City Council Meeting Minutes -- January 12, 2026

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, JANUARY 12, 2026

I.          CALL TO ORDER:

            Mayor Craig Neuhaus called the Staunton City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, January 12, 2026.

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 Ben Frank, Kristy Berg, Ryan Machota, Anthony Bagaglio, Matthew McKee, Terry Tipler, Mayor Craig Neuhaus, City Clerk Dennis Stiegemeier, City Treasurer Cindy Pirok and Police Chief Jeff Doerr.

            ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE:  City Attorney Phil Lading.

            NOT ATTENDING:  Alderman David Manning and Public Works Director Mike Kuethe.

   IV.    CONSENT AGENDA

Tipler moved, seconded by McKee to approve Consent Agenda with the following items:

Minutes 

           Regular Meeting – 12/22/2025

           Special Meeting – 12/26/2025

Collector’s Report

                                Prairietown Feed Service (Sievers Farm Income)--$8,979.88

                                Illinois Public Risk Fund (2025 Safety Grant Award)--$2,653.00

                                State of Illinois (MFT Tax)--$9,888.77

                                State of Illinois (MFT Renewal Fund)--$10,572.16

                                State of Illinois (Personal Property Replacement Tax)--$3,965.36

                                State of Illinois (Sales Tax)--$85,278.91

                                State of Illinois (Business District Tax)--$35,006.92

                                Staunton Super 8 Motel (Hotel/Motel Tax)--$1,741.49

Applications

                        None

            Monthly Reports

                        Distributed by City Clerk’s Office

            Claims

                        January 12, 2026

Business Licenses Issued 

                        Republic Services, Inc. (Trash Collector License)

                        Staunton Band Boosters (Raffle License)

                        Staunton Sportsman Club (Raffle License)

            Roll Call Vote

            AYES:   Frank, Berg, Machota, Bagaglio, McKee, Tipler.

            NAYS:   None.

            ABSENT:  Manning.

            Motion declared carried.

V.        GUESTS

            No guests attending requested to speak.

VI.      CORRESPONDENCE

Nothing to report.

VII.     TREASURER’S REPORT

Certificates of Deposit recently matured and cashed in at Constitution Bank:

Infrastructure Fund - $1,000,000.00 plus $17,376.50 interest

Sewer Fund - $250,000.00 plus $4,344.13 interest

Certificates of Deposit recently purchased at Constitution Bank for 7 months at 3.90%:

Infrastructure Fund - $1,000,000.00

Sewer Fund - $250,000.00

VIII.   CITY CLERK’S REPORT

Republic Services and DC Waste & Recycling have both renewed their trash hauling licenses for the calendar year 2026.  They are the only two licensed haulers at this time for the City of Staunton.

IX.      COMMITTEE REPORTS

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY  -

            Nothing to report.

            PARK & CIVIC IMPROVEMENT –

Motion by Berg, seconded by McKee to pay Invoice #808712 to DC Waste & Recycling for dumpster service relating to clean up of property located at 420 East 9^th Street in the amount of $6,569.39.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Berg, Machota, Bagaglio, McKee, Tipler, Frank.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  Manning.  Motion carried.

Motion by Berg, seconded by Tipler to pay Invoice #958259 from Sandberg Phoenix for Professional Services rendered regarding the condemnation/demolition of the property at 18476 Windy Hill Road in the amount of $1,000.62.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Machota, Bagaglio, McKee, Tipler, Frank, Berg.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  Manning.  Motion carried. 

FINANCE–

Nothing to report.

WATER-

Nothing to report.

STREET / SEWER

Nothing to report.

            PUBLIC GROUNDS-

            Nothing to report.

            TOURISM –

Nothing to report.

PERSONNEL –

Nothing to report.

ANNEXATION –

            Nothing to report.

            SPECIAL COMMITTEES –

                        Economic/TIF 

Motion bu Tipler, seconded by McKee to reimburse Brian Basso 100% of the completed expenses outlined in the TIF Redevelopment Agreement, for a total amount of $15,391.62.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Bagaglio, McKee, Tipler, Frank, Berg, Machota.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  Manning.  Motion carried. 

            JUDICIARY—

Motion by Frank, seconded by Tipler to approve Resolution #2026-01 A Resolution Providing For The Submission To The Electors Of The City Of Staunton, Illinois, Of A Public Question Regarding Municipal Electric Aggregation.  Due to not receiving all of the required documents by the required timeline, the Public Question will not appear on the ballot until the November, 2026 Election.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  McKee, Tipler, Frank, Berg, Machota, Bagaglio.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  Manning.  Motion carried.  

X.      UNFINISHED BUSINESS—

          Nothing to report.

XI.     NEW BUSINESS-

           Nothing to report.

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 Bagaglio to adjourn at 7:05 P.M.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Tipler, Frank, Berg, Machota, Bagaglio, McKee.  Nayes:  None.  Absent: Manning.  Motion carried.

                                                                        Prepared by:

                                                                        Dennis K. Stiegemeier, City Clerk