East Central Reporter

City of Newton City Council met Oct. 1.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

1. CALL TO ORDER: Joshua J. Kuhl, Mayor

Mayor Joshua Kuhl called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM.

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman Eric Blake.

Pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Alderman Eric Blake.

3. ROLL CALL: Maggie McDonald, City Clerk

Physically present: Gayle Glumac, Kaleb Wright, Larry Brooks, Eric Blake and Mike Swick

Also present: Attorney William Heap and City Clerk Maggie McDonald

Absent: Alderman RJ Lindemann and Treasurer Melissa Brooks

4. ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA:

Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Mike Swick, to adopt the proposed agenda.

Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Blake Swick

Nays: None

5. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MINUTES of September 17, 2024. (One correction to Council Member Mike Swick’s comments: The date for the School Safety Day Event will be Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.)

Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to approve the minutes of the September 17, 2024 meeting of the Newton City Council.

Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Blake, Swick, Glumac

Nays: None

6. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None

7. COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS:

• Street and Alley Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 5:30 PM.

Street and Alley Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, October 1, 2024 5:31 PM – 5:46 PM

Present: Mike Swick, Larry Brooks, Joshua Kuhl, Josh Ochs, Tyler Weber Maggie McDonald, Melissa Brooks, Gayle Glumac, Eric Blake and Kaleb Wright

Meeting began at 5:31 PM.

• It was recommended by the committee to vacate the alley running North and South on the West side of the County Annex Building parking lot. The city departments need to identify assets for right of way access to utilities.

• It was previously requested to the council about adding signage for direction to the Old Mill Bridge. We will be gathering more information from IDOT on sign options.

• There will be a correction to Ordinance 24-13 that was passed to vacate the alley running East and West between lots 3 & 5 in Block 13 of the Original Town Subdivision in the City of Newton.

The correction will state between lots 3 & 6. The public hearing for this will take place at 5:30 before the November 5, 2024 city council meeting.

• Mr. Ochs, the Street Department Head, gave updates on new sidewalks that have been poured.

Meeting adjourned at 5:46 PM

Submitted by:

Mike Swick - Chairman

• Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 immediately following the Street and Alley Committee Meeting.

Finance/Audit Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, October 1, 2024 5:46 PM – 6:02 PM

Meeting called to order at 5:46 PM.

• It was recommended by the committee to award the TIF application submitted by Jared Wagner, CCW Properties, LLC, 15% of the project cost, up to the amount of $61,371.73, reimbursed yearly based on the incremental tax increase.

• Kempers is to hopefully have our audit completed later this month.

• The treasurer’s office will be looking into updated software.

• The use for iPads within the departments were discussed to be able to access the InfraMap program and add updates while out in the field.

Meeting adjourned at 6:02 PM.

Those in attendance: Joshua Kuhl, Melissa Brooks, Gayle Glumac, Maggie McDonald, Mike Swick, Larry Brooks, Kaleb Wright, Eric Blake, Tyler Weber and Bill Heap

8. OLD BUSINESS:

A. Consider and act on authorizing TIF application submitted by Jared Wagner.

Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the TIF application submitted by Jared Wagner, CCW Properties, LLC, for 15% of the project cost, making the awarded amount up to $61,371.73, to be reimbursed yearly based on the incremental tax increase after completion of the project as recommended by the Finance and Audit Committee.

Ayes: Brooks, Blake Swick, Glumac, Wright

Nays: None

B. Consider and act on authorizing signage for the Old Mill Bridge.

Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize signage for the Old Mill Bridge.

Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks

Nays: None

C. Consider and act on authorizing the city attorney to proceed with vacating the alley running North and South on the West side of the County Annex Building Parking Lot.

Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the city attorney to proceed with vacating the alley running

North and South on the West of the County Annex Building Parking Lot as recommended by the Street and Alley Committee Meeting.

Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Blake

Nays: None

9. NEW BUSINESS:

A. Consider and act on authorizing Halloween Trick-or-Treat Night for Thursday, October 31, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, with a rain date of Friday, November 1, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize Halloween Trick-or-Treat Night for Thursday, October 31, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, with a rain date of Friday, November 1, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Blake, Swick

Nays: None

10.STATEMENTS BY:

Glumac: Send my deepest sympathy to past Alderman Dave Brown and family.

Wright: Please keep all affected by Hurricane Helene in your thoughts.

Brooks: No comments.

Blake: No comments.

Swick: Glad to see things moving in a more computerized direction. Believe this will be helpful and easier for all.

City Attorney: No comments.

City Clerk: No comments.

Mayor: Expecting our audit to be completed by the end of October. October 3rd is the last day we are accepting applications for the Treasurer Assistant position. Volunteer days for Lights in the Park setup will begin the weekend of October 26th and 27th. On October 18th we will be having a city luncheon for all city employees. I want to thank the council for allowing myself, Maggie and Mike to attend the IML Conference. I give my condolences to past Alderman David Brown and his family. We are going to be looking more closely into uninhabitable properties, squatters and delinquent accounts. Would like to establish a committee of various members to review these issues and address accordingly. We are ninety percent completed on the South Van Buren Watermain

Replacement Project. I am very pleased with all our departments have accomplished over these last few months. Thank you to our city employees and committee chairmen for their diligent work.

11.NEXT REGULAR MEETING: October 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM

SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

• Police Committee Meeting on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 6:00 PM.

• Personnel Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 5:30 PM.

• Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 6:00 PM.

12.ADJOURNMENT:

Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Mike Swick, to adjourn the meeting.

Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Blake, Swick, Glumac

Nays: None

Meeting adjourned at 6:25 PM.

https://jaspercountyillinois.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/241001-UN-CC-Meeting-Minutes.pdf