 Martinek resigns At the end of the evening, Denise
Martinek, city clerk, announced she would be leaving the employment
of the city to take a position with the office of the county
supervisor of assessments, effective Jan. 1.
Martinek was elected to the position of city clerk in 2009, after
the abrupt resignation of then-clerk Melanie Riggs, amidst
allegations of wrongdoing.
Mayor Keith Snyder commented there would be some obvious changes
coming in the very near future in the clerk's office, but he wished
Martinek well in her future endeavors, saying, "We wish you nothing
but the best."
When Snyder asked if anyone in the council would like to speak,
the room fell silent. Immediately after the announcement, the
council went into executive session to discuss personnel issues.
2012 tax levy to be on next week's agenda
Prior to beginning the workshop meeting of the council, Snyder
called to order a public hearing to address the issue of the 2012
property tax levy.
He asked if anyone wished to address the council regarding the
issue. With no guests in the chamber, he immediately closed and
adjourned the hearing.
For 2012, the tax increase from the levy will amount to only
$22,592. After the hearing, Alderwoman Melody Anderson asked the
city treasurer, Chuck Conzo, to discuss how the money will be used.
The lion's share of the funds, $20,000, will be split evenly
between the police and firefighter pension funds. Conzo then named
several accounts that will receive minute amounts, some as little as
approximately $30.
Illinois Municipal League provides pension study
Snyder shared a handout from the Illinois Municipal League with
information provided to him at a league meeting he had recently
attended. In the handout, the city pension funds for both police and
the fire department were broken out into figures across seven years,
from 2004 through 2010. The league also provided information on a
state level across the same time period.
Snyder noted some of the more interesting things about the report
are that in both departments there are more people drawing pension
benefits than on the active payroll. In the fire department in 2010,
25 people were drawing pension funds, while the city has an active
employee list of only 19. The same is true with the police
department, where 28 are drawing benefits, while there are only 24
people on the active payroll. In essence, more people are drawing
from the pensions than are paying into them.
Snyder also shared that the state has passed recent legislation
mandating that by 2016, municipalities start funding their pension
plans according to actuary amounts.
Across the state, in tough economic times, cities have recorded
at least portions of the pension liability as "unfunded," which
simply put, means the cities have a record of what they owe but have
not been able to place the money in the pension funds.
The city of Lincoln is among those that have an unfunded
liability to the pension funds.
The state laws will mandate that in 2016 at least one-third of
the current year liability must be funded. In 2017 the figure will
move to two-thirds, and by 2018 cities should be no longer recording
unfunded liabilities in the current years.
This will have no effect on past years where the unfunded
liability already exists.
According to Conzo, the city of Lincoln has done a reasonable job
of funding its pension plans. He referred to them as a little short
but said that meeting the new state requirements was not going to be
that big a stretch for the city.
City still hoping for a new location for police department
Snyder said he has received a copy of a lease agreement for the
space occupied by the city police department at the Logan County
Safety Complex. The lease is set to take effect Jan. 1, if the city
agrees to it.
Snyder said, at the moment, signing the lease isn't going to
happen. Anderson also noted the city couldn't sign the lease,
because it asks for a full year paid upfront on Jan. 1, and the city
doesn't have the money in the budget.
The police department is located in a small, cramped section of
the complex, and the city has long hoped to be able to find a better
location for its officers.
Among the materials handed out to council members Tuesday evening
was a report from police Chief Ken Greenslate regarding space the
department currently occupies. Alderman Tom O'Donohue said he had
skimmed through the first few pages, and he believed it would be a
worthwhile read for all the aldermen before they make any decisions
about signing a lease with the county.
Currently the city is leasing their police space on a
month-to-month basis.
Snyder receives letter from the Logan County Board of Realtors
Snyder said he received a letter from the Logan County Board of
Realtors, issuing objections to new codes that may be put in place
in 2012 regarding mandating sprinkler systems in new single-family
dwellings.
Snyder said there is no indication at this time that any new
codes will be put into effect in 2012.
