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April 5, 2004

City hires permanent ambulance squad members

Monday, April 5, 2004 Posted 9:00 p.m.
The Minonk City Council hired 3 full time EMTs for the ambulance squad. Kimmel Jenkins and Angela Attig were hired as full time EMT Intermediates at $7.00 per hour for a 40 hour week. In addition, Brenda Weber was hired as a full time EMT Basic at $6.50 an hour. The new full time positions will take effect on May 1, 2004.

In further action, the council appointed Kimmel Jenkins as the new ambulance department Chief. She will be paid an additional $0.25 per hour. Tonya Minz, who serves as a volunteer for the ambulance squad, was named the 1st assistant to the Chief. These positions are to be appointed annually by the Mayor with confirmation by the City Council. The squad will elect their own secretary.

Stop signs

City Administrator Trent Smith told the council that he, Public Safety Chairman Steve Mattox, and Police Chief Bill Butler jointly determined that the intersection of Walnut and Seventh should have a stop sign. Smith said that Seventh Street is higher than Walnut Street from both sides and that cars could become airborne if crossing the intersection too fast.

Alderman Ron Redenius felt that Minonk already has too many stop signs. He suggested that the city look into ways of smoothing out the intersection to remove the disparity in the elevations between the streets leading into the intersection. Mayor Mark Spencer said that this will be a first reading of the proposed ordinance and delayed a decision on the stop sign proposal for future discussion.

Junk cars

Alderman Russell Ruestman said he has received calls concerning the junk that has been accumulating in the city again. Ruestman said the junk car issue has been addressed at least five times in the past and nothing seems to correct the problem. He said there are at least 75 junk cars in the city. Ruestman said, "We have failed miserably in keeping junk cars off the streets. If we don't have enforcement of the junk car ordinance, why bother having laws." Mayor Spencer agreed and said that the issue will be brought up at the next council meeting with Police Chief Bill Butler.

City Administrator's Comments

Colclasure Inc. will be repairing the Maple Avenue sanitary sewer line between 7th and 8th streets.

American Builders have been contacted to provide an estimate for adding on to the back of the ambulance building for the Food Pantry building. The city would pour the footings and floor and put up the interior walls. Local contractors will be asked to submit bids also.

The new Well #4 is having electrical problems. It is supposed to be repaired by Tuesday. The well pipe had to be pulled. All parts and labor for the repair are under warranty.

The Chestnut Street overlay project should be started within the next couple weeks. Dick Davis has been asked to have the Moran Street road extension finished before the overlay project is started to provide the residents in the northeast corner and alternate route so that they won't have to drive through the construction.

The 2004/2005 budget has been completed. It is available to the public for viewing and will be presented at a public hearing on April 19 at 6:50 p.m. prior to the council passing an ordinance to accept the budget.

Residents will be receiving a letter requesting that they put up a 3 digit address number on their house to aid ambulance squad members finding an address on a call.