Sangamon Sun

City of Lincoln City Council met July 29.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

A special meeting of the City Council of Lincoln was called to order by Mayor Seth Goodman at 6:03 p.m. with proper notice given. The hearing was held regarding Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget. Roll call was taken by City Clerk Peggy Bateman.

PRESENT:

Alderman Tracy Welch Alderman Ward 1

Steve Parrott Alderman Ward 1

Kathryn Schmidt Alderman Ward 2

Sam Downs Alderman Ward 2

Kevin Bateman Alderman Ward 3

Ron Keller Alderman Ward 3

Kathy Horn Alderman Ward 4

Jeff Hoinacki Alderman Ward 4

PRESENT:

City Administrator Elizabeth Kavelman

Treasurer Chuck Conzo

City Clerk Peggy Bateman

Streets Superintendent Walt Landers

Building and Safety Officer Wes Woodhall Police Chief PaulAdams

Fire Chief Mark Miller Fire Chief Bob Dunovsky

ABSENT:

City Attorney John Hoblit

PRESIDING:

Mayor Seth Goodman

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

New Business and Communications:

Approval of three-year contract between the City of Lincoln and F.O.P Lincoln Lodge #208

Alderman Keller made a motion to approve, seconded by Alderman Welch. Roll call was taken

YEAS: (8)

Nays: (0)

Absent:·(0)

Ordinance and Resolution:

Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2019-2020.

Alderman Bateman made a motion to approve, seconded by Alderman Keller. Mr. Bateman said the document was worked on diligently and gets the city in a good start, moving in a different direction. He said it took a long time.

Alderman Welch said he was gone last meeting, but that he watched and said it looked like it was chaos. He suggested everyone go back and re-watch it and see if they think they put their best foot forward. He said we have never exceeded appropriations. He said we're having a meeting about appropriations when there is no historical precedent for us to do that.

He said if this were a paid meeting, he'd give the money back to the city, and put it toward something else as he believes this was a loss of taxpayer's time. He said what we did was, from an outsider's perspective, we zeroed out her line items, did not acknowledge her request for help.he said we took some valuable time from the administrator to put it in appropriations when there was no precedent for us to do that.

He said from seeing it outside the chambers, he would vote in favor of it tonight as their backs are up against the wall. Alderman Parrott said he did not think it was a waste of time. Supplies were not necessarily supplies in the administrator's budget.he said and for the help, there was zero in the budget, and for the appropriation they would have had to come back to the council anyway.He said it would have been good to have that conversation before putting it in the appropriation.

City Administrator Kavelman said right now they are working on the 5th Street Road Project, and that they have been printing a lot of documents. She said it was not uncommon for a department head to put something in their appropriations line.

Alderman Parrott said if you needed help, there was zero in the line item in the budget.

Alderman Bateman said he agreed with Steve, that the budget was only several days old and it was not in the budget... he said they would need to have a discussion on the type of help needed. He mentioned the supply line in the budget and said he did not have a description cover sheet...he had no idea about the printer and that was why he brought it up that night. He said he'd like the council to have more input next year.

He said why are we budgeting $1,000, only appropriating $1,500 and only spending $200.

He said we need to have a real working budget and appropriate money where it needs to be later on.

Treasurer Conzo said we do have a group of people working on it and it does happen prior to the end of the fiscal year.

He said the previous council did spend that time that you're talking about. He said next year you will all be here and you can spend time going over it, which he would recommend doing. He said to address your other point, Mr. Bateman... you set these as a limit as to what you hope to spend at the high end. He said any sort of supply or equipment is variable, he said what you don't want to do is what the state does. He said that has the opposite effect, where the people spend the full amount, so they don't get cut back on. He said there is a balance there.

Alderman Keller said he thought it was the right thing to do, to go over this, he said he wanted to echo what Alderman Bateman said. He wanted to applaud the department heads for reexamining their budgets and what they do in their office. He said thank you to all of you and for what you did.

Alderman Keller said he thinks ad-hoc committees could be used, to call upon the council to help and aid in the areas where they could assist, he said this was prudent of her. With no further discussion, roll call was taken.

Yeas: (8)

Nays: (0)

Absent: (0)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

City Administrator Kavelman wished Logan County Board Chairwoman Emily Davenport a Happy Birthday.

Alderman Keller wanted to remind people about the Logan County Fair.

Alderman Welch called on the city administrator to offer an update on the 5th Street Road Project. They are down to 4-5 properties remaining on that project.

Mr. Landers said the railroad crossing on Pulaski Street will be closed for a few days.

Mandatory orientation for entry level and lateral testing for police and fire spots.

ADJOURNMENT:

There being no further discussion to come before the City Council of Lincoln, Ill. Alderman Keller motioned to adjourn, seconded by Alderman Parrott.

The meeting adjourned at 6:22 p.m.

https://www.lincolnil.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=994:july-29-2019-special-city-council-meeting&catid=50&Itemid=82