The Carmi City Council met on Tuesday night for their first meeting in October. With all Aldermen present, the Council approved the September 20 meeting minutes and tackled the lone item on the agenda.
Ordinance 1510 changed the language of Ordinance No. 1165 passed in 1991, and allows the City to use any collection agency to seek recovery of past due bills for electric, water, sewer, and waste disposal customers. The change was needed as part of the Debt Recovery Program offered by the Illinois Comptroller’s office the City agreed to participate in earlier this year. The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote.
Mayor Pollard thanked everyone who attended the Chamber of Commerce dinner on Monday night, and congratulated Taylor Eye Care for being awarded the Small Business of the Year Award, Little Giant for the Large Business of the Year Award, and Tim Gholson for being named the Carmi Citizen of the Year.
Pollard also informed the Council that the new recycling dumpster has been installed at the Street and Alley Department and is available for the public to use on Saturdays between 8 am and noon. The City will be hosting an electronics recycling day on October 15, no paint will be accepted this time. Pollard brought up that he would like the City Building to be power washed in the near future and invited everyone out to enjoy Corn Days this weekend.
Steve Winkleman thanked the City for all of their efforts getting ready for Corn Days on behalf of the Kiwanis Club.
Mike Buckman informed the Council that street repairs at the corner of Plum and Robinson Streets will be completed by Friday, and that the repairs at the corner of Plum and Kearney will take place next week. Buckman also told the Council that over the next few months, he would be meeting with his Department Supervisors to create a multi-year plan for repairs in the City so that the Council can begin to prepare budgets.
The Council went into Executive Session at 5:40 to discuss personnel issues and returned to Open Session at 7:24 pm. Cody Nelson was hired as a meter reader for the Light & Water Department, and Lee Holloman was hired as an operator for the Light & Water Department. The meeting then adjourned at 7:26 pm. The City Council will next meet on Tuesday, October 18th at 5:30 pm.
