The McLeansboro City Council met Tuesday night for about an hour and did some hiring. Scott Mareing was there and has this report…
A 15 minute public hearing was held prior to the regular meeting for the presentation of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
The budget with no corrections was approved at the regular board meeting.
Also at the regular meeting, the board approved yearly Christmas bonuses, to be the same as last year.
Five more lifeguards were hired to work at the City Pool this summer, added to the three hired at last month’s meeting. All eight are Leah Young, Grady Brown, Mackenzie Allen, Raynie Johnson, Carter Belangee, Ayden Hood, Emery Hart and Dylan Cockrum.
There was first reading of an ordinance regarding utility rates, which will go into effect in May, which includes a 5% rent increase from Rend Lake. Approval will be at next month’s meeting.
The board tabled action on the contract with Axon, as there was some concern with the ten year contract, which Mayor Chad May considered too long.
The Consent Agenda was approved. It included a resolution regarding recurrent debts, which authorizes the city to repay without coming to the council to approve; a resolution regarding purchase order procedures with debit card purchases; a resolution regarding maintenance with MFT funds; airport leases for Fearless Flyer, Bret Vaughan and David Sutton were approved; a TIF façade improvement grant between Justin Drake of Country Financial, the Hamilton County Economic Development Commission and the City of McLeansboro, as well as a TIF reimbursement to Drake in the amount of $578.64; the purchase of fireworks in FY 27 not to exceed $10,000; and withdrawal from the Coal Belt Fire Protective Association of Southern Illinois as it’s considered to no longer be useful.
The board went into executive session for 30 minutes and hired Kal Welch and Brody Bilderbeck as temporary part-time summer employees and Brody Baker as a full-time employee for the electrical department. Also, permanent part-time employees will receive the same pay raise rate increases as full-time employees.
The board adjourned at 6:28 PM.