson voting no. Motion carried.

Department Reports are as follows:

Superintendent Kenny Mayhall (Street/Alley/Public Property) stated the Public Property department has been mulching leaves, completed some rip rap work, had ten burials, and sold fifteen grave spaces. The leaf vacuum is available until the first snow. The MFT project is completed on Sloan Street. The new lights have been installed on the new salt bin, and the new roof was installed on the bike path bathroom. The Christmas lights have been installed. He thanked Jacob Palmer for his assistance at the cemetery (burial and school visit) while David Williams was off.

Police Chief Nathan Moore reported the following: court appearances twenty-seven, traffic stops fifty-two, security checks 429, training hours 149, written warnings eighteen, vehicles towed six, stationary patrols twenty-five, criminal arrest sixty, traffic tickets twenty-three, cases filed sixty-one and calls for service 879. He said the new body cameras and car cameras have been installed. The new Flock system should be installed very soon. The fence project will start next week.

Code Enforcer Jacob Palmer had a total of four complaints. The following issues have been closed: twenty weed complaints, 4 vehicles, 11 garbage, 1 stagnant pool and 6 tent issues. Five tickets have been issued. He has corrected a total of thirty issues and the owners have corrected twelve. He has cleaned out two garage bays at City Hall and helped with Christmas in the Courtyard.

Superintendent Jason Haney (Water/Sewer/Flood Control) reported his department had 117 JULIE locates, 75 service calls, 82 non-payment disconnects, 47 non-payment reconnects for a total of 129, 82 water meter/radio repairs, 4 water service line repairs, 2 water service lines replacements as one was directional bored, 1 water service that was disconnected and retired out of service, and 4 sewer main service repairs. A watermain extension from McDonalds to E. Sloan Street has been completed and samples have been gotten then four services to be hooked up. An eight’ water tap has been made on Parker Plaza watermain extension and watermain is being laid and two areas of sewer main video for possible line replacement for liner installment. Flood control mowing of the levees is complete and done for the year and mosquito fogging is completed for the year.

Fire Chief John Gunning stated that for year-to-date calls have been 1,347 outside medical calls, 1,378 inside city medical calls, 1,000 grade school/private school/daycare kids calls for fire prevention.

City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated she has been working on daily work, assisting with planning for Christmas, many meetings regarding benefits for 2025 and applied for a sidewalk grant.

City Clerk Terri Jenkins reported normal daily work, council assignments and assisting with Christmas in the Courtyard as needed.

City Treasurer Alex Jackson presented the 2024/2025 tax levy to the council. The tax levy will sit out in the City Clerk’s office and City Treasurer’s office for citizen review. The levy will need to be approved at the December 19, 2024 council meeting. If you have any questions, please see City Treasurer Alex Jackson.

Commissioner Roger Angelly announced that he will need to hire a part-time person as he has a couple of employees off at this time. He is not sure when these employees will be able to return to work. He will address this at the next meeting.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson made the motion to approve the streetlight at the intersection of Myrtle Street and Chestnut Street and on Lincoln Street and S. Mill Street. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Rupert Johnson made the motion to authorize the city clerk to advertise for façade repairs at city hall. This will be for both sides, but one side at a time. Seconded by Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.

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

Mayor John McPeek discussed 417 S. Ledford Street. Attorney Kolby Smithpeters stated that he has filed the necessary paperwork, but there are three individuals that need to be served. Once everyone has been served, he can proceed with filing the order for demolition in court. He will keep the council informed about this situation.

Mayor John McPeek stated there is a situation at the Homeless Hilton Hotel behind the old Bunny Bread Store and Farmers’ State Bank. The area is a mess, fires are being set, trash is everywhere, and the employees at Farmer’s State Bank feel unsafe. Attorney Kolby Smithpeters will get some information about this property and should be able to bring it back to the council at the next meeting.

Mayor John McPeek thanked Commissioner Rupert Johnson and his Public Property employees for helping the Cub Scouts with the tree issue at Harrisburg Lake. He also thanked the Street/Alley Department, Nathan, Aaron, Jacob, Alex, and Terri for their hard work on the Christmas decorations.

He reminded the citizens of the upcoming Christmas in the Courtyard on December 05, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please get your picture made with Santa Claus, enjoy free carriage rides, free hot chocolate, and several activities. The Lights Parade is on December 12, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. He was told this is expected to be the largest number of participants.

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

Adjourn: 8:52 a.m. 

https://www.harrisburgillinois.com/council-agenda-minutes/council-minutes-11-2124