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The request came at a brief regular
board meeting Tuesday night. Prather said he wanted this
information, along with the usual requests for operating funds, from
the street and alley, fire and police departments.
"We want to know how many per shift,
what they do, what the need is," he said. From the police
department, for example, he wanted to know how many officers are on
patrol, how many are doing community policing and how many are
teaching DARE.
"This will help the finance committee
get an outline as far as staffing goes," he said.
Although it wasn't mentioned Tuesday
night, the city is facing a budget crunch and might have to consider
letting some employees go. Both Prather and Alderman Steve Fuhrer,
who was last year's finance chairman, have said cutting back on
employees would be a last resort to make financial ends meet.
Because of declining tax receipts and
historically low interest rates, the city of Lincoln, like most
other public bodies, is finding operating revenue decreasing.
It is seeking a 0.5 percent sales tax
increase in the April 1 general election, which would bring in an
estimated $550,000 per year. The city by law would have to use all
of that money for improvements to the infrastructure. A similar
proposal was defeated at the November election in 2002.
David Lanterman, newly elected
president of Main Street Lincoln, spoke to the council about the
organization's projects. These include the Adventure Zone at the
Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival in August, the Christmas parade, the
Scully Park playground, holiday decorating, the Pink Line project to
fight breast cancer, the Antiques Roadshow, the Festival of Trees,
and the newest project, the Dog Daze of Summer.
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Lanterman said the Dog Daze was a big
success and will be continued, but at an earlier summer date this
year, when the weather might not be so hot for the pets who make up
the show. He said he or Main Street director Cindy McLaughlin will
attend each council meeting to report on the activities of their
organization, and he asked council members to "let us know what
information you would like to receive."
Main Street Lincoln is funded by the
city, the Logan County Board and private donations.
In other business, the city approved an
addition to its Policy and Procedure manual regarding the license
permit fees for itinerant merchants. Merchants who are selling
products in the city for more than 60 days will not be considered
itinerant and will not pay the $25 a day fee charged to those in the
city less than 60 days.
The council heard from Fire Chief Bucky
Washam that firefighter Clint Warnisher has successfully completed
his year of probation time.
The council
also heard a report from county board member Terry Werth about the
Lincoln Well. As soon as weather permits, work will begin to put the
historic well into operation, pumping city water that will be safe
to drink. The well will be dedicated at the Lincoln Sesquicentennial
celebration in August of this year.
[Joan Crabb]
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Board chair Dale Voyles nominated Sahs.
Joining him in support were Mitch Brown, Dave Hepler, Dick Logan,
Pat O'Neill and Terry Werth. Immediately after the vote, Sahs was
sworn into office and took his seat on the board, where he will
serve the remainder of Hellman's term representing District 1. Lloyd
Hellman, who died Jan. 13, began his ninth year on the board Dec. 1,
2002, and drew a two-year term.
Voyles appointed Sahs to the airport
and farm and the road and bridge committees and as liaison to the
Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce. "I'm excited to be on the
board," Sahs said of his appointment. "I'm looking forward to the
challenge."
Sahs farms west of Lawndale, just
inside the District 1 boundary. He currently sits on the boards of
Habitat for Humanity and Growmark of Bloomington and is a member of
the Lincoln Rotary Club. In the past he has served as a board member
for Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Memorial Health System, East
Lincoln Farmers Grain and the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of
Commerce. He has chaired the Habitat and ALMH boards.
Prior to the vote, Chuck Ruben, the
other board member from District 1, announced that he considered
Sahs an excellent candidate but would vote "no" because of Hellman's
wish that his wife serve out his term. Bob Farmer, Paul Gleason,
Gloria Luster and John Stewart also opposed the appointment. Luster
explained her vote: "It was out of respect for Mr. Hellman. I felt
that she (Alberta Hellman) was qualified and would make a good board
member."
"This has been a trying experience for
all the board members, including me," Voyles said after Sahs was
sworn in. Thanking the board for their thoughtful concern, he said
they would go forward to serve the county together.
In another appointment, Ray Vonderahe
of Lincoln was unanimously approved for the Logan County Board of
Review. On Jan. 22 Dan Candlish resigned his seat on the review
board, citing health problems. Vonderahe, who along with Doug Dutz
and Ron Ross has just completed an audit of the sheriff's
department, was sworn in by County Clerk Sally Litterly.
The board unanimously approved four
amendments to the animal control ordinance:
1. Raising animal license fees from $6
to $10 for one year and from $10 to $15 for three years.
Veterinarians will dispense the tags and receive $2 apiece for doing
so.
2. Increasing the time before
euthanizing an animal from seven to up to 15 working days.
3. Imposing a $20 fine for a first
leash violation.
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4. Raising the fine for animal abuse
from $50 to $200. The animal control administrator and warden will
determine when abuse has occurred.
After the four unanimous votes,
committee chair Pat O'Neill declared, "The animal shelter that we
used to know is no longer in existence." He introduced Animal
Control Warden Vickie Loafman and announced that the facility is now
fully staffed.
In other business the board:
--Approved $9,438.12 for a one-year
lease on security cameras for the jail. The 9-1-1 board may assume
some of this cost. Finance chair Chuck Ruben said purchase of the
equipment will be considered after the year's lease is up.
--Approved $2,800 for a maintenance
contract for the courthouse X-ray machine. This figure includes some
contingency money for parts.
--Approved the yearly expenditure for
oil and culverts from motor fuel tax funds. Funds for other road
materials were OK'd earlier.
--Learned that County Engineer Tom
Hickman has applied to Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., for $19 million to
improve Fifth Street Road from the Lincoln city limits to the New
Holland-Middletown blacktop. Design of the westernmost five miles of
the project has recently been completed.
--Learned from Workforce Investment
chair Paul Gleason that Region 20, which includes Logan, Sangamon,
Menard, Cass and Christian counties, exceeded all applicable goals
in 2001. Workforce Investment served 8,151 people in 2002, up from
5,125 in 2001, through programs geared to youth, adults and
dislocated workers.
--Received tourism brochures from
Thressia Usherwood, executive director of Abraham Lincoln Tourism
Bureau of Logan County. She said 5,000 people have returned magazine
coupons requesting information on the county.
Finance chair Chuck Ruben reported that
money generated by the half percent increase in the hotel-motel tax
enacted in November will go to a newly named line item, Special Use
Projects. Money budgeted for the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum in
Atlanta comes from this line item. In addition, the committee
approved transfer of $1,500 from Special Use Projects to the
Historic Sites Fund.
According to
Paul Gleason, tourism committee chair, the $1,500 will go to the
county's two historic sites, the Postville and Mount Pulaski
courthouses. Both are without a site director since the retirement
of Richard Schachtsiek at the end of December. Funding for the sites
was cut from the 2003 county budget. Gleason said Postville
Courthouse needs money to participate in Lincoln's sesquicentennial
in August.
[Lynn
Spellman]
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