City Council Meeting Minutes--March 10, 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, MARCH 10, 2025

I.          CALL TO ORDER:

            Mayor Craig Neuahus called the Staunton City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, March 10, 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 Attorney Phil Lading,  City Treasurer Cindy Pirok and Public Works Director Mike Kuethe.

            NOT ATTENDING:  Police Chief Jeff Doerr.

   IV.    CONSENT AGENDA

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

Minutes 

           Regular Meeting – 02/24//2025

Collector’s Report

                                Staunton Police Department (Reports)--$30.00

                                Staunton Police Department (Ordinance Violations)--$600.00

                                Staunton Super 8 Motel (Hotel/Motel Tax)--$1,185.27

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Property Taxes – 3rd Distribution)--$166,817.08

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Property Taxes – Library 3rd Distribution)--$20,296.34

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Interstate TIF Tax – 3rd Distribution)--$6,151.85

                                Macoupin County Treasurer (Downtown TIF Tax – 3rd Distribution)--$20,036.05

                                Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Fine Disbursement)--$301.28

                                Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Arrest Agency Fee)--$167.50

                                Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (E-Citation Fee)--$11.40

                                Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Police Vehicle Fund)--$1.00

                                MJM Electric Cooperative (Utility Tax)--$628.82

                                Ameren Illinois (Utility Tax)--$31,384.57

                                State of Illinois (MFT Tax)--$9,389.73

                                State of Illinois (MFT Renewal Fund)--$9,798.40

                                State of Illinois (Personal Property Replacement Tax)--$1,526.00

Applications

                        Bailey Moore (Police Dispatcher)

                        Chloe Pastrovich (Police Dispatcher)

                        Skylar Baker (Police Dispatcher)

                        Kayla Matthews (Police Officer)

                        Dana Rigor (Police Dispatcher)

                        Ashley Jyawook (Police Disptacher)

                        Stacy Klobnak (Police Dispatcher)

                        Anthony Bidwell (Police Dispatcher)

            Monthly Reports

                        Distributed by City Clerk’s Office

            Claims

                        March 10, 2025

Business Licenses Issued 

                        K’s Events & Creations, LLC (Address Change)

            Roll Call Vote

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

            NAYS:   None.

            ABSENT:  None.

            Motion declared carried.

V.        GUESTS

            No guests attending requested to speak.

VI.      CORRESPONDENCE

Received an email from Zion Lutheran School requesting to close the following streets around the school on Friday, June 13, 2025 from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. for their annual Bike Day Event: Henry, Hoxsey, Panhorst and Wood Streets.  They are also asking the City to provide barricades to block the streets.

Received a letter of retirement from full time Police Dispatcher Beverly Laurent.  Bev’s letter is dated March 3rd, 2025 and her last day with the City of Staunton will be March 31st, 2025.  Bev has been with the police department for 30 plus years, and she will be greatly missed after all of her years of dedicated service to the City of Staunton as well as the entire community.  Happy retirement, Bev!

VII.     TREASURER’S REPORT

Certificates of Deposit recently matured at Bank of Springfield:

Band Fund -- $15,000.00 plus $454.77 interest

Depreciation Fund -- $75,000.00 plus $2,273.88 interest

General Fund -- $150,000.00 plus $4,547.77 interest

Certificates of Deposit recently purchased at Bank of Hillsboro for 5 months at 4.20%:

Depreciation Fund -- $50,000.00

Storm Water Fund -- $250,000.00

Infrastructure Fund -- $1,000,000.00

DUI/Drug Fund -- $50,000.00

Sewer Fund -- $250,000.00

Certificates of Deposit recently purchased at Bank of Springfield for 9 months at 4.10%:

Band Fund -- $15,000.00

Depreciation Fund -- $75,000.00

Civic Improvement Fund -- $400,000.00

General Fund -- $650,000.00

IMRF Fund -- $25,000.00

Bond/Interest Fund -- $100,000.00

Telecommunications Fund -- $150,000.00

Reserve Fund -- $75,000.00

VIII.   CITY CLERK’S REPORT

The annual Worker’s Compensation Audit for calendar year 2024 was recently completed in the City Clerk’s Office and everything was found to be in balance.

A reminder to City residents that the current burn days are Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays during daylight hours and this is for yard waste only, no household trash.

IX.      COMMITTEE REPORTS

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY  -

Motion by Manning, seconded by Tipler to grant request to Zion Lutheran School to close the following streets on Friday, June 13, 2025 from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M for their annual Bike Day Event:  Henry, Hoxsey, Panhorst and Wood Streets, and also to provide barricades to block the streets.   At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

            PARK & CIVIC IMPROVEMENT –

            Nothing to report.

FINANCE–

Motion by Tipler, seconded by Dias to approve Change Order #1 from Gelly Excavating & Construction on the West Frontage Road Sanitary Sewer Project in the decreased amount of  $16,718.13.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Tipler, seconded by McKee to approve Final Pay Estimate #3 to Gelly Excavating & Construction for work complete on the West Frontage Road Sanitary Sewer Project in the amount of $16,426.78.  This will be paid from budget line item 37.71.855.1.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Tipler, seconded by McKee for Approval of Amendment #1 to the Owner-Engineer Agreement between the City of Staunton, Illinois and Fehr Graham for the Lift Station and Forcemain Improvement Project.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee.  Nays:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

WATER-

Nothing to report.

STREET / SEWER

Motion by Machota, seconded by Tipler to approve Quote #446569 from NuWay Concrete Forms for stock forms in the amount of $5,223.56.  This will be paid from line item 01.41.831.0.  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 –

            Nothing to report.

ANNEXATION –

            Nothing to report.

            SPECIAL COMMITTEES –

                        Economic /TIF

Motion by Tipler, seconded by McKee to reimburse Jeff Roller, Staunton Chiropractic Clinic, 75% of the completed expenses as outlined in the TIF Redevelopment Agreement, for a total cost of $4,034.05 (75% of $5,378.73).  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

            JUDICIARY—

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2278 Approving A Pre-Annexation Agreement With James Smith Regarding Property Located At 1701 #7 Mine Lane, Staunton, IL But Not Physically Annexing The Property To The City’s Corporate Boundaries At This Time.  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 #2279 Approving A Pre-Annexation Agreement With Evon Niesporek Regarding Property Located At 1901 #7 Mine Lane, Staunton, IL But Not Physically Annexing The Property To The City’s Corporate Boundaries At This Time.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Dias, Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to waive 1st reading of Ordinance #2280 Adopting The City’s Updated Zoning Map And Authorizing Its Publication.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Berg, Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  Motion carried. 

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2280 Adopting The City’s Updated Zoning Map And Authorizing Its Publication.  At Roll Call Vote – Ayes:  Machota, McKee, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Berg.  Nayes:  None.  Absent:  None.  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 Manning to adjourn at 7:08 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