Building and safety officer John Lebegue has just recently
received a copy of the new international standards in building
codes. Snyder said there is a section regarding mandating
sprinklers, but it is yet to be discussed with anyone. He said
initial conversations with Lebegue indicated he would lean toward
not mandating sprinklers in homes, with the exception of over direct
heat sources, such as furnaces.
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Regardless, Snyder said, this was a long way away, and he added,
once the city does start working on new building codes, groups like
the realtors association will be asked to join discussions.
Alderman David Wilmert said he'd had conversations with the
realtors association, and even the idea of mandating sprinklers over
heat sources was objectionable to them.
Potential buyer seeks vacating of sewer easement
The Illico office buildings on Woodlawn Road on the city's west
side are being considered for purchase by an unnamed party.
Tuesday evening, city engineer Mark Mathon explained what the
potential buyers are asking for.
Prior to beginning, Bates said he needed to disclose to the
council that he has a conflict in this issue. He is not only the
city's attorney, but also legal representation for Illico. He said
if Illico and the city both were aware of the conflict and willing
to keep Bates as their legal adviser, then discussions could move
forward. If either party is uncomfortable with the situation, then
Bates would have to step away from the city and another attorney
could be hired to fill his place. He also advised the council Illico
has no problem with the conflict.
By a few nods of the head and statements from Anderson and
Alderwoman Marty Neitzel, it was made clear the city was also all
right with the conflict. The matter does have to go on next week's
agenda for approval, but the general consensus enabled Mathon to go
forward with discussing the issue Tuesday night.
Currently the city holds a sanitary sewer easement along the
entire front of the property, but there is no sewer underneath it.
There is, however, a manhole at one end. The new owners want to
change the front area of the property, adding asphalt and possibly
concrete.
They are asking the city to vacate the easement, but also to
agree that if they do any work around the manhole, they will return
the surrounding surfaces to their original condition, with the cost
paid by the city.
Mathon said it was not likely there would be issues with the
manhole, but if there were, the city would need to retain access to
a 25-by-25-foot space around the hole and would need to repair any
damage done to the property owner's surface work.
Bates told the council the prospective owners could not do what
they want with the easement as it is now, and Snyder added that what
the buyers are hoping to do will be significant for the city.
Parking issues in residential areas
When Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital was located on Eighth
Street, parking was prohibited near the hospital. Snyder said he's
heard from an Eighth Street resident who would like to see the city
change the parking restrictions to allow parking on the north side
of the street. The change would put that section of Eighth in line
with the parking rules on the rest of the street.
A resident has also voiced concerns regarding semi parking on
Chicago Street. It is reported that semis with their trailers are
parking overnight in the area between Delavan and Keokuk streets.
The problem is, this area is zoned commercial, and semis are
allowed in the area overnight because of this.
It was discussed that drivers are aware of the zoning and know
they are within their rights to park there. Changing the rules would
have an effect on businesses such as Barrick Enterprises, a trucking
firm located on that street.
It was also noted that part of the problem is there is
residential occupancy in an area zoned commercial.
The council will vote on the Eighth Street request next week, but
the Chicago Street situation will be looked into further.
Police to go beaver hunting
Tracy Jackson, street and alley superintendent, said there is a
problem along Brainard's Branch with beavers. The animals are
building dams on the creek, stopping the natural flow of water
through the area.
Jackson has been in touch with a couple of people who can dispose
of the animals, but it appears it is going to be costly. One person
said he'd charge by the hour and shoot the animals, while another
would trap them and charge by the pelt, and he's also asking for
mileage to Lincoln.
However, there is a third alternative. Greenslate said he had
contacted the Department of Natural Resources, and the city could
get a permit to dispose of the animals themselves.
Before doing so, the city police will visit residents in the area
and make them aware of the plan to have officers shoot the beavers.
Greenslate said if no one voiced an objection, the permits from
DNR could be obtained, and the department could start destroying the
animals.
Of course, if there are objections, it may have to come back to
the council for further discussion.
[By NILA SMITH]
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