City Council Meeting Minutes--April 28, 2025

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE STAUNTON CITY COUNCIL, HELD IN THE RALPH & JOSEPHINE OLTMANN COMMUNITY CENTER, 101 W. PEARL ST., STAUNTON, ILLINOIS ON MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025

I.          CALL TO ORDER:

            Mayor Craig Neuhaus called the Staunton City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, April 28, 2025.

II.        PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

            Mayor Craig Neuhaus led the Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.

 III.      ROLL CALL:

            City Clerk Stiegemeier called roll with the following persons:

            ATTENDING:  Aldermen David Manning, David Dias, Kristy Berg, Ryan Machota, Matthew McKee, Terry Tipler, Mayor Craig Neuhaus, City Clerk Dennis Stiegemeier, City Treasurer Cindy Pirok, Public Works Director Mike Kuethe and Police Chief Jeff Doerr.

            ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE:  City Attorney Phil Lading.

   IV.    CONSENT AGENDA

Dias moved, seconded by Manning to approve Consent Agenda with the following items:

Minutes 

           Regular Meeting – 04/14/2025

Collector’s Report

                                Staunton Police Department (Ordinance Violations)--$600.00

                                Staunton Police Department (Reports)--$30.00

                                Madison Communications (Franchise Tax)--$2,380.40

                                Southwestern Electric Cooperative (Utility Tax)--$1,016.22

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Final Distribution Real Estate Taxes)--$33,139.18

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Final Distribution Library Real Estate Taxes)--$4,084.98

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Final Distribution Downtown TIF Taxes)--$2,415.84

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Final Distribution Interstate TIF Taxes)--$1,590.11

                                Staunton Super 8 Motel (Hotel/Motel Tax)--$2,090.69

Applications

None

            Claims

                         April 28, 2025

Business Licenses Issued

                         None

            Roll Call Vote

            AYES:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.

            NAYS:   None.

            ABSENT:  None.

            Motion declared carried.

V.        GUESTS

            No guests were present to speak.

VI.      CORRESPONDENCE

            Nothing to report.

VII.     TREASURER’S REPORT

Nothing to report.

VIII.   CITY CLERK’S REPORT

If you haven’t already done so, please complete the Economic Interest Statement Forms as soon as possible and submit them on line or give me your completed forms.  County Clerk Pete Duncan is requesting to have them all submitted by May 1, 2025.

I have received the official Abstract of Votes for the City of Staunton from the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election.  A total of 350 voters requested and received ballots for the Election.

IX.      COMMITTEE REPORTS

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY  -

Nothing to report.

            PARK & CIVIC IMPROVEMENT –

Motion by Tipler, seconded by Manning to pay Invoice #914630 to Sandberg Phoenix for Professional Services Rendered for condemnation proceedings regarding property at 420 East 9th Street in the amount of $2,137.60.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried.

FINANCE–

Nothing to report.

WATER-.

Nothing to report.

STREET / SEWER

Motion by Machota, seconded by McKee to approve “Acceptance of Proposal to Furnish Materials and Approval of Award” from Beelman Logistics for road maintenance (CM-13 Trap Rock) in the amount of $67,455.00.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Machota, seconded by McKee to approve “Acceptance of Proposal to Furnish Materials and Approval of Award” from Beelman Logistics for road maintenance (CA-6 and CA-7) in the amount of $16,880.00.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried.

Motion by Machota, seconded by Tipler to approve “Acceptance of Proposal to Furnish Materials and Approval of Award” from Illiana Construction Company for road maintenance (HFRS-2 and Seal Coat Aggregate) in the amount of $99,867.50.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Machota, seconded by McKee to pay Invoice #130087 to Fehr Graham Engineering & Envinronmental For Design, Bidding and Construction Services rendered on the North Street Lift Station & Force Main Project in the amount of $52,000.00.  This will be paid from Budget Line Item 52.43.898.0.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

            PUBLIC GROUNDS-

            Nothing to report.

            TOURISM –

Nothing to report.

            PERSONNEL –

Motion by Dias, seconded by Tipler to hire Kayla Matthews and D’Mario Trice as Full Time Police Officers, per recommendation by the Staunton Police Commission after recent interviews.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried.

City Clerk Stiegemeier administered the Oath of Office to newly hired Full Time Police Officers Kayla Matthews and D’Mario Trice.

Motion by Dias, seconded by McKee to hire Brennan Hartnett as Full Time Street Department Employee, following recent interviews.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Dias, seconded by Tipler to approve a 3 percent pay increase to non-union City of Staunton employees, effective May 1, 2025.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried.   

            ANNEXATION –

            Nothing to report.

            SPECIAL COMMITTEES –

            Nothing to report.

            JUDICIARY—

Motion by Manning, seconded by McKee to approve Ordinance #2283 Amending Chapter 6, To Include Article VI Of The City Code Establishing Minimum Size Requirement For New Houses Within The City Of Staunton.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2284 Granting A Zoning Amendment For Real Property Located At 507 East 7th Street And 503 East 7th Street, Staunton, Illinois.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2286 An Ordinance Making Appropriations For The Fiscal Year Beginning May 1, 2025 And Ending April 30, 2026.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried.

1st reading of Ordinance #2287 An Ordinance Approving A Pre-Annexation Agreement With Kyle & Ashley Masinelli Regarding Property Located At 2920 Bono Road, Staunton, IL But Not Physically Annexing The Property To The City’s Corporate Boundaries At This Time

1st reading of Ordinance #2288 An Ordinance Approving A Pre-Annexation Agreement With Tina Newman Regarding Property Located At 1719 #7 Mine Lane, Staunton, IL But Not Physically Annexing The Property To The City’s Corporate Boundaries At This Time

1st reading of Ordinance #2289 An Ordinance Approving A Pre-Annexation Agreement With Vicki A., Kenneth Dale & Dustin Andrew Lewis Knott Regarding Property Located At 20557 Old Route 66, Staunton, IL But Not Physically Annexing The Property To The City’s Corporate Boundaries At This Time

X.       UNFINISHED BUSINESS—

      Nothing to report.

XI.      NEW BUSINESS-

           One sealed bid was received for the advertised surplus property at 317 East 5th Street

           in Staunton.  The bid was from James McDowell and the bid amount was $1,000.00.

XII.    EXECUTIVE SESSION—

      No Executive Session was held.

XIII.  MOTIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION –

.          

           No motions were made from Executive Session.

XIV.   ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to discuss, Councilmember Tipler, seconded by Councilmember Manning to adjourn at 7:11 P.M.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.   Motion carried. 

                                                                        Prepared by:

                                                                        Dennis K. Stiegemeier, City Clerk