Macon Reporter

City of Clinton City Council met Oct. 4.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Clinton, Illinois in session in the Council Chambers of City Hall and electronically at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Roger Cyrulik, presiding. On roll call, Commissioners Edmunds, Buchanan, Wise, and Ballenger were present.

Written motion was made by Commissioner Ballenger and seconded by Commissioner Buchanan that the minutes of the regular meeting of September 20, 2022 be approved as submitted. On roll call vote, Commissioners Buchanan, Wise, Ballenger, Edmunds, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

The bills and payroll were read.

Written motion was made by Commissioner Edmunds and seconded by Commissioner Wise that the bills and payroll be allowed as read and the Clerk be instructed to issue warrants on the Treasurer for the several amounts. On roll call vote, Commissioners Wise, Ballenger, Edmunds, Buchanan, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATION 

Seth Redington addressed the Council regarding Freedoms & Rights as an American Citizen. He stated he was proud to live in Clinton and proud to be an American. There are a lot of people that came before me and set statutes and laws in place and one of those is the Open Meetings Act. It is all right to ask questions. It is good for transparency in a Government and a citizen to ask questions. I have asked a lot and I am going to ask more. I don’t understand why nobody wants to give the answers or explain. A couple of meetings ago he asked about Commissioner Ballenger putting gas in his truck and I feel I have a right as a citizen to ask that question. When you just ask one question it doesn’t stop there I continue to ask and ask, and I get the documents and that proves what happened. On October 17, 2021, I made a police report. Commissioner Wise was upset at a meeting that I had only asked one question. It was stated he picked up a boat and put gas in his truck (27 gallons). He was acting as a fireman when he did it. I FOIA requested when Commissioner Ballenger was put on the department. When the application was produced and minutes of the meeting when he went on probation and when he came off as a fireman. You have to be on 90 days probation and there is nothing about that. Did somebody use their authority to insert themselves on the department in order to draw a wage? Commissioner Ballenger never drew a wage in 2015 as a fireman until he got elected as Commissioner. There is so much here – why hasn’t it been investigated? It is a huge conflict of interest. In the past Commissioners have been asked to step down when they were on the department. It states that the membership must vote – there are no records. I as a citizen know I will ruffle feathers by asking these questions. There is a lot more and I will be requesting those documents. On September 12, 2021 the document I received from the Clinton Fire Dept. states that is when they took possession of the boat. He asked Commissioner Ballenger what time he picked up the boat. Commissioner Edmunds, I asked you last meeting to produce the document that showed on October 17, 2021 that Commissioner Ballenger put fuel in his personal vehicle. Commissioner Edmunds stated we don’t have those kinds of records. Commissioner Edmunds stated we have acknowledged that Commissioner Ballenger put gas in his truck and determined it was not a criminal act. He knows he did the wrong thing and if he had done the right thing, he would have been paid mileage, so he actually saved the City money. Mr. Redington stated there will be more documents asked for. Commissioner Edmunds stated Mr. Redington is costing the taxpayers money. Mr. Redington stated the Council is dodging the problem. Commissioner Edmunds asked Mr. Redington if he has the same documents for Commissioner Milton and Commissioner Heap? Mr. Redington stated he could get them. The City Attorney stated that the public participation is not to ask questions of the Council and the Council does not have to answer them.

REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

Mayor Cyrulik had no report.

REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STREETS & PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS 

Commissioner Buchanan reported the Summer Maintenance is done and the ITEP Grant if we are approved for it the work will be done in 2024.

REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PROPERTY 

Commissioner Wise reported the Apple-n-Pork Festival went smoothly with a couple of medical emergencies and he wanted to thank the Police, Fire and EMS for all their hard work. The department is working as normal, and the new equipment is being put in to run the Water Plant.

REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY 

Commissioner Ballenger reported the Apple-n-Pork Festival went well, but they had a lot of medical calls (over 50).

REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTS & FINANCES 

Commissioner Edmunds had no report.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

Written motion was made by Commissioner Buchanan and seconded by Commissioner Edmunds to approve Supplemental Resolution 2022-11, Resolution for Maintenance Under the Illinois Highway Code (2022 MFT Summer Maintenance in the amount of $18,000.00). On roll call vote, Commissioners Ballenger, Edmunds, Buchanan, Wise, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

Written motion was made by Commissioner Ballenger and seconded by Commissioner Buchanan to approve the Contracts and Demolition Bids from Ezell Excavating Inc. for 523 N. Maple St. in the amount of $16,750.00 and 611 N. Quincy St. in the amount of $13,250.00. On roll call vote, Commissioners Edmunds, Buchanan, Wise, Ballenger, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

Written motion was made by Commissioner Wise and seconded by Commissioner Ballenger to adopt Ordinance #1556, An Ordinance Amending 1-6-3 of the Clinton City Code to Add a New Section of “Public Participation” and Establish Said Rules of Public Participation. On roll call vote, Commissioners Buchanan, Wise, Ballenger, Edmunds, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

NEW BUSINESS 

Written motion was made by Commissioner Buchanan and seconded by Commissioner Edmunds to approve Resolution 2022-12, A Resolution in Support of Participation in the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP). On roll call vote, Commissioners Wise, Ballenger, Edmunds, Buchanan, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

On File – Vacating Alley (north of 609, 615 and 625 W. Adams St. and south of 614, 616, 618 and 620 W. Main St.)

On File – Vacating Alley (north of 703, 713, 715,717 and 801 W. Main St. and south of 702, 704, 706, 708,718 and 722 W. Washington St.

On File – Vacating Alley (north of 707, 711, 815 and 819 W. South St. and south of 708, 710, 712, 718 and 820 W. Jefferson St.

On File – Contract Extension Lease Renewal with Rise Broadband on the Water Tower 

On File – Contract Extension Lease of Municipal Owned Real Property – Farmland to Brandon Houser – The City Attorney stated the Council could do a 1-year lease or a 4-year lease and consensus of the Council would be to do a 4-year lease.

ADJOURNMENT 

With no further business to come before the Council, a motion was made by Commissioner Ballenger and seconded by Commissioner Buchanan to adjourn the meeting. On roll call vote, Commissioners Ballenger, Edmunds, Buchanan, Wise, and Mayor Cyrulik voted “Yes.”

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