 Treasurer's report
for AugustLes Plotner, city treasurer, presented the
financial state of the city as of the end of August.
The handout provided by Plotner indicated that the general
operating fund balance is at $129,531, compared with the August 2008
balance of $948,117. He said that the huge reduction in the balance
is partially due to the slow receipt of property tax payments.
In addition, revenues are still down in general. Specifically,
state income tax revenues are down 16.75 percent, sales tax is down
5.5 percent, the non-home rule tax is down 8.5 percent, and personal
property tax revenue is down 24 percent.
In regard to the personal property tax revenue, Plotner said that
the state had made an error in last month's distribution, so that
accounts for a portion of that 24 percent. He added that while they
have acknowledged their error, they have given no indication as to
when they will correct it.
Plotner also noted that the telecommunication tax revenues are
still much higher than they were in the same time frame last year,
24.8 percent higher to be exact, and he really doesn't know why.
In the good news department, he said that the state has paid a
great deal of the sewage arrears for the prisons. The sewage bills
are now paid up to the end of June for a total of $217,493.14. The
July bill is yet unpaid, and the August bill has not yet been sent
out.
In addition the city has received $430,289.02 of the $517,260 due
to them from the state for the commerce park construction on
Heitmann and Madigan drives.
Regarding loan debt, Plotner reported that as of Sept. 1 the loan
debt to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for the
west-side sewer project has been paid off. Plotner reported that the
principal on the note amounted to $1.1 million and interest paid on
the debt totaled $162,822.01.
City gives Heritage Days funds to the park district
Alderman Melody Anderson said that before she made a motion on
the Heritage Days fund, she would like to hear from Chuck Conzo
regarding the funds that the committee wants to distribute to three
local causes.
Conzo said that the committee has reduced their original
recommendation from $2,500 to $2,000. They want $1,000 to go to the
Civil War statue and $500 to Main Street Lincoln's kiosk, both
located on the courthouse lawn. The third project they want to
support is the plaque recognizing the famous Lincoln rally and
speech held on the courthouse lawn in 1858. The plaque will be
placed on the courthouse.
Conzo said that the contribution of $500 for the plaque would go
to the tourism bureau, but he suggested that the council put a
stipulation on the money that if it isn't used within one year, it
be given back to the city so they can give it to the park district.
He said that tourism is still working to raise funds for the
plaque, and it wasn't clear how long it was going to take to get all
the money together.
Snyder suggested that perhaps all the money should be signed over
to the park district and they should write the checks for the
various causes and add the stipulation.
The ending balance in the account comes to $12,618. With $2,000
going to the three causes, the remaining balance will be used by the
park district to continue an annual Fourth of July celebration in
the city. According to Marsha Greenslate of the Lincoln Park
District, the funds will be placed in a designated and restricted
account, to be used only for that purpose.
Anderson's motion was then made that the park district would
receive the full balance of the fund and distribute money to the
other projects, with the stipulation that all the funding be
returned to the park district if not used by the end of the year
2010.
The motion passed with a vote of 9-0, with Alderman Jeff Hoinacki
being absent for the evening.
Sept. 27 proclaimed Together for Lincoln Day
Together for Lincoln representative Dustin Fulton was present to
receive a copy of a proclamation naming Sunday, Sept. 27, as the
official Together for Lincoln Day.
Fulton said that the group has approximately 100 teams that will
spend Sunday afternoon doing improvement projects around about the
city.
The groups will start their day around noon at Latham Park. He
encouraged everyone interested in helping to come to the park
between 10 a.m. and noon to sign up and get their assignment.
Fulton said that at the moment the number of volunteers is
comparable to last year, which was over 1,000 souls.
In addition to the improvement project, the group is partnering
with the CROP Walk in doing a food drive and with Lincoln Christian
Church in what they are calling a "clothing swap."
For the food drive, canned goods may be brought to the community
worship service Sunday evening at Lincoln Christian University. The
food will then be divided among all the food pantries in the
community.
The clothing swap is a two-stage event. On Saturday between the
hours of 10 and 2, good used clothing can be taken to Lincoln
Christian Church, 204 N. McLean. Then on Sunday afternoon, those who
need clothing may come to the church and choose from what has been
donated.
Fulton said the group hopes that as time goes by, people will
realize that helping others should be an everyday event and Together
for Lincoln will move from being something that takes place one day
a year, to a way of life.
[to top of second column] |
Community's newest Eagle Scout recognized
Mayor Keith Snyder introduced Matthew Barker to the council as the
community's newest Eagle Scout.
Matthew, a member of Scout Troop 102, is the son of Lyle and Sue
Barker. He is 16 and a sophomore at Lincoln Community High School,
where he is a member of the marching band, playing in their drum
line. He's a member of Lincoln Christian Church, where he is active
in many youth programs.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouting and achieved by only
about 2 percent of all Scouts in the nation. It requires that the
Scout plan, develop and give leadership to others in a service
project that will benefit a religious institution, a school or the
community.
Matthew chose to build eight picnic tables for the Little Galilee
Christian Assembly at Clinton, where he has been a camper every
summer since his family moved to this area in 2002.
Matthew said that he chose Little Galilee because he has seen
firsthand all that they do for the youth who attend their camp, and
he wanted to give something back to them.
City will purchase Auto Crane without bid
By unanimous vote it was agreed that the city would purchase an
Auto Crane truck from Drake and Scruggs of Springfield to be used by
the waste treatment plant.
The motion made by Alderman Buzz Busby said that the purchase of
the crane would not exceed $16,276 plus a trade-in crane valued at
$3,500.
Purchase of bar screen tabled
At last Tuesday's committee-of-the-whole meeting, it was added to
the agenda that a vote would be taken regarding purchasing new bar
screen for the Palmer Street lift station without going out for bid.
Wastewater treatment manager Bob Tackett had said that E & I
Corp. of Columbus, Ohio, provided the original screen and carried
replacement screens that were the correct dimensions, while another
firm he had talked to had indicated that they would have to
special-order the screen and the cost would greatly exceed the
$55,000 quoted by E & I.
Alderman Nathan Turner had questioned the correctness of the
motion, saying that if they knew E & I was going to come in at the
lowest price, then what would be the negative of going out for bid?
He expressed that approving purchases without going through the
bid process is something he's really not comfortable with.
In the end it was agreed that the motion would be made to proceed
with the purchases without seeking bids.
However, Busby said Monday night that this needed to be discussed
further, and he made a motion to table the purchase of the bar
screen.
The motion passed unanimously, and the topic will be taken up
again next Tuesday at the committee-of-the-whole meeting.
City will seek bids for pavement patching
Turner made a motion for the city to seek bids for some pavement
patching that will need to be done as a result of sewer work that is
being completed on McLean Street. The motion was approved by
unanimous vote.
Heidbreder wins the bid for the Toro
Two bids were received for the sale of a 1999 Toro
zero-radius-turn lawnmower owned by the street and alley department.
Fred Heidbreder had the highest bid of $667.29 and was named the
winner. The bid by the second bidder, Maurice Doolin, was short of
the winning figure by about $300.
Ford F-250 pickup for sale
The city will be advertising for bid a 1999 Ford F-250 two-wheel
drive, three-fourths-ton pickup owned by the waste treatment plant.
Sidewalks and curb cuts; two approved, one rejected
A petition by Anita Bradshaw for a sidewalk construct at 322
Fourth St. was approved by unanimous vote, as was a petition by Seth
Thomas for a driveway curb cut at 703 Oklahoma.
A petition by Carl and Kristy Awe II for a curb cut for a
wheelchair ramp at 706 Short 10th was rejected by unanimous vote.
Alderman Nathan Turner explained that this request was for a curb
cut in the middle of a city block, and that is something the city
seldom, if ever, approves.
He said that in a meeting with the Awes, it had been noted that
there was a driveway nearby, and a 5-foot-by-5-foot concrete pad
could be laid there.
Turner said the Awes considered that to be a reasonable solution.
The pad will be poured on private property and will not affect the
city sidewalks or street.
Consent agenda items
Items approved on the consent agenda included allowing the
Harvest of Talents for World Hunger to place a sign at the corner of
Kickapoo and Pekin streets, providing a police escort for the
Harvest of Talents and YMCA "Harvest Run" on Oct. 24, and allowing
Lincoln Community High School to use city streets for their
homecoming parade on Sept. 25.
[By NILA SMITH] |